another afternoon spent photodocumenting the chicago athletic association building

with camera gear and tripods in hand and around my shoulders, i entered the chicago athletic association building for another highly anticipated afternoon spent photodocumenting the chicago athletic association building and annex - known as the "michigan building" and "madison building" respectively.

after arranging my camera equipment, throwing on the hard hat and drowning out the obnoxious construction noise around me with the band godflesh nestled in my ears, i was comfortably in my zone.

i wandered about, paying close attention to any and all alterations made since my previous visit. there always seems to be something - on a small or large scale - that has been uncovered or exposed after the removal of decades worth of renovations reflecting the trends of the time. i'm always delighted to discover old wallpaper coverings, stencils, ceiling fixtures or plasterwork that i immediately capture with my camera. these little recently uncovered echoes of the past, which were hidden for years, drives me to return time and again.

i do this work without any compensation. i'm motivated purely by passion to document and share what others cannot see. i've gathered well over 1,500 images thus far and there will be many more visits that will likely triple that number. there has been some chatter about possibly incorporating some of my photographic images in each of the rooms - once the boutique hotel reaches the phase of adding finishing touches. i would be most honored if that was a realistic consideration the design team chose to move forward with.

regardless, the experience as a whole has been highly rewarding. i've watched a building be taken apart and put back together again through the lens of my camera. and to be honest, it is nice to be in an old building possessing a camera instead of wrecking bars for once. my chiropractor would certainly concur.

i will continue to post "sets" of pictures over the coming months as the athletic club slowly transitions into a fine hotel where the historic integrity very much remains the focal point.