The Chicago Building or Chicago Savings Bank Building was built in 1904-1905. It is located at 7 W. Madison Street, Chicago

Madison Street (Chicago)

Madison Street is a major east-west street in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to human intervention, the Chicago River emptied into Lake Michigan at the present day intersection of Madison Street and Michigan Avenue....

, Illinois. It was designed by architectural firm Holabird & Roche

Holabird & Roche

The architectural firm of Holabird & Root was founded in Chicago in 1880. Over the years, the firm's designs have changed many times — from the Chicago School to Art Deco to Modern Architecture to Sustainable Architecture.-History:...

, it is an early and highly visible example of the Chicago school of architecture

Chicago school (architecture)

Chicago's architecture is famous throughout the world and one style is referred to as the Chicago School. The style is also known as Commercial style. In the history of architecture, the Chicago School was a school of architects active in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century...

. The building's features characterize this style through the use of large "Chicago windows", metal frame construction, distinctive bays, and terra cotta

Terra cotta

Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...

 cladding. The combination of the north side projecting bay windows, and the east side rectangular "Chicago windows" with movable sashes is representative of the two typical Chicago school window types. The building is prominently located on the southwest corner of State Street and Madison Street, with visibility increased by an offset in the alignment of State Street

State Street (Chicago)

State Street is a large south-north street in Chicago, Illinois, USA and its south suburbs. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...

. The building is a critical component of a grouping of significant structures, including Carson Pirie Scott

Carson Pirie Scott

Carson Pirie Scott & Co., known informally as Carson's, is an upscale chain of department stores that have been in business for over 150 years. Their product price points are targeted to the moderate-to-upscale shopper...

 and the former Mandel Brothers Store, at what was once labeled the "World's Busiest Corner." The building was designated a Chicago landmark

Chicago Landmark

Chicago Landmark is a designation of the Mayor of Chicago and the Chicago City Council for historic buildings and other sites in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, architectural, artistic, cultural,...

 on March 26, 1996. In 1997, it was converted to a dormitory

Dormitory

A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...

 for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The corner of the 3rd floor of the Chicago Building contains the cornerstone of Chicago. It is the 0-0 degree point of the city, and is the location from which all addresses in Chicago begin.