New book "Chicago's Art Deco Skyscrapers" looks at city's architectural history

Chicago is known around the world for its extraordinary architecture, some with stories even lifelong Chicagoans may not know.

In a new book, "Chicago's Art Deco Skyscrapers," author Joe Gustaitis takes readers on a beautiful visual journey through the city's architectural history. 

In the book, he focuses on the period from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. 

He explains what made those years so extraordinary.

"It's interesting that the Chicago Art Deco skyscrapers and I have 20 of them in my book were built in a short six years," Gustatitis said. "I first became aware of the importance of Art Deco when I was researching my book, Jazz Age Chicago. One critic said that Art Deco is a style that everybody can recognize. And like most people, I was familiar with the look of Art Deco, but then I realized how widespread it was — especially in Chicago. Art Deco has been called the last of the total style. It could be and it was applied to almost anything from toasters to gigantic ocean liners, steam locomotives, appliances — you name it."

The book contains photographs of some familiar buildings to Chicagoans, including one North LaSalle and the Chicago Board of Trade building. He says some may not have even seen the inside of these buildings. 

"A lot of Chicagoans don't know about the interior of these buildings," he said. "One of the important things about visiting these Art Deco buildings is that not all of them are open to the public. The book has a handy map, so to help you plan your visits. But some of the skyscrapers in the book are office buildings or apartment houses and you'd be lucky to get as far as the elevators."

For buildings some may have walked past more than a hundred times, the book details the hidden meanings that might surprise people.

The book, "Chicago's Art Deco Skyscrapers," will be available in stores and online starting in November.