Thank you to everyone who participated in our fourth week of Arch Madness voting! Almost 170 of you voted to determine our championship round, the final two buildings in the competition. Your votes this week will decide the first ever champion of Arch Madness!
Click here to see the updated bracket with the Arch Madness Championship Round.
Click here to cast your vote for Arch Madness Champion! Voting for this final round will close at 5 pm on Monday, May 4.
Below is a breakdown of the winners of the Final Four round.
Matchup #1: The Rookery vs. Monadnock
Winner: The Rookery
With just about 60% of the vote, The Rookery took home the win, solidifying its place in the championship round.
Why The Rookery? Voters said…
“Graceful and elegant inside and out, The Rookery is Burnham & Root with a Wright chaser!”
“Both are historic superstars but Rookery wins based on its enduring appeal to everyone from casual architecture fans to tenants themselves.”
“Both buildings are treasures, but Rookery is the only place to see FLW’s work in the Loop while still being able to appreciate Root’s design.“
“Yipes…Sophie’s choice, eh??? I think it is the Rookery for all the elements that came together in this iconic building. Monadnock is super worthy for its combination of old and new technology but the Rookery wins for aesthetics, hidden frame construction and, of course, the atrium lobby!!”
Matchup #2: Marina City vs. Reliance
Winner: Marina City
A close race indeed, but Marina City takes her place in the championship with a margin of just 16 votes (91-75).
Why Marina City? Voters said…
“Downtown living and quintessential Chicago. Love the Reliance, but I have to go with the icon.”
“Marina can still take people’s breath away over 50 years after its completion.”
“Marina City still brings tourists to Chicago to see the revolutionary design. Its back story even more gripping than that of the lovely elegant lady called Reliance.”
“As much as I love the Reliance, a city that calls itself the birthplace of modern architecture has to have at least one building in the top 2 that can be considered modernist. The equivalent of winning on a buzzer-beater from half court.”