Armchair Travels

Exotic Revival Styles in Chicago Architecture

Laurie Petersen will present on Chicago buildings designed in the Exotic Revival style, from the Wrigley Building’s Seville-inspired tower to hieroglyphic-clad Clark Street gems and more.

Did you know that the Wrigley Building’s tower is modeled on a cathedral in Seville? Have you ever noticed a building on Clark Street that is adorned with hieroglyphics and statues of pharaohs? Laurie Petersen will give a slide presentation on a variety of Chicago buildings with unusual design inspirations.

Laurie Petersen is the editor of the American Institute of Architects’ AIA Guide to Chicago, the most comprehensive guide to the city’s buildings. The fourth edition of the book was published by the University of Illinois Press in June 2022. She has appeared on Chicago Tonight and has given numerous lectures about architecture in the Chicago area. She also writes for Chicago Architect magazine. She is a docent who leads tours at Crow Island School in Winnetka and helped develop a web-based tour of that National Historic Landmark school. She also leads tours at Chicago’s Charnley-Persky House, designed by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Armchair Travels is generously funded with a gift from the Rutherford Family Trust.

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