The Rookery
The Rookery, both a National Historic Landmark and a Chicago Historic Landmark completed in 1888, was designed and constructed by the eminent Chicago firm of Burnham & Root, with the interior public spaces were remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905.
The owner purchased the Rookery intending to repair the facades of the building, restore the historically significant spaces, and upgrade the tenant space to meet premium office building standards. Nurture prepared an extensive Historic Structure Report, followed by cleaning and close-up inspection of the building’s stone, brick, and terra cotta facades, and rebuilding of the terra cotta cornice. Detailed exterior masonry and metals repair drawings and specifications were prepared, and a comprehensive restoration program was developed for the building.
The second phase of the project included restoration of the historically significant lobbies, light court, entrances and stairways. Detailed drawings and specifications were produced involving marble work, iron and bronze castings, cast iron restoration, glazing and glass block restoration, painting and gilding, and marble mosaic flooring. Construction was completed with Nurture as the consultant for the historically significant public spaces. Nurture received a AIA Chicago Honor Award for Architecture and Interior Architecture.