The Tour Committee has been busy this winter, reviewing new tour proposals for the coming season. The committee presented four new tours to Docent Council for approval during the March meeting. All were given the green light and will be added to the tour schedule. Here are the new offerings:
Riverwalk East
You only think you know the Riverwalk, Chicago’s newest linear park lined with shops and restaurants. But in 2019, the Riverwalk East section, now dubbed The Esplanade, got a facelift, complete with new trees, extensive landscaping, and public art. Along the walk, there are also murals that many Chicagoans have not seen or even know about. This space has become an economic engine for development along the river and an increasingly popular spot for leisure activities for both locals and visitors. This 90-minute tour will alternate with the Riverwalk West tour. Tour directors are Ellen Shubart and Lorie Westerman.
Moveable Bridges
Follow the route of the bridge tenders, the people who open and lower Chicago’s famous drawbridges. Watch and photograph the majestic bridges over the Chicago River rise while walking the Riverwalk East. Explore how the Chicago River made Chicago the liveliest and busiest port of 19th century America, and learn how the bridges work, why and when they go up. “Chicago’s second coastline” offers magnificent views and fun facts about these fascinating structures. This 90-minute tour will run on Wednesday and Saturday mornings during the bridge-opening season in the spring and fall. Tour directors are Ellen Shubart and Corinne Rohr.
Northwestern University: Evolution of a Campus
Stroll through a wooded landscape on the shores of Lake Michigan to discover the architectural riches of Northwestern University’s Evanston campus. Explore a wide variety of buildings, from the High Victorian Gothic style of 19th century University Hall to cutting edge contemporary designs like Ryan Center for the Musical Arts. Learn how the campus more than doubled in size in the 1960s when the University purchased acres of land under the waters of Lake Michigan and followed a lakefill plan developed by noted architect Walter Netsch, whose Brutalist structures transformed the campus. This two-hour walking tour also includes striking interiors of Deering Library and Kellogg Global Hub. Tour directors are Leanne Star, Robert Michaelson and Larry Mages.
What’s New in Chicago?
What’s New in Chicago walks the immediate neighborhood of the new CAC to discover trends in architecture focusing on what has been built in the last decade. Visitors learn about important architects working today and the choices they are making regarding structure, materials, ornament, density and the environmental impact of what they build. A highlight of the tour is a visit to the 38th floor deck of the 465 North Park Apartments, a new residential tower by Papageorge Haymes, for a bird’s-eye view of the neighborhood. Tour directors are Mary Jo Hoag and Emily Clott.