The proposed redesigns of Navy Pier were released earlier this week. Some love it. Some hate it. And some wish the redesign teams would stop using Daniel Burnham's words out of context to explain their own vision. Personally, while we have no idea why the city would want a glacier jutting out of the lake 365 days a year as proposed by !melk/HOK/UrbanLab, we do like the layered and intricate walkways imagined by Davis Brody Bond/Aedas/Martha Schwartz Partners. more ›

WTTW will premiere Chicago’s Loop: A New Walking Tour, the latest in Geoffrey Baer's series of tours, tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. We discussed the new documentary with Baer. more ›

Windy Citizen is taking questions for an online forum they're hosting from 4-5 p.m. tomorrow with the Chicago Architecture Foundation. So if you had Questions about Mies, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, Daniel Burnham, or whose idea it was for 3+1's, get them in. more ›

We are deeply committed to historic preservation - but you know what's even better than touring beautiful old buildings? Touring beautiful old buildings and then drinking beer. The Chicago Architecture Foundation, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Landmarks Illinois, is pairing walking tours of the loop with stops at different downtown pubs. "Preservation and Pubs" will showcase the issues surrounding historic preservation, and will include buildings "both familiar and unnoticed." There are three different routes, and each tour lasts an hour. The "west route" ends at the Sky-Ride Lounge, the "south route" ends at Kasey's and the "north route" ends at Cardozo's Pub. After the tour, participants will have an opportunity to grab a few beers and talk about the tour, the particular pub and its history, and the work of Landmarks Illinois. more ›

Whether you love spending time with your family or need to get them out of the house (or both), today’s a great day to take (or send) your out-of-town visitors to one of Chicago’s museums. There are some great exhibits showing, so skip Black Friday and work off your tryptophan hangover with some culture. While we think the crowds will be a lot more pleasant at the Art Institute than the mall, this is a busy day for museums, so plan accordingly. more ›

When we were kids, we built vast cities out of Legos. But our micro-sized towns could never have competed with the mini city that the Chicago Architecture Foundation will unveil to the public this week. The exhibition will be free to the public, and located in the atrium of the CAF at 224 S. Michigan Ave. The official public opening and reception will take place on June 11, from 5:30 to 7pm. The exhibit will remain open for viewing until November 20. more ›

Exhibits more ›

The Dusk til Dawn Cultural and Artistic Celebration that is Looptopia is upon us once again. Even though last year was sort of a let down, there was still plenty of cool stuff that happened and we've got hopes this year will be better, especially after officials said they'd scale things down and be better prepared for the crowd. Bank of America or no Bank of America, the show must go on. For a full schedule, click here or pick up one of their comprehensive brochures at various business establishments around the Loop. We're keeping an eye on the the weather and hoping it doesn't throw too big of a wrench into plans. more ›

Former Bears linebacker Jim Schwantz is running for mayor of Palatine. [Trib] more ›

You're running out of time to shop--and giganto stores are going to be so butts-to-nuts crowded you'll want to kill yourself--but there are still options. We're partial to the Chicago Architecture Foundation's store on Michigan and Jackson ( 224 S. Michigan) if you still need a gift for someone geeky and awesome. Also, give that person our number. more ›

We always appreciate when the New York Times Travel Section takes time out of its busy day to come and visit our little Midwestern city. The last time they stopped by they discovered that the West Loop is cool! This time, they send "the frugal traveler" to answer one of life's big questions: Is it possible to spend a weekend in Chicago and spend less than $500? The answer, of course, is not only that... more ›

We all know that Chicago has great architecture. We burned in 1871 (no, not because of a cow), and up from the ashes rose some of the most original architecture on the continent. But the Chicago Architecture Foundation is taking a more residential stance these days as they prepare their latest educational tool called The Architecture Handbook: A Student Guide to Understanding Buildings. more ›

Today’s your last chance to visit ARTropolis. It’s “Student Day” at Art Chicago, where students, professors, and professionals discuss the basics of an arts career. A pass admitting two people to five fairs is $15. The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has announced its Seven Wonders of Illinois, the top regional attractions selected by popular vote. Cubs fans hit the polls early and often, naming Wrigley Field Chicago’s top attraction. Wilmette’s gorgeous Baha'i Temple represents... more ›

The Chicago Architecture Foundation architecture river cruise season opens on April 28. Warm up your arm! The US Air Guitar tour will be here on June 15. The Chicago Craft Mafia has a new show called "Spring Loaded" taking place on Saturday, May 5. The show will also be a fundraiser for Rainbow House. The 2nd Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition is taking place at the Morpho Gallery from April 20 - 28, with the... more ›

