Architects and Architectural Development

Conceived as a model of modern, scientific efficiency in wholesale merchandising, The Merchandise Mart’s purpose was to centralize Chicago’s wholesale goods trade by consolidating its vendors and activities under one roof. It was designed to accommodate motor transportation. The creation of the Merchandise Mart epitomized the business and building boom of the frenzied years of the 1920s. At the time of completion in 1931, the Mart was the largest building in the world at four million square feet.

The Merchandise Mart was the brainchild of James Simpson, president of Marshall Field and Company from 1923 to 1930 and chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission from 1926 to 1935.

The purpose was to consolidate Field’s wholesale activities, which were scattered about the city in 13 different warehouses.

Ownership of The Merchandise Mart passed from Marshall Field and Company to Joseph P. Kennedy in 1945. Over the past half century Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) has been North America’s specialist in marketing support of buildings with wholesale showrooms. MMPI acts as a market maker for the industries it serves, bringing together wholesalers, retailers and consumers. In this capacity, MMPI is both a property manager and trade show producer, divisionally organized by the industries housed in its buildings and represented at its events.

Architects
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Beyer Blender & Belle
Booth Hansen
Dirk Lohan
Environments Group
Frank Gehry
Graham Anderson Probst & White
Helmut Jahn
McClier
Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay
Philip Johnson
PEI Cobb Freed
VOA
Valerio Dewalt Train
Skidmore Owings & Merrill
Solomon Cordwell & Buenz
Stanley Tigerman