New Renovations of Adler & Sullivan's 1889 Auditorium Theatre

Join us for the second installment of the Charnley Conversations lecture series, hosted by the Society of Architectural Historians and the Charnley-Persky House Museum. This lecture, New Renovations on Adler & Sullivan's 1889 Auditorium Theatre with architect Matt NcNicholas, will talk about his firm's current work at The Auditorium. Chicago firm McNicholas Associates is managing ongoing renovations.

About the event:
Architect, preservationist, and ornamental designer Matt McNicholas will present a lecture on the restoration of the Atrium ceiling of the famed 1889 Auditorium Theatre designed by the dynamic duo of Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, and their (later famous) draftsmen in Frank Lloyd Wright and George Grant Elmslie. The Auditorium Building is one of a few extant Adler and Sullivan designs and was arguably responsible for Chicago winning the bid for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.

In addition to sharing close-up images of the recently uncovered original Sullivan stencil work revealed on the ceiling (unseen in more than 100 years) Matt will discuss the design development for the interior details and describe the technical and artistic process for the restoration, including the laylights and articulating panels of the ceiling. He’ll also discuss the history of the Auditorium, its details, and the Atrium in particular, highlighting the various renovations and uses that have occurred over its 137 years while sharing seldom-seen historic photos.

Matt McNicholas is an architect, preservationist, urban designer, and ornamental designer. He has designed buildings in seventeen countries on five continents and specializes in institutional architecture and their ornamental details. He is a Board member of the Auditorium and chairs its facilities committee.

Join us for glass of wine at 5:30PM, the presentation at 6:00PM, followed by a reception and an opportunity to meet the speaker. Proceeds will support the continued preservation of the Charnley-Persky House Museum.

Since this is a program with limited seating, please cancel your reservation if you are unable to attend.

Venue:
This lecture takes place at the Charnley-Persky House Museum, a National Historic Landmark building located in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Designed by famed Chicago architect Louis Sullivan with assistance from his at-the-time junior draftsman Frank Lloyd Wright, the Charnley-Persky House (1891-1892) is recognized as a pivotal work of modern American architecture. We look forward to welcoming you into this unique space for an enlightening talk about preservation. In the meantime, take a virtual tour of the house.

1890 Photograph of the Auditorium Theatre