Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Does Chicago actually have a skyscraper designed to look exactly like a massive, luxurious bottle of champagne? In this fun and informative installment of Docent Talks, the Chicago Architecture Center dives deep into the archives to separate architectural myth from history, uncovering the true story behind one of Michigan Avenue's most striking Art Deco masterpieces. Read the highlights below:
The Birth of an Icon (1929) [00:10]
The spectacular Carbide & Carbon Building opened its doors on North Michigan Avenue in 1929 [00:10]. It was commissioned by the New York-based Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation [00:15] and designed by the Burnham Brothers—the talented sons of legendary Chicago urban planner and architect Daniel Burnham [00:22].
Uncovering the 1928 Business Diary [00:27]
For decades, locals whispered that the building’s unique aesthetic was a cheeky nod to alcohol during the height of Prohibition. The truth was finally uncovered in the personal business diary of Daniel Burnham Jr. [00:27]. An entry dated March 16, 1928, details a meeting with a Carbide executive who explicitly requested the tower's unique palette [00:30].
"A Black-Green Like an Old Champagne Bottle" [00:53]
The executive wanted a striking look inspired by New York's black-and-gold American Radiator Building [00:45], but specifically requested the body of the Chicago tower to be "a black green like the color in an old champagne bottle." [00:53] To achieve this gorgeous look, the architects used:
The Base: Deep, polished black granite cladding across the bottom three stories [01:01].
The Ornamentation: Dark green terra cotta panels climbing the body of the tower.
The Cap: Brilliant, brilliant accents detailed in a thin layer of genuine 24-karat gold leaf across the top three stories [01:08].
The Ultimate Prohibition Mystery [01:14]
While the executive's diary entry proves the champagne color connection is 100% true, it leaves one tantalizing mystery unsolved: did the architects intentionally design the gold top and dark bottom to mimic the foil top and label of a champagne bottle? [01:14] The diary doesn't say, leaving a bit of romantic mystery hanging over the skyline.
A Modern Day Landmark [01:44]
Originally built as a brilliant form of visual advertising to command attention from blocks away [01:37], this Art Deco marvel continues to stun passersby today. While it is now home to the Pendry Chicago, a luxury boutique hotel [01:44], it proudly keeps its historic status as the most effervescent building on the Chicago skyline [01:51].
Subscribe to the Chicago Architecture Center for more fascinating design mysteries, virtual tours, and expert-led stories behind the blocks you walk every day.
Does Chicago actually have a skyscraper designed to look exactly like a massive, luxurious bottle of champagne? In this fun and informative installment of Docent Talks, the Chicago Architecture Center dives deep into the archives to separate architectural myth from history, uncovering the true story behind one of Michigan Avenue's most striking Art Deco masterpieces. Read the highlights below:
The Birth of an Icon (1929) [00:10]
The spectacular Carbide & Carbon Building opened its doors on North Michigan Avenue in 1929 [00:10]. It was commissioned by the New York-based Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation [00:15] and designed by the Burnham Brothers—the talented sons of legendary Chicago urban planner and architect Daniel Burnham [00:22].
Uncovering the 1928 Business Diary [00:27]
For decades, locals whispered that the building’s unique aesthetic was a cheeky nod to alcohol during the height of Prohibition. The truth was finally uncovered in the personal business diary of Daniel Burnham Jr. [00:27]. An entry dated March 16, 1928, details a meeting with a Carbide executive who explicitly requested the tower's unique palette [00:30].
"A Black-Green Like an Old Champagne Bottle" [00:53]
The executive wanted a striking look inspired by New York's black-and-gold American Radiator Building [00:45], but specifically requested the body of the Chicago tower to be "a black green like the color in an old champagne bottle." [00:53] To achieve this gorgeous look, the architects used:
The Base: Deep, polished black granite cladding across the bottom three stories [01:01].
The Ornamentation: Dark green terra cotta panels climbing the body of the tower.
The Cap: Brilliant, brilliant accents detailed in a thin layer of genuine 24-karat gold leaf across the top three stories [01:08].
The Ultimate Prohibition Mystery [01:14]
While the executive's diary entry proves the champagne color connection is 100% true, it leaves one tantalizing mystery unsolved: did the architects intentionally design the gold top and dark bottom to mimic the foil top and label of a champagne bottle? [01:14] The diary doesn't say, leaving a bit of romantic mystery hanging over the skyline.
A Modern Day Landmark [01:44]
Originally built as a brilliant form of visual advertising to command attention from blocks away [01:37], this Art Deco marvel continues to stun passersby today. While it is now home to the Pendry Chicago, a luxury boutique hotel [01:44], it proudly keeps its historic status as the most effervescent building on the Chicago skyline [01:51].
Subscribe to the Chicago Architecture Center for more fascinating design mysteries, virtual tours, and expert-led stories behind the blocks you walk every day.
