What’s That Building? Chicago Icons: Baháʼí House of Worship
This building is the only Baháʼí House of Worship on the continent and one of only eight in the world.

Lots of Chicago-area buildings make you stop and ask: “What’s that building?” So, WBEZ’s Reset collects the stories behind them!
This building is the only Baháʼí House of Worship on the continent and one of only eight in the world.
The elegant simplicity of these residential towers designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe would be imitated several times — in Chicago and around the world.
The massive structure mainly houses offices these days, but it was built by Marshall Field’s when the department store was growing in the 1920s.
The Xes on the sides of the tower help make this one of the most recognizable high-rises in downtown Chicago, but also serve a functional purpose.
Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, Guaranteed Rate Field and the United Center are a sign of Chicago’s strong sports fandom.
This building is the only Baháʼí House of Worship on the continent and one of only eight in the world.
These homes are as much an icon of Chicago architecture as the more imposing downtown buildings.
The elegant simplicity of these residential towers designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe would be imitated several times — in Chicago and around the world.
The massive structure mainly houses offices these days, but it was built by Marshall Field’s when the department store was growing in the 1920s.
The structure is the center of the neighborhood, with shops and restaurants radiating out from the intersection of Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road.
At 398 feet tall, the structure stands on the north bank of the Chicago River, gleaming white.
Now referred to simply by its address, the downtown structure’s long history includes several past names, including the S.A. Maxwell Co. store, the Jewelers’ Building and Iwan Ries building.
The West Loop address has powered cable cars and served as a union hall, but its future is now uncertain.