The entrance canopy was conceived in response to two factors: 1. we could not hang any support off the existing facade, and 2. any addition to the building would need to be ‘light’ enough to clear the City of Chicago Landmarks Review Board.

With this in mind we design a canopy that attempted to appear light and delicate, but still provide a notable entry point. The structure cantilevers off four new columns in our newly built vestibule, and both columns are formed by wrapping aluminum panel around this structure. The branded champagne panel is a reference to the glitz and glamour that was associated with the original Marshall Fields in Chicago.

Throughout the course of designing this canopy, we would investigate the potential for this piece in a variety of capacities. The rendering above and the model below were instrumental in securing both client and AHJ approval, while the exploded axon and the detailing below allowed us to iron out the details with the team of installers in the field.

The canopy should be complete by August of 2020.

The original Marshall Fields Warehouse is actually a collection of five buildings, each built within a few decades of one another, and forming a “U” around what used to be an interior road that allowed access to a variety of high end shops. In later years, when the building was consolidated, the road was downgraded to an alley used for deliveries. Later still it was enclosed and ultimately and escalator atrium as well as a large, decorative fountain.

Our design for the entry lobby occupies this space and attempts to aesthetically draw on this past. During demolition, the team uncovered a single panel of the original brickwork, and we drew inspiration from the detailing of that wall to develop our own modern take on the classical brickwork. The ceiling operates as a canopy not unlike those which would have hung in this space in the early 20th century, and we have broken the space, a cumbersome half city block in two with a faux storefront portal that will house a rotating series of art installations.

Throughout the interior design process we paid careful attention to every move and every detail, attempting to find the right balance between respecting the history of the space and creating something new and inventive.

The lobby is tentatively scheduled for completion in August of 2020.

The exclamation point at the end of the elevator lobby is the deconstructed clock installation. This piece uses the famed and historic “Great Clock” that Marshall Fields installed on the exterior of his building in 1897. This icon (or icons, Marshall Fields was so enamored by it that he installed a second), has been a constant piece of the Chicago past ever since, having been constantly cleaned and cared for and restored throughout its life. So famous is this icon that it was painted by Norman Rockwell in 1945 for the Saturday Evening Post.

Our installation deconstructs the icon, printing the image of the clock onto several layers of clear resin. The intent was to create a sense of depth, visual dynamism, and variety. As one moves through the lobby the rich details of the clock will manifest themselves more clearly, each layer providing more detail. The center clock face is an actual operable clock with its own wall mounted mechanism and custom hands fabricated to match the existing hands.

We studied this installation in a variety of ways, from digital to physical modeling, and had countless samples of the printing done in order to ensure that the image would read as intended. The installation is slated for completion in August of 2020.