Upon his return in 1905, Tallmadge decided to start his own architectural firm with fellow Burnham draftsman Vernon S. Watson. Although Watson was the chief designer, Tallmadge became the face of the firm due to his commitment as a historian and teacher. He taught at the
Armour Institute of Technology from 1906 to 1926. Tallmadge is credited for coining the term "
Chicago school" in an article for
Architectural Review to describe the recent trends in architecture pioneered by Burnham,
Louis Sullivan, and others. Tallmadge took sole control over his firm after Watson retired in 1936. Tallmadge later focused on publishing books instead of articles, completing three works. ==Death==