The Chicago Building or Chicago Savings Bank Building is an early skyscraper, built in 1904–1905. It is located at 7 West Madison Street in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Designed by the architecture firm

Holabird & Roche The architect, architectural firm now known as Holabird & Root was founded in Chicago in 1880. Over the years, the firm has changed its name several times and adapted to the architectural style then current — from Chicago school (architectu ...

, it is an early and highly visible example of the Chicago school of architecture. The building's features characterize this style through the use of large " Chicago windows", metal frame construction, distinctive bays, and

terra cotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based Vitrification#Ceramics, non-vitreous ceramicOED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used ...

cladding. The combination of the north side projecting bay windows, and the east side rectangular "Chicago windows" with movable sashes is representative of the two typical Chicago school window types. The building is prominently located on the southwest corner of State Street and Madison Street, with visibility increased by an offset in the alignment of State Street. The building is a critical component of a grouping of significant structures, including Carson Pirie Scott and the former Mandel Brothers Store, at what was once labeled the "World's Busiest Corner". The building was designated a Chicago landmark on March 26, 1996. In 1997, it was converted to a dormitory for the

School of the Art Institute of Chicago The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a Private university, private art school associated with the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to an art students' cooperative founded in 1866, which gr ...

. The corner of the 3rd floor of the Chicago Building contains the cornerstone of Chicago. It is the 0-0 degree point of the city, and is the location from which all addresses in Chicago begin.

Notes

Commercial buildings completed in 1905 Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Chicago Residential skyscrapers in Chicago Chicago school architecture in Illinois 1905 establishments in Illinois Chicago Landmarks {{CookCountyIL-NRHP-stub