The Graham Foundation hosted the primary exhibit for this edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, and the interior of the building is filled with beautiful wood paneling, stained glass windows, and tile work.

Chicago Architecture Biennial 2021

January 10, 2022

Through all the changes and turmoil of the second half of 2021, the most recent edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial was on my radar, but other pressures kept me from checking it out. I finally carved out some time to visit the indoor exhibition space the weekend it was set to close. Though I didn’t get a chance to explore the installations throughout the city, I’m glad I got a glimpse into what this year’s biennial was all about:

“The concept and title for the 2021 edition, The Available City, asks us to consider the impact collective space can have in cities today. Through a reinvented and responsive global platform, the Biennial will create opportunities for conversations about the intersection of architecture and design and such critical issues as health, sustainability, equity, and racial justice leading up to and throughout the run of the edition.”

A view of the work ‘Up from the Past: Housing as Reparations on Chicago’s South Side’ by Isabel Strauss. Naturally, I was really drawn to this presentation of archival research.

A detail of photographs from ‘Up from the Past.’

The connection between space, especially architecture, and the well-being of the community that inhabits it has always interested me. Working and volunteering at the National Public Housing Museum cemented the reality that housing is a human right. Our recent experience buying a 2-flat with our friends further revealed just how unfair and restrictive it can be securing stable housing. Exhibits in the biennial seemed to take these ideas as a baseline and expand further - into the creativity of ways in which people make their dwellings their homes, of ways in which communities collectively adapt spaces to meet their needs, of the possibilities of fostering greater connection across spaces between seemingly unlike communities.

The installation ‘Miracles, Now’ by Departamento del Districto (Mexico City) analyzed the changing urban landscape of the city.

I was absorbed by this non-narrated film ‘Communities at Work’ by Christophe Hutin Architecture (Bordeaux). It was fascinating watching how different communities make their spaces home.

In short, the works I saw felt more hopeful around the state of spaces, in spite of everything. It’s not that the status quo is acceptable, but rather works in the exhibit offered glimmers of what could be different, what could better serve the people and community that inhabit different spaces. I walked away from the biennial thinking about how individuals and groups are the most knowledgeable about how their spaces should be used, and reflecting on when, where, and why community is taken into account and allowed to lead development processes. I’m looking forward to the next biennial, and hopefully by that time, external circumstances will allow for me to explore it more in-depth.

The installation ‘Microprocesses: A Choreography of Urban Integration’ by Enlace Arquitectura + Ciudad Laboratorio (Caracas) looked at the divisions that occur in cities and how these artificial barriers can be broken down.

Another view of ‘Microprocesses: A Choreography of Urban Integration’

The final room of the exhibit in the Graham Foundation.

The installation ‘The Opportunity of Scarcity’ by El Cielo (Mexico City) invited visitors to imagine the urban landscape of Mexico City.

One view of a long scroll painting, entitled ‘Still Life in the Windy City’ by Drawing Architecture Studio (Beijing), that I absolutely loved. So many details and vignettes from around Chicago in one work.

Quincy, Illinois

December 17, 2021

This fall, I took one of the few trips I’ve been on since the pandemic started. We drove out to Quincy Illinois, which is located on the western border of the state along the Mississippi River. Our visit only lasted for a long weekend, and it felt strange to not be in Chicago, but it was nice to have a change of scenery. I was particularly interested in the architecture, especially the industrial area next to the river. It was a good excuse to get my camera out and do a little exploring.

This modernist bank was what prompted me to get out my camera for the first time during the trip.

The next few images are more from the bank. Because yeah, I really liked this building

Who knew that the entrance to parking could actually look interesting?

The mirrored glass made for lovely effects with the lines of the building itself.

Some adaptive reuse for these historic brick buildings, which were likely warehouses in their previous lives.

This taller building looked like it must have had joining tall neighbors which were demolished at some point.

The sun was very intense as we were walking around, and I was really into the white of these satellite dishes against the blue sky.

Historic theater downtown, all the tile work was beautiful.

Next to the theater, a line of multistory brick buildings. It was hard to tell if these were being used and/or occupied.

Walking towards the river as the afternoon progressed, with more industrial and warehouse views.

Old signage, including one neon sign, with taller brick buildings.

There’s a steep hill down to the river, and from the top you get nice views of the industrial buildings and bridges.

Looking up at yet another brick building with some interesting embellishments and partially obscured old painted advertisement or sign.

I enjoyed all the various levels of constructed landscape - lots of buildings on varying grades, and of course, lots of brick.

The newer of a few bridges running across the Mississippi. This little park at the base of the bridge was a pleasant stop for a break.

Silhouetted rail bridge and power lines.

A non-silhouetted view of the train tracks over the bridge, from the perspective of a grade-level set of train tracks.

