Like the surrounding buildings , many constructed in the period of architectural innovation that followed the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 , this building is forward-looking in its design and use of materials , while maintaining respect for its setting . Like the bays of its 19th - and 20th-century neighbors , the facets that create the façade ’s dynamic crystalline form allow light to extend into the narrow building , while expanding the views enjoyed from inside . The geometry of the façade is unique because the surface is constantly tilting in three dimensions , resulting in individual units of glass that are parallelograms rather than rectangles . At the same time , the average size of each of the façade 's individual panes of glass is consistent with the standard size of the windows in the buildings up and down Michigan Avenue
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership