The Marquette Building serves as an example of the Chicago School style of architecture. It has a three-part façade that parallels a classical column — a clearly identified base, a vertical shaft of floors above, and an ornamented cornice that signifies the capital, or top, of the column.
The Marquette Building also displays the Chicago window: a large, fixed central pane of glass flanked by two operable narrow sashes. This window design became popular in the 1890s partly because it allowed for natural light and ventilation year-round.