And finally, some kind of electrical substation along the river, as seen through a chainlink fence.

Open House Chicago 2021

October 30, 2021

October in Chicago means Open House Chicago, and this year was no exception. After 2020 only featuring sites visitors could view from the exterior, 2021 allowed a return to touring inside buildings across the city and near suburbs. Being fully vaccinated and missing exploring my city, I went out to see a handful of sites in spite of my anxiety about being around strangers for the first time since the pandemic began. I certainly didn’t regret it! We stopped at sites in Logan Square, Wicker Park, Fulton Market, and Back of the Yards, and the current functions of these buildings ranged from comedy clubs to schools to green business incubators. It felt good to get out, enjoy the city, and take some photographs.

Bar at the Lincoln Lodge in Logan Square.

Performance space in the Lincoln Lodge, Logan Square.

Exterior of Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart, Wicker Park.

Library in Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart, Wicker Park.

Interior of the Herman Miller Showroom in Fulton Market.

Framed work and wallpaper on a wall of the Herman Miller Showroom in Fulton Market

Interior break room space in the Plant, Back of the Yards.

Packinghouse Museum in the Plant, Back of the Yards.

Interior detail of plants in the Plant, Back of the Yards.

Plants and shelving inside Plant Chicago in Back of the Yards.

Interior detail of the ceiling in the Plant Chicago, Back of the Yards.

Adventuring around Chicago - Summer 2020

September 18, 2020

For the last year or so, I had imagined that this summer would be one filled with celebration and travel since I completed grad school in May. The pandemic dramatically altered those plans. While it feels like a bit of a let down, I also recognize how incredibly fortunate I am these days: still employed, in good health, cohabitating with a wonderful partner and stress-relieving cat. I know this is not the case for many, and that reality is far, far worse than a lost summer of fun. So, I’m readjusting my expectations and am seeking opportunities for escape a little closer to home.

Our close friends live downstairs, and we’ve been part of the same pandemic bubble since day one. I’ve gone on a few outings with them, with my partner, and solo - masked and largely within state borders to protect ourselves and those around us. It’s pretty remarkable how much my perspective changed on my surroundings after spending 95% of my time in the same 1,000 square foot apartment, with only the occasional walk around the neighborhood or trip to the grocery store. What likely would have been fairly mundane trips now feel like so much more. This shift in perspective is welcome, and it’s an unexpected gift in the midst of so much pain and suffering. It’s a confusing mixture of feelings to hold at the same time.

I also haven’t been taking as many photographs as I’d anticipated I might this year. The majority of the images I’ve taken have been around our apartment, unsurprisingly, but our trips have been one exception to that. Below are a few of those, a few tangible slices of life during this incredibly strange and difficult time.

A ride down to Bridgeport means stops to take photographs of the old factories and warehouses in the area

A stop to admire the architecture in West Town after picking up coffee

It was strange going months without going downtown

Walking through Wicker Park after a trip to the dentist

Hospitals: terrifying before, even moreso now

More Big Marsh, excited to visit again soon to see changes in this work-in-progress park

Driving around the industrial far south side

More industrial sights, this time at Wolf Lake

Open House Chicago 2019

October 28, 2019

This fall marked another fantastic Open House Chicago weekend. It has been challenging to plan and spend all weekend visiting sites in the last few years, due to grad school. Regardless, I had the chance to visit a number of sites with friends the day I was able to set aside for adventuring. We ended up biking around Garfield Park, the West Loop, Back of the Yards, Bronzeville, and made a pitstop in Chinatown for a snack. The variety of sites - their function, aesthetic, and age - made for an interesting blend, and it felt great to take some photographs for myself! I’m looking forward to next year and exploring more of this amazing city!

Great Lakes Yard was our first stop of the day

Next, we stopped at Revolution Workshop, which is neighbors with Great Lakes Yard

Lab on Lake is a beautiful industrial building turned church, nightclub, homeless shelter, and now event space.

The Hatchery is a purpose-built hub for food businesses

UE Hall features amazing murals that tell the story of unionization

Bubbly is a light-industrial small business incubator

IIT’s Kaplan Institute was our last stop

Chicago Architecture Foundation - Open House 2016

October 31, 2016

Another great year of visiting interesting sites! This year we covered locations from Back of the Yards, the Loop, and UIC. These are a few phone shots, proper photos will be posted on my site soon.

Roosevelt University Auditorium Building

Idaho State Penitentiary - The challenge of historic prisons

February 25, 2016

While visiting family in Boise, I visited the Idaho State Penitentiary. This historic site functioned as a prison from 1872 to 1973, and it is comprised of complex of buildings surrounded by an imposing stone wall. Over 13,000 inmates lived here while the penitentiary was active. Prisoner riots in the 1970s over living conditions led to its closure and it was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places the year it closed.

