If you ever find yourself at the corner of Green Bay & Elm Street in Winnetka, don’t just walk by—look up. You might miss a true one-of-a-kind brick mural hiding in plain sight.
This new Chase retail banking and corporate offices building, designed by Gensler, features a hand-carved brick mural that blends art, architecture, and craftsmanship into the building envelope itself.
How a brick mural comes to life:
• Utility-size bricks are extruded and dry stacked while still wet
• A sculptor stencils the design directly onto the clay using the architect’s drawings
• Each brick is carefully carved by hand, revealing the final design
• Bricks are numbered on a non-visible face for precise mason mapping
• The carved bricks are fired in a kiln to permanently set the design
• Finally, they’re shipped to the jobsite and installed by skilled masons
Proof that brick isn’t just a material… It’s a canvas.
LOCATION: Green Bay Road & Elm Street, Winnetka, IL
ARCHITECT: Gensler Chicago
GC: Skender
DEVELOPER: Riverside Investment & Development Company
