Can you imagine a place where influential figures like Chief Justice Earl Warren and Vice President Richard Nixon once walked? You’re standing right in front of it – the Laird Bell Law Quadrangle.
This architectural masterpiece, designed by the renowned Eero Saarinen, is a testament to modern architecture. The building’s long, low classroom and administrative wings, with their horizontal design and interlocking spaces, perfectly embody the Modernist movement. And, to bring a touch of softness to this harmonious complex, landscape architect Dan Kiley incorporated a fountain and plantings.
What makes this place even more fascinating? Saarinen used Indiana limestone, the same material employed for the Gothic buildings nearby, to create a connection with the surrounding campus. The buildings were completed in 1960, and since then, the University of Chicago Law School has experienced tremendous growth.
Although it has maintained its original design, a major renovation project in 2008 breathed new life into these structures. The D’Angelo Law Library expanded, providing more study space, and the reflecting pool was given a makeover. The project was so successful that the D’Angelo Law Library was awarded the 2008 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Rehabilitation.
Today, the Laird Bell Law Quadrangle stands as a symbol of the University of Chicago’s commitment to excellence and its dedication to shaping the future of legal education.