This is the only structure in Baltimore designed by an architect associated with the Chicago School of architecture, pioneers of the iconic skyscraper. The building utilizes iron- and steel-frame construction married with other fireproof materials such as brick, stone, and terra-cotta, sheathed in classically inspired architectural motifs. Indeed, the Continental Trust Building is one of the few to survive the 1904 Baltimore Fire. Although the interior was burned, the shell remained intact, providing one of the first tests of fireproof construction. Known for their aesthetics, Burnham and his contemporaries treated skyscrapers as a three-part composition, the design equivalent of the base, shaft, and capital of the classical column, as exemplified here. The building likewise takes advantage of the structural stability of iron and steel and plate glass to increase the glazed area.