The Wrigley Building

The gleaming white Wrigley building in Chicago was hailed as ‘The Alpine peak in burnt clay’ when its 30 storeys were first opened in 1924. In fact there are two buildings linked by a corridor at ground level and a high level ‘walkway’. The imposing North Building was erected in 1920 followed three years later by the South Building. The walls, graduated in five shades of whiteness, became a subtle advertisement for Wrigley’s chewing gum and for terracotta itself. At the time of construction it employed more terracotta, manufactured by ‘The Northwestern Terra Cotta Company’ than on any other building in the world, approximately 250,000 units.

Based in design on the Moorish Giralda Tower of Seville Cathedral in Spain, the decorative features and ornamental designs are modelled mostly on American interpretations of French and Spanish Renaissance decoration. More formal and heavily sculpted spread-eagles and vases are mounted at cornice level to draw the eye up to the crowning colonnaded turret.

The building is based on a steel frame encased in concrete, the terracotta envelope being supported by steel angles that reach to the corners of the building. As corrosion had its way, these eventually began to exfoliate causing distress to the terracotta blocks in the immediate vicinity.

The Wrigley Corporation have undertaken a regular programme of maintenance over many decades to ensure that the building remains a world famous landmark. Since 1993 the UK has been the source of replacement material in the hands of craftsmen with unequalled experience in the restoration of
Terra cotta.

Shaws of Darwen have liaised closely with the engineer and management team, submitting drawings for approval based years of archived past work and on site information provided by the engineer. The manufacture of blocks utilises the best of modern technology combined with the irreplaceable hands on experience of time served craftsmen.

Our skills in replicating decorative and ornate work were exercised to the full on some of the most intricate and detailed blocks we have been called upon to make.

Owner:
Wm. Wrigley Jr., Company

Management Agent:
NAI Hiffman Asset Management LLC

Engineer:
Building Technology Consultants, PC