Fragments of bulldozed buildings star in a new Chicago exhibition

A permanent show at the Art Institute of Chicago brings together architectural odds and ends rescued from long-demolished buildings, including some designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The museum delved into its archives to put the exhibition together, bringing out an array of different objects, including sections of stained glass, columns, cornices and floor tiles – all taken from significant local buildings that have since been torn down or renovated.

Simply titled Architectural Fragments From Chicago, the show marks the first time these pieces have been on display for 30 years, capturing a side of the city that has disappeared. American studio Norman Kelley led the exhibition design, mounting the objects on grey steel panels to emphasise their intricate nature.

Frank Lloyd-Wright fans can inspect a ventilator grille and iron gate – rescued from his Francis Apartments, which were demolished in 1971 – and an original stained glass window from the Coonley Playhouse, now a private residence.

The exhibition is now on permanent display at the Institute, which describes the show as ‘another avenue to understanding our urban past’.