|
The First Art Newspaper on the Net |
 |
Established in 1996 |
|
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 |
|
Sustainable Architecture in Chicago: Works in Progress |
|
|
The south facing porch enclosed within a basket-like mesh of salvaged steel protects the migrating bird population. Photo © Studio Gang/ Architects.
|
CHICAGO.- Mayor Richard Daley's vision of Chicago as the "greenest city in America" and the city's mandate for sustainability are addressed by some of Chicago's most creative and innovative architects in the exhibition, Sustainable Architecture in Chicago: Works in Progress, at the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA), Chicago, from September 9, 2006, to January 6, 2007. Showcasing sustainable features spanning solar and wind-powered energy systems to greenhouses and nest-like porches, the exhibition features new works in and around Chicago that combine innovative, aesthetically significant design with a commitment to environmental responsibility. Sustainable Architecture documents seven projects in development, including designs from both younger and more established architects, as well as from small and large firms.
Sustainable Architecture complements the MCAs fall exhibition, Massive Change: The Future of Global Design, on view from September 16 to December 31, 2006. Conceived by Bruce Mau, Massive Change is about visionary designs that are changing the way we live. The projects in Sustainable Architecture represent powerful, local applications of some of the larger ideas introduced in Massive Change with regard to innovative, ethical, and socially-responsible approaches to land use, materials, and energy-efficient practices. Several of these projects reveal how thinking about the integral relationship between architecture and engineering -- a hallmark of Chicago architecture since the late 19th century -- can result in designs that surpass current standards and approaches. Many also emphasize the interconnectedness of buildings and the surrounding urban landscape. The exhibition is curated by Elizabeth Smith, James W. Alsdorf Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Programs.
Studio Gang Architects: Ford Calumet Environmental Center The design for this multi-purpose facility at the Calumet Open Space Reserve was awarded to Studio Gang Architects after an international design competition in 2004. The center will educate visitors about the cultural, industrial, and ecological history of the area, while serving as a base of operations for local efforts in environmental remediation and rehabilitation. Inspired by nature, Studio Gang's design uses a bird's nest as a metaphor for the design and construction process, as the site is on a major migratory route for birds and home to several endangered species. As Jeanne Gang comments, "Like a nest, the building is constructed from discarded and abundant materials from the Calumet industrial region." The open-air porch, supported and shaded by the nest-like mesh structure, not only protects birds from colliding with glass, but also maximizes ventilation, one of several natural methods of heating and cooling the interior.
Tigerman McCurry Architects: Pacific Garden Mission In 2005, with land donated by the city, the Pacific Garden Mission commissioned Stanley Tigerman to design its new base of operations. The largest continuously operating rescue mission in the country, the Mission's purpose is to provide shelter and services to destitute men and women free of charge. Sustainable features of this new 150,000 square foot facility include a green roof, solar panel water heating, and energy efficient greenhouses. This feature reveals a broader concept of sustainability and rehabilitation as residents will cultivate organic produce in the greenhouses to provide income for the Mission and gain job training skills.
Gensler: Hyatt Regency Lower Wacker Exhibition Hall and Riverwalk Renovation Project -The Gensler team, led by Elva Rubio, is designing a renovation and expansion of the Hyatt Regency's Lower Level Exhibition Hall to improve the energy, water, and waste management systems and to situate the building in closer relationship with the Chicago River and surrounding urban fabric. Conceived as an interactive curtain wall along the riverfront, the major sustainable features include daylight harvesting to help light the space under Wacker Drive, and alternative methods of heating and cooling. Gensler is also crafting a master plan for the south bank of the Chicago River from Michigan Avenue to Lake Shore Drive. This initiative will reactivate the City's once-strong connection to the river, providing an infrastructure for a spectrum of public activities including a permanent home for the City's new Green Market.
Farr Associates: Greenworks Headquarters and "Eco-Industrial Park" - As the anchor tenant in a new "eco-industrial park" adjacent to the Center for Green Technology, Christy Webber Landscapes' new headquarters is located in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood in an area informally known as "Green Town" because of the city's initiative to foster environmentally responsible redevelopment there. The building designed by Farr Associates features geothermal heating and cooling systems along with solar panels. A green roof will help insulate the building, and together with rooftop greenhouses, advertises the business of this progressive landscaping company. The surrounding park will center on a retention pond from which additional lots will radiate, with vertical-axis wind turbines providing power for the entire complex.
|
|
|
|
|
Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography, Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs, Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, . |
|
|
|
|
Royalville Communications, Inc produces:
|
|
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful
|
|