Wainwright Building

Louis Sullivan
1890-91



The vertical thrust


The pilasters soar upward from above the base to the cornice. Still, the ornament of the recessed spandrels gives a sense of horizontality, suggesting the floors of the building.
 

The "classical" elevation


Sullivan's architecture typically uses a base or podium, then the shaft, and terminates in a heavy cornice.

Details of the corner at the podium level and the entrance

Details of the windows and the top

The top and the cornice

 

The organic decoration of the entrance


The floral decoration in terra cotta varies from floor to floor as it does at the entrance. See Sullivan's bank in Sidney, Ohio for other examples of organic exterior decoration.




Other Sullivan buildings on this site include: the Auditorium Building, the Gage Building and the People's Savings and Loan Association Bank.


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