The dominance of the automobile industry beginning in the early 20th century affected many aspects of Detroit, specifically contributing to the design of a car-centric city and the construction of architecture which reflected the prominence and wealth generated by this key industry.
Project Topics: Architecture
The Black Bottom, Slum Clearance, and Detroit’s Self-Destructive Desires
The Black Bottom Neighborhood Black Bottom was among the oldest neighborhoods in Detroit prior to its demolition. Although bearing a large immigrant and Jewish population by the turn of the 20th century, factors such as the Great Migration, new job opportunities, and redlining resulted in an explosion of Black Bottom’s African American population. Over the […]
Daily Life in Chicago Tenements
Overcrowded, poorly built, and unsanitary, tenement housing was one of the worst places to live, yet for so many it was their only choice. Newly settled immigrants as well as working-class families struggled to make a living and had to do so in deplorable conditions. There would be those that tried to change the situation, but their successes would only be temporary. Low-income housing is still a struggle for many today, and the roots of the issue can be traced back to those early days when tenements were the only option.
Chicago’s Catholic Immigrants and Church Architecture, 1850s to 1924
While modern Catholic immigrants into Chicago are from Central and South America, Chicago’s Catholic churches, built from the 1850s to 1924, reflect the European immigrants who were their original parishes. The reasons behind the styles, though, are less straightforward.
Forged By Fire – Chicago’s Industrial Growth Following the Great Fire
Since the year 1871, the city of Chicago has never been the same. The fire that shook the entire world ushered Chicago into a new era. Due to the city’s detailed face-lift in architecture and new industrial perspective, Chicago rose above the ashes to take its position in the United States as the golden […]
Pullman: A Company Town in an Industrial Age
The company town of Pullman was built in response to industrialization in the United States in the 19th century.