Did you guys hear about that watch that made it to eBay? It was Gary Familglietti's and was from the Bears' 1940s championship. Well, Al Baisi Jr. played for the Bears in the '40s and got a watch after the 1946 championship but lost it, so he bought Familglietti's watch on eBay for $8,100. Remember how they kept saying, "Don't worry, there will be a parking garage and restaurant ... just as soon as... more ›

Frank Lloyd Wright may have been one of the greatest architects of our time. Let us rephrase, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the greatest architects of our time. Intrestingly enough however, Frank Lloyd Wright was kind of ... well … how do we say it, kind of an asshole. more ›

Is the 50th anniversary of a historic Frank Lloyd Wright building worth pausing that "Dick in a Box" video and paying attention for a minute or two? What if we told you that building was in Bartlesville, OK? We can see you going back to the YouTube window. You may not give a rat's ass about an architectural wonder in a town you've never heard of, but the Chicago Architecture Foundation does. more ›

Uniquely Chicago Gifts? more ›

Every once in a while an opportunity presents itself that we must hoist upon you from way up high at the Chicagoist offices, an opportunity not to be missed. more ›

In North Lawndale, you’re more likely to notice the massive billboards peering over the Eisenhower and the flashing police surveillance cameras than the 100-year-old greystone homes, industrial towers, and boulevards. Too bad the neighborhood’s architectural legacy often gets lost over concerns for public policy and public safety. Roebuck built the original Sears Tower here a century ago, and Magic Johnson might bring new business here soon. more ›

The Mandarin Oriental Tower is vying to be the next big development in the Millennium Park/New East Side/Shadow of the Prudential Buildings area. One of the few luxury property chains that hasn’t yet set their claws into downtown, the Mandarin promises a new level of mondo luxury on Stetson Street in 2009, when residents and executives will be spared schlepping a few blocks north for spa treatments and pretty desserts. more ›

Since “Project Runway” didn’t start till nine; we decided to do something educational to pass the time. We traipsed our hot, sweating, rear-ends over to the Chicago Architecture Foundation to hear Meredith Mack, VP of Finance and Operations of the Art Institute, discuss its new addition. more ›

There are a few things that Chicago totally rocks at, like making hot dogs and yelling. One of the more notable areas of expertise over the course of the city’s history, of course, is architecture. And who was more of an expert at architecture than Chicago’s own, Louis Sullivan? more ›

In less than four months, Marshall Field’s will be no more. Some of you are sad, some are pissed, some are ambivalent. But if you’re already feeling nostalgic about the clocks, the Tiffany dome and the Walnut room, you’ve got four chances to pay your respects before the great Macy’s takeover of 2006. more ›

Whew, Chicagoist had a busy weekend. We had some friends in from out of town, so we went downtown and had a look at some buildings. Luckily spring is arriving, so even behind the scaffolding of the Federal Center, we could see the easy simplicity of Mies van der Rohe’s big black boxes. We told our friends that “less is more” and “God is in the details” and about the evolution of Chicago’s architecture. We... more ›

Tomorrow night at 6pm, the Chicago Architecture Foundation is hosting a discussion on the lost Chicago landmark, Pilgrim Baptist Church, at the ArchiCenter in the Santa Fe Building (224 S. Michigan Ave.). The discussion is focusing on both the architectural and the historical significance of the church as well as efforts to rebuild. more ›

The Sun-Times reports that The Chicago Loop Alliance plans to turn the Loop into an all-night party with “shopping, dancing, parades, fireworks, concerts, night-clubbing and Cirque de Soleil-type performances” as part of Looptopia, the group’s latest effort to “transform the Loop’s gritty urban look into a funky delight.” more ›

You know how Chicago is so dang proud to be the City in the Garden? The Urbs in Horto? Well, did you know that LA has more than 2x as much parkland as Chicago and NYC, the freaking concrete jungle, has 3x as much? Guess we're not doing as great as we'd like to think. What can we do about it? How about starting by investigating the evolving conditions of public space in Chicago, from large spaces like Millennium Park to the development of streets and gardens in the neighborhoods. In a new exhibit called "OPEN: New Designs for Public Space," the Chicago Architecture Foundation does just that. more ›

We've talked more about Chicago's endangered buildings than those sparkling new ones. Consider the sturdy construction, fine craftsmanship, and sentimental value, it’s not hard to see why. But don’t believe today’s architects lack imagination. They’re working around rising material and labor costs, risk-averse patrons and mounting pressure to deliver on time and under budget. more ›

Chicagoist has mixed feelings about the proposed Fordham Spire (a.k.a Chicago’s next tallest building). It’d be an innovative structure by a celebrated “star-chitecht” that plays well with its neighbors. But does Chicago need another insanely tall skyscraper? Is this a fitting next chapter in the history of Chicago architecture? Three free, informative exhibits at the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s ArchiCenter provide some perspective. In 1972, five up-and-coming architects wrote “Five Architects”, a manifesto detailing how they’d... more ›