Restoring an old Chicago high school is not normally a high-profile commission. In the case of Carl Schurz High School, however, Ross Barney + Jankowski Inc.'s repair job became a dazzling make over.

Designed by Dwight Perkins in 1908, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Significantly, it provides an unusual example of Prairie School architecture on an institutional scale.

What came as a pleasant surprise was the varied colors of the original materials. Cleaning the masonry revealed two shades of brick beneath the grime. Replacing the roof with new clay tiles--a large initial expense that is cost-effective in the long run--recreated the brilliant orange of the palette. The original wood windows were repaired rather than replaced, saving both money and architectural character.


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