Wainwright Building, Saint Louis

The Wainwright Building in Saint Louis is an iconic early skyscraper that is widely recognized as a masterpiece of architecture. Designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, the building was completed in 1891 and was named after local businessman Ellis Wainwright. With its ten floors and height of 41 meters (135 feet), the Wainwright Building was one of the tallest structures in Saint Louis when it was built.

One of the most striking features of the Wainwright Building is its tripartite composition, which consists of a base, a shaft, and an attic. This design, inspired by the classical column, was intended to emphasize the building's height and power. Sullivan, who was a leading figure in the Chicago School of architecture, believed that the skyscraper should be celebrated as a modern, functional structure, rather than an imitation of classical styles.

The Wainwright Building is also notable for its use of terra cotta, a type of ceramic material that was commonly used in architecture during the late 19th century. The building's intricate ornamentation, which includes geometric patterns and stylized plant motifs, demonstrates Sullivan's belief that decoration should be integrated with the structure of the building.

Today, the Wainwright Building is owned by the State of Missouri and serves as an office building for state agencies. Despite its age, the building continues to be recognized as a landmark of American architecture and is regularly visited by tourists and architecture enthusiasts. In 2013, it was featured in an episode of the PBS series 10 That Changed America, which highlighted the most influential buildings in American history.