Chicago: Loop

Located between the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, and Roosevelt Road, the Chicago Loop is the historic heart of the city’s financial district and the second most important commercial center in the United States after Manhattan. This architect-led tour explores the exterior of landmark skyscrapers that shaped modern architecture, including the Auditorium Building, the Railway Exchange Building by C. B. Atwood, the Reliance Building by Burnham & Root, and the Chicago Cultural Center by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. Along the route, visitors will also encounter key works such as Louis Sullivan’s Sullivan Center (formerly Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co.) and Mies van der Rohe’s Chicago Federal Center, both essential pieces in the evolution of American architectural design.

The itinerary continues through a remarkable collection of early and modern skyscrapers: the Monadnock Building by J. Wellborn Root, The Rookery redesigned in part by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Chicago Building by Holabird & Roche, and the iconic Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) by SOM, the tallest building in the country. The tour also explains the origin of the name “The Loop,” referring to the elevated train tracks—known locally as “the L”—that encircle part of downtown and connect with Chicago’s subway and regional electric rail systems. With the guidance of an architect, participants gain an in-depth understanding of the Loop’s architectural legacy and its pivotal role in shaping the city’s urban identity.