Lorado Taft Midway Studios

Lorado Taft Midway Studios
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Chicago Landmark
View from northeast.
Location	Chicago, IL
Coordinates
Built	1906
Architect	Taft,Lorado, Pond and Pond
Architectural style	No Style Listed
NRHP Reference #	66000317
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	December 21, 1965
Designated CL	December 1, 1993

The Lorado Taft Midway Studios consist of a converted and relocated barn that became the art studio of Lorado Taft, one of the early 20th century's most important sculptors. It sits in the Woodlawn community area of Chicago, Illinois, and is owned by the University of Chicago.

In 1906, Taft moved his main studio from the Chicago Loop to a brick barn near the Midway Plaisance. Later, he connected a pair of frame barns to the main building to serve as male and female dormitories. The structure was redesigned by the architectural firm of Pond and Pond to contain 13 studios for Taft and affiliated sculptors.

The building was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 21, 1965, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. It is one of the four Chicago Registered Historic Places from the original October 15, 1966 National Register of Historic Places list (along with Chicago Pile-1, Hull House & Robie House). On December 1, 1993, it was named a Chicago Landmark.

Today, the building is home to the university's Department of Visual Arts and Creative Writing program, and has been renovated to be classrooms, offices, and studios for students and faculty.

Gallery

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  Entrance

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  View from southeast

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  Lorado Taft at work on Fountain of the Great Lakes in 1913 in his Midway Studios

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  Lorado Taft Midway Studios (red rectangle) is just south of the Midway Plaisance. Fountain of Time (red oval) is in the southeast portion of Washington Park immediately west of the Midway Plaisance. (Chicago Park District in green, University of Chicago in pink)