Prudential Building
Prudential Building
Prudential Building
50.6 M
Sullivan's design for the building was based on his belief that "FORM FOLLOWS
FUNCTION". He and Adler divided the building into four zones.
The basement was the mechanical and utility area. Since this level was below ground, it did
not show on the face of the building. The next zone was the ground-floor zone which was
the public areas for street-facing shops, public entrances and lobbies. The third zone was the
office floors with identical office cells clustered around the central elevator shafts. The final
zone was the terminating zone, consisting of elevator equipment, utilities and a few offices.
Above the “base” of the building a series of office floors of identical plan were placed.
These floors featured private lavatories in reconfigurable office spaces.
The halls were defined by wood and glass partition walls, intended to give the interior a
bright and “club” like feeling.
The elevators and staircases were enclosed not by walls, but metal cages permitting southern
light to penetrate through the circulatory systems and into the hallways.
The building has 13 floors above the ground level.
The rigid frame structural system of steel bears the weight of the building while the walls
are mere curtain walls.
The exterior is made up of brown terracotta moulded and engraved which adds to the
aesthetics of the building.