I picked up a quarterly issue of Clog at the Chicago Architecture Biennial on prisons and architecture. The dozens of articles by architects, reformers and activists, and prisoners shed light on a variety of issues that relate to this type of architecture. This publication helped put into context my visit to the historic penitentiary. When prisons were first built, they were meant both to punish those deemed to be criminal and protect society from the prisoners. There was often little consideration for the physical, much less the psychological, well-being of the inhabitants of these buildings, given these goals. This explained the cramped, dreary quarters and what to me seemed like uninhabitable windowless boxes that were solitary confinement.

There was also an essay discussing the recent trend of historic prisons as horror-gazing. Historic sites face the challenge of competing with other entertainment and cultural attractions. Some make the decision to dramatise some historical aspects in order to appeal to a wider audience. Idaho State Penitentiary has capitalized on this trend, offering haunted tours and a Halloween haunted house. Sensationalizing what was indeed a place of great misfortune and unhappiness can trivialize it. It’s a fine line to walk between experimenting with the identity of a former prison and exploiting the reality that many faced while residing here.

I’m glad we visited, though the trip took a toll on us, and I left with more questions than I started with thanks to Clog.

Chicago Architecture Biennial - SC Johnson Campus Visit

February 21, 2016

Sadly, the first Chicago Architecture Biennial has come to a close. I’m happy I was able to attend some of the programs and spend time exploring the extensive exhibits at the Cultural Center. I also had the chance to get out of the city for an interesting day trip thanks to one of the sponsors. S.C. Johnson offered free shuttles and tours of their campus in Racine, Wisconsin throughout the biennial. I took advantage of this opportunity, and neither the Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings nor the locally-purchased Danish kringle disappointed.

Chicago Architecture Biennial - Programs

December 14, 2015

In addition to the exhibits on display at the Cultural Center and at many other venues across the city, there have been lots of programs for the Architecture Biennial. There are lectures and site tours nearly every day, and I have had the chance to attend two different discussions over the last few weeks: Here Comes the Neighborhood - Placemaking and Transforming Neighborhoods; and Art, Architecture and Community: Catalysts for Social Change.

Here Comes the Neighborhood was a discussion moderated by the curator of the National Museum of Mexican Art. Juan Gabriel Moreno of JGMA and Katherine Darnstadt of Latent Designs “examined the transformation of urban landscapes and the influence of architecture and aesthetics on community and civic life.” I was particularly interested in their discussion of community buy-in for their projects, and fostering a sense of pride.

Art, Architecture and Community was a presentation by Catherine Baker of Landon Bone Baker Architects on her firm’s project of turning former public housing buildings in Greater Grand Crossing into mixed income housing and a community dance center. She talked about the process, from the additional bureaucratic challenges of working with the Chicago Housing Authority to the evolving understanding of the condition of the buildings themselves to the in-depth process of getting community input for the public space. As a part of the Rebuild Foundation’s complex, this project is an interesting example of taking unused property and reusing it for the good of the neighborhood.

These programs have proved that the Architecture Biennial is more than a presentation of beautiful buildings - it’s an evaluation of all the different forms architecture takes, and how the built environment should benefit those who use these spaces.

Chicago Architecture Biennial - Exhibits at the Cultural Center

December 2, 2015

The inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial opened in October and will continue through January of next year. The expectations for this event were high, though there was a good deal of uncertainty as to what it would look like, and how it might appeal to a wider audience than architects and urban planners. I visited the hub of exhibits and lectures for the biennial, the Cultural Center, and was pleased to see it well attended by a diverse audience.

Every floor featured a number of exhibits dealing with different aspects of our constructed environment. There were models and renderings from international firms solving problems, some of which had been realized, and there were also more abstract representations of architecture. Sou Fujimoto Architects created an installation of dozens of small sculptures on pedestals that, paired with small figures, became found architecture. The playfulness and humor made the work fun to explore. Some of my favorite work was that of Professor Amanda Williams. Her photographs struck me; from the CAB website: “her work centers on color, race, and space… she uses vivid, culturally derived colors to paint abandoned houses on Chicago’s South Side, marking the pervasiveness of undervalued Black space.”

Even after wandering through the building for several hours, I feel like I barely scratched the surface of everything on display. Another trip will definitely be necessary.

Chicago Architecture Foundation Open House

November 29, 2015

My favorite weekend every year is the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see buildings that are often off-limits to the public, many of which have excellent tours. I’ve also used it as a way of seeing parts of the city I don’t often get to explore. This year, I ventured out with friends to see sites in Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, South and West Loop, and downtown. As always, I had a great time, and would highly recommend making sure you’re in Chicago next year for Open House!

Former gear factory turned office space, West Loop.