June 30, 2016

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This week's Epstein Throwback Thursday returns once again to Oak Brook, Illinois for Part 2 of the story detailing a collection of projects completed for the R.H. Donnelley Corporation from the late 50s through the mid-70s. Last week (http://goo.gl/NkXhCl) we covered 1961's 170,000 sf Direct Mail Division facility and today we visit '68 for the completion of the 33,500 sf Official Airlines Guide (OAG) building.

The OAG facility was a high-tech computerized data and printing facility that we designed and engineered across the street from Donnelley's York Road Direct Mail Division facility. This office, production & distribution facility, located at 2020 Clearwater Drive, was constructed to produce a publication called the Official Airlines Guide, which in essence was a printed version of all domestic and international flight schedules. Featuring uninterruptable electrical power supply with no variation in voltage or frequency, the OAG building was developed to allow Donnelley to ramp up production of a new 'pocket-guide' version of the OAG, which would be released to the public in 1970. (If you are curious, the Official Airlines Guide still exists, although as an online/app based endeavor and is the world's leading provider of flight status and day of travel information)

As you can see the OAG building is another fine example of Epstein's mid to late '60s modernist design aesthetic and features a structural steel frame and cladding utilizing aluminum and grey tinted glass curtain wall.

Next week, we will finish up our visit to Donnelley's Oak Brook campus to cover the very 70's office addition we did for the OAG building, a design that features some incredibly eye-catching wall paper. Stay tuned!