Land+Living: Chicago's Millennium Park

Architecture, Landscape — July 7, 2004 Posted by James

Better four years late than never

Chicago's new 24.5 acre Millennium Park is be unveiled next week with the grand opening ceremony on July 16th and festivities planned throughout the weekend.

The park has its share of designer credentials with Frank Gehry, Kathryn Gustafson and Anish Kapoor just to name a few.

Link: Millennium Park
Link: Public Building Commission of Chicago
Link: Millennium Park - unofficial site
Link: Archinect (Pritzker Pavilion photo gallery)

Millennium Park Rendering

The master plan of the park, by Project Design Director Ed Uhlir, is a simple classical approach, generally compartmentalizing the various elements.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Spring 2004, Courtesy of Scott McDonald/Hedrick Blessing

Chicago gets a Gehry; the stainless steel clad Jay Pritzker Pavilion is said to be the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States. The pavilion can seat around 11,000 and shares back-of-house facilities with the adjacent Harris Theater designed by Thomas Beeby. A curving steel clad pedestrian footbridge also designed by Gehry crosses Columbus Drive to connect the park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

The Crown Fountain, Courtesy of Scott McDonald/Hedrick Blessing

The Crown Fountain designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa features two 50' tall glass brick towers incorporating LED display technology. Kruek & Sexton Architects executed the design.

Lurie Garden, Courtesy of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol LTD

The 3 acre Lurie Garden was designed by the team of landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson, plantsman Piet Oudolf, and theatrical designer Robert Israel. A project of Gustafson's U.S. firm Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd (she is also partner in London based firm Gustafson Porter)

Millennium Sculpture Rendering, Courtesy of David Morgan

Another shining metal object in the park is the Cloud Gate sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. At 110 tons, this will be one of the world’s largest outdoor sculptures.

4 comments

Comments (4)

Chuco Rodriguez — November 14, 2006
interesting designs

The stainless steel clad Jay Pritzker Pavilion has a look to it I have not seen in many other architectual designs. owever I question the overall affect of this 'new look'. I believe that the abstract shapes and angles brings a negative feeling to the general public and I also believe that the metal and other supplies put into the creation would have been better used helping the war effort. VOTE CLINTON-2008

Cait — February 1, 2007
interesting sculptures

I have never seen something like the Cloud Gate sculpture by the British artist Anish Kapoor. It is a fascinating work of art and is beautiful in the sun. Because of Chicago's reputation, I think it was a good idea to place it there. Keep up the good work.

the guy that thinks chuco suck — March 6, 2007
chuco rodriguez is an idiot

1 you have not seen any architectural designs 2 it's effect not affect 3 there are no angles, it's a smooth shape 4 the war effort has nothing to do with art, it's entirely different institutions buying the metal. 5 i'm sick of fuciking idiotic responses by people who think they know what they're talking about

daniel peace — June 4, 2008
loving your designs

hi, im daniel i love the designs :D, i want to be a garden architect when im older im starting college this september :P add me on hotmail kaceysuncle@hotmail.co.uk