by Ellen Shubart, Class of 2006
This article is a bit late – Cole already has made himself welcome at Chicago Architecture Center for a couple of months, and many docents know Cole by his first name. He is helpful, quick to respond, easy to talk to, a fixer of problems, and a wonderful “face” for docent interaction.
But who is Cole, exactly? While he can answer most questions about Chicago’s architecture off the top of his head, Cole comes from Bernardsville, New Jersey and has a New York education. Cole began at Marymount Manhattan College and graduated from Manhattan College in the Bronx. He first majored in painting, using oils and found-sculpture to create his works, then switched majors to philosophy, focusing on radically different ideas, primarily Marxism.
Cole came to Chicago to join a good friend who moved to the city after attending the University of Illinois. He stayed because likes the city and because he met his girlfriend, now completing a Ph.D. at Northwestern University in performance studies; her dissertation topic is about Indigenous healing processes.
Cole has lived in various neighborhoods, moving from Logan Square to west Lakeview and then to Edgewater. All these neighborhoods are rich in the vernacular architecture that intrigues him. And he would like to be a CAC docent. “I would love to do walking tours. I would love their interactive nature,” he says. Focused on architecture, Cole spends his free time reading tour manuals off The Bridge.
Brutalism is his first love which parallels his academic interests. He is a student of not only Marx but also LaSalleans, a liberal South American Marxist movement. Cole is impressed by Bertrand Goldberg’s Hilliard Homes as well as Wrightwood 659, the art museum that presents “interesting socially engaging stuff,” along with the Tado Ando-designed building next door.
Cole views his CAC role as being “ready to serve.” He is a seasonal employee, signed on until the end of October. “I take the broad view to see where I can be most beneficial,” he says of his summer job. He “builds” the Announcements section of the Bridge each week and works with the Communications Committee and Lexie to get the Bridge content up and ready for distribution on Fridays. He’s having a good time working with docents. Stop by and say hello. He’d love to talk about whatever tour you are doing.
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It’s great working with you, Cole!
Welcome, Cole! It was a pleasure having you on my walking tour during your first day on the job. I think you should become a docent, too!
Welcome, Cole! Great addition to our team! 🙂
Cole, we hope you get to stay past October!
A pleasure to read!
Cole. I didn’t realize you were a summer employee. Hope you can stay past October. You have made a great positive impression so far.
It has been great getting to know you this summer. You have really worked hard for us. I hope to have you here after October.. Jill C
Thank you so much to Ellen for writing this article and to all of you for reading and saying such nice things to me! I am excited to hopefully join your ranks this winter!
It’s been a pleasure to get to know you, Cole, and I hope to go on one of your tours someday! I, too, hope you’re able to stay with us in some capacity after October.