Chicago: Tracing modern architecture
Architecture buffs savor Chicago's buildings, but you don't have to be a connoisseur to appreciate the city's masonry and steel marvels. The Chicago Architecture Foundation conducts more than 70 different kinds of tours and expects to lead more than 200,000 people through various corners of the city this year. Chicago's reputation for world-class architecture took root during an 1880s building boom, spurred by the city's rapid growth as a transportation hub. The Great Fire of 1871 destroyed much of the city's original construction and set the stage for innovation. CNN asked Jason Neises, the foundation's director of tours, to give us some highlights of Chicago's rich architectural history: this transportation network that allowed Chicago to grow into a world-class city," Neises said. Much of the city's best architecture -- both historic and modern -- can be seen along the river, making river cruises a top draw for tourists. startclickprintexclude--> Early in his career, Burnham worked with William Le Baron Jenney, who is known as the "father of the skyscraper" for his work with metal-frame construction. Later, Burnham and his partner, John Wellborn Root, built a number of buildings in what became known as the Chicago commercial style, which used metal framework to allow for taller buildings with larger windows and more open floor plans. startclickprintexclude--> The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is an undulating outdoor concert venue designed by Frank Gehry. "Cloud Gate," British artist Anish Kapoor's reflective elliptical sculpture, invites visitors to see themselves in its surfaces from every angle. Chicagoans affectionately refer to it as the "Bean." |
See a gallery of Chicago's architectural highlights »
