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Fisher Studios was built for the young modernists in search of a city pied-a-tier for late nights at the clubs. The initial sketch is said to have been drawn up by Chicago artist Edgar Miller, who partnered with architect and friend Andrew Rebori to bring the building into reality. Miller affectionately referred to Rebori as a “sculpture of volumes” which is evident in the spacious and sensuous, yet very compact interiors of Fisher Studios.

It is the third of Edgar’s ‘handmade homes’ and the only he designed from the ground up. The idea was that the architecture would embrace the latest modernist impulses and technological advances, namely air conditioning and glass blocks with streamlined design in mind, while combining it with Edgar’s carvings, stained glass, murals, and other artistic elements to counter the sometimes harsh aesthetic that the efficiency of modernism created. As Rebori described, these interiors were meant to include a symphony of color with art physically woven into the fabric of the building. It was meant to be artful, glamorous, and efficient all in one.

While brick is no doubt durable, time had taken its tole on many of the artistic elements and the building had become a shell of itself. In 2000 it became a condo and started extensive renovations gutting most units down to studs. Today none of the murals, plaster reliefs, or mosaics by Edgar survive. The stained glass windows were heavily damaged and had to be pieced together with the broken shards of the original, but aside from a handful of carved beams and doors are the only elements by Edgar that remain.

Just beginning a new phase of restoration, Fisher Studios will once again see art woven back into its fabric with the help of contemporary carvers and craftspeople.