The City of Chicago approached the Old Town School of Folk Music and other cultural institutions about the former Hild Library, an art deco building that had stood vacant for twelve years. The 43,000 square foot building was situated on North Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Square, one of Chicago's most culturally diverse neighborhoods. Chosen by the city as the preferred recipient, the School began planning and soliciting support to expand operations to the new facility in late 1994.
A focal piece in the new facility design was the unique glass staircase, which features over 40 custom-designed decorative laminated glass panels. Each piece portrays the likeness of one of the many prominent and influential musicians to pass through the school over the last five decades and works to tell the story of the building. The glass staircase railing was created using Goldray's interlayer process to print the images directly onto a film interlayer before laminating it between two lites of glass.
Each decorative laminated glass panel portrays the likeness of one of the many prominent and influential musicians to pass through the school over the last five decades and works to tell the story of the building.
