Benjamin H. Marshall, Chicago Architect

Benjamin Marshall's contribution to the skyline of Chicago finally receives its due in this masterful volume on his life and work. Marshall (1874-1944), maybe even more than some of his famed architect peers, bridged the gap between the classical and modern by blending traditional design with modern details and amenities. From the French Empire style Blackstone Hotel and Theatre (1908-10) and the Renaissance Drake Hotel (1919), to like-styled luxury apartment towers of the interwar years such as 1550 North State Parkway (1913) and 209 East Lake Shore Drive (1924), Marshall s command of historical styles is on display. Beyond Chicago, Marshall s work stretched across the United States, particularly with theaters during the first decade of the twentieth century and later with hotels from Chicago down through Mississippi.

Marshall is perhaps best remembered as a Ziegfeld-like personality who was essentially an architectural as well as real estate impresario. Through text and images, this volume will transport you to flapper-era Chicago, offering a glimpse into Marshall's Gatsby-like lifestyle, as well as his comparably immersive buildings. These experiential spaces include works from his entire practice, from elaborate French classical theaters such as the Maxine Elliott in New York (1908), to the Edgewater Beach Hotel (1916), a veritable resort in Chicago, to his own studio in Wilmette, Illinois (1921-25), whose elaborate gardens and furnishings in a theme park like atmosphere was visited by celebrities and showgirls alike.

Beyond his dynamic life and work, Marshall left a great legacy of buildings in Chicago. In creating these extraordinary architectural environments, Benjamin Marshall helped shape the city that we see today, elevating building types such as theaters, country clubs, urban hotels, and multifamily dwellings to another level of architectural achievement.