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Carbine and Carbon

Luxurious, exuberant and dramatic, the Carbide and Carbon Building is a metaphor for the sumptuous décor of 1920s America.
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Official Name

Pendry Hotel (Carbine and Carbon Building)

Address

230 N Michigan Ave

Architect

Style

Neighborhood

Loop

Current Use Type

Original Completion Date

1929
Google Maps Static Map

The Carbide and Carbon Company, which developed the first dry cell battery, needed a regional headquarters to house its rapidly expanding business. Company executives wanted the building to make a statement, to communicate the firm's success and to attract clients. They commissioned the Burnham Brothers (sons of the deceased Daniel Burnham), who completed the structure in 1929.


All Deco’d Out

A dazzling building on Chicago’s skyline, the Carbide and Carbon Building epitomizes the lavish excitement of Art Deco. The facade is composed of luxurious polished black granite, green and gold terra cotta and gold leaf with bronze trim. The building’s interior is known for its extravagant lobby, originally used to display the company’s products. Frosted glass fixtures and Belgian marble greet visitors at its Michigan Avenue entrance. The building’s cap is ornamented with genuine 24 karat gold, though it is only one five-thousandths of an inch thick. Bronze trim extends from the tip of the spire to the ground level.


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  2. Etiam fermentum augue facilisis fermentum mattis. Aliquam sollicitudin quam a tortor pretium tristique.
  3. Duis aliquam velit sed est consequat, vitae tempus orci facilisis. Integer elementum turpis lectus, non luctus nisi efficitur.
  4. Pellentesque sit amet augue sit amet metus hendrerit sagittis.
  5. Curabitur hendrerit sapien vitae pellentesque imperdiet. In maximus, ex a ornare rhoncus, sem libero posuere ligula, a interdum justo turpis ac massa.
  6. In varius lacus ligula, in ornare massa elementum vel. Integer eleifend, tortor non scelerisque venenatis, ex ipsum interdum leo, eget suscipit turpis ipsum vitae velit.
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    Fun Fact

    To recognize the building’s contribution to Chicago’s rich architectural history, the city keeps the gold spire permanently lit. Only a handful of buildings receive this distinction.

  • No image description available.

    Fun Fact

    To recognize the building’s contribution to Chicago’s rich architectural history, the city keeps the gold spire permanently lit. Only a handful of buildings receive this distinction.

A hard rocking second life

All good things must come to an end, as they say. With the market crash of 1929, a planned sister building to the Carbide and Carbon Building was cancelled, making it the sole fully-colored skyscraper in the world at the time. The building was landmarked in 1994 and in 2004 it underwent a $106 million restoration. After being sold to a realty company, the building became the new home for Chicago’s Hard Rock Hotel. It still stands out as one of the most unique structures on the city’s skyline.

Docent Perspective

    • Tour guide in a red jacket in front of a building, gesturing with their left armTour guide in a red jacket in front of a building, gesturing with their left arm
      “Its warm and sensuous materials make the Carbide and Carbon building unique among Chicago’s towering skyscrapers. Every tour I give where this Chicago landmark can be seen, a tour taker will ask about it. The Carbide and Carbon delights and awes.”
      Jane SmithDocent Class of 2004
    • Tour guide in a red jacket in front of a building, gesturing with their left armTour guide in a red jacket in front of a building, gesturing with their left arm
      “Its warm and sensuous materials make the Carbide and Carbon building unique among Chicago’s towering skyscrapers. Every tour I give where this Chicago landmark can be seen, a tour taker will ask about it. The Carbide and Carbon delights and awes.”
      Jane SmithDocent Class of 2004
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