Carbide and Carbon Building, Chicago, Illinois, USA (1929)
When owners of the Carbide and Carbon company, developers of the first dry-cell battery, was looking for a new headquarters, they found a site in Chicago and hired Hubert Burnham and Daniel Burnham, Jr., sons of the famous architect Daniel Burnham, to design their landmark. While never fully confirmed, legend says the Burnham brothers designed the Carbide and Carbon building with rebellious intent. The 40-story green terracotta stretch of the skyscraper is capped with gold leaf and bronze Art Deco designs at the top, capped with a narrow, gold tower on the roof. The overall appearance of the building resembles an Art Deco champagne bottle. It was, according to tales, the Burnham Brothers making a very public statement against Prohibition’s severe alcohol restrictions. The Burnham Brothers never confirmed nor denied the rumor, but the colors, design, and timing just make the rumor seem credible.
