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A Hasty “Time Out” for Chicago Architecture

Two weeks ago, Time Out Chicago published the winners of a Chicago photo contest that asked readers to submit photos representing the Windy City. There were no restrictions placed on subject matter. So why did the magazine’s editors decide to completely disqualify photos of Chicago’s world-famous built environment?

Who Should Pay for Chicago’s Sidewalk Maps?

If you’ve been in downtown Chicago this summer, you’ve seen them: ten-foot-tall metal pylons containing a glass-encased city map on one side and an ad or cultural announcement on the other. In recent months, 75 of the information signs have been installed on sidewalks throughout the Loop, paid for entirely with ad revenue. So what’s the problem? According to Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin, placing ads on the signs cheapens the public streetscape. I couldn’t disagree more.

Relaunch of “Looper”, Greatest Downtown Chicago Photoblog Ever

Today, my downtown Chicago architecture photo-essayist extraordinaire boyfriend (did you get all that?), Devyn, launched a retooled version of his popular photoblog, Looper. Go see!

Inside Inland Steel

Architectural porn for the modernists among you, Devyn recently completed posting a five-part photo series on Chicago’s venerable Inland Steel building, which we both toured during the recent Chicago Great Places and Spaces event.

Little House in the Big (Concrete) Woods

If you’ve ever wondered about the fading little Victorian rowhouse now since last year sandwiched between two high-rise condo buildings on Superior between LaSalle and Wells–as in ‘how that hell did that manage to stay there?’–wonder no more. The Sun-Times has the story.

Tall Tower Tossed

According to an article in today’s Chicago Tribune, ne’er-do-well developer J. Paul Beitler’s plan to plant a 2,000-foot TV antenna in the middle of Streeterville is no more. In the face of stiff opposition by local residents and limp interest from area broadcasters, the plan was shelved in favor of a more-prosaic 58-story condo plan.

Reflecting on Marina City

This post covers everything you always wanted to know about Marina City but didn’t know whom to ask. Irrespective of the scandals that have plagued Chicago’s favorite high0rise corncobs, Marina City still represents a stunning achievement in mid-century architectural design and urban planning. Here are links to the best information sources available on the iconic buildings.

Happy Birthday “Looper” Blog!

It’s officially been a year since the love of my life, Devyn, began–an architectural photoblog of downtown Chicago. In that short time, he’s managed to take more than 10,000 photos of the Loop and its environs, post 1,000 of them on what has become one of the best photographic records of the heart of Hogtown on the web today, and get interviewed by Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin, to boot.

Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Dedication Ceremony

Chicago’s long-awaited Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was dedicated this morning just across the river from my house, on Lower Wacker Drive between Wabash and State. I shot a bunch of pictures of the ceremony as I was walking to work.

The Millennium Park Effect

The Project for Public Spaces assesses Chicago’s universally loved Millennium Park and labels it a failure. Judging by the heavy use the park gets from Windy City locals, you have to wonder whether the organization actually visited it in the first place.