Modernist High-Rises
he modernist movement — led by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who came to Chicago from the Bauhaus in Germany — marked the rebirth of the skyscraper in the city that invented it. His “less is more” philosophy signaled the end of the whimsical flourishes and ornamentation favored by the Chicago school (Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, and the like) and helped usher in a new era of minimalism: strong) and abundant natural light. Primarily found along the lakefront, these soaring structures also represented a different type of postwar city living that included sweeping skyline views, ample services, and excellent transit access.
