Promontory Apartments

Promontory Apartments is a 22-story residential building made of concrete and glass situated at the edge of Burnham Park with views across Lake Michigan and the surrounding area. The structure contains 122 cooperative units, each arranged around compact elevator lobbies on their respective floors.

Completed in 1949, this was architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's first skyscraper design and established new standards for modernist residential architecture in America. The project represented a significant shift in how high-rise apartment buildings could be designed and organized.

The floor layout with three apartments arranged around central elevator lobbies represented a fresh approach to high-rise residential living in post-war Chicago. Visitors can still see today how this rational organization shapes the movement and flow through each level.

The building is accessed through large glass entrances that immediately convey its modernist character. The interior provides good orientation thanks to its clear and straightforward layout across each level.

Developer Herbert Greenwald consulted with several renowned architects before selecting Mies van der Rohe for this project. The selection process included conversations with Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius.

Location: Chicago

Architects: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Architectural style: International Style

GPS coordinates: 41.79420,-87.58080

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:02