1. New “Chicago: City of Architecture” panel
In early April we replaced our original “Chicago: The City of Architecture” display with a new—and hopefully improved—design. (Upon entering the gallery, this is the first display on your right.)
The new design features five vertical panels, each illustrating how a Chicago-born architectural innovation shaped design and engineering practices around the globe. For example, Chicago-based firm SOM pioneered skyscraper engineering with the Willis (née Sears) Tower, forging the path for later super- and megatall buildings, such as Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. For another example, the construction of Millennium Park over railroad infrastructure along Michigan Avenue provided a model for other cities to transform industrial areas into public parks, as demonstrated by Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas—built over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway.
2. New buildings on the model
The Chicago City Model now includes the following new buildings:
- 221 W Harrison St
- 751 S Dearborn
- 145 S Wells St
- 313 W Wolf Point Plz
- 207 W Harrison St
- 110 N Wacker Dr
- 845 W Madison St
- 810 N Clark St
- 51 E 14th St
- 2111 S. Wabash
- 639 W Roosevelt Rd
- 217 N Green St