Throwback Thursday – Independent Pneumatic Tool Co.

We travel back to 1949 for todays Epstein Throwback Thursday to take a look at our design of the Independent Pneumatic Tool Co. (IPTC) Office & Manufacturing Facility in Aurora, Illinois.

One of the great things about our Throwback Thursday series is that we get to take another look at our past projects, many of which were for industrial sector clients, and really appreciate how forward-thinking and design oriented these facilities were, and in some cases, still are. For instance, todays profile, IPTC, not only features an elegant Art Moderne of architecture but also a very modern use of daylighting which resulted in a very 21st Century floor plate.

This two-story building, located at 175 North State Street, featured extensive glazing along the entrance elevation which utilized Thermoplane insulating glass. Thermoplane glass was comprised of two panes of glass with a ½" dry air space which has the insulating value of a solid ten-inch brick and concrete wall. By using this of highly insulated glass our architects were able to develop an interior plan that maximized the floor plate by placing workstations and/or manufacturing equipment next to these windows without fear that they would be too cold or drafty. In addition, maximizing daylighting allowed IPTC to save energy costs through a reduction in lighting, air-conditioning and heating fuels.

What makes the ITPC building so visionary for the time is that these design principles and ideals of daylighting and floor plan programming are what our current architects and designers strive to implement today in similar office/manufacturing facilities.

We are also happy to report that this building is still being used although no longer by IPTC. The Apostolic Assembly Church is now located within IPTCs former office space and the East Aurora Flea Market is using the manufacturing wing. And, from the looks of the satellite views on Google, the building is still a shining example of Art Moderne!