Author: Administrator
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Ferris Beuhler’s Day Off in November
It seemed like a simple enough request – appear with my daughter on a float in the North Michigan Avenue “Festival of Lights Parade”. North Michigan Avenue is the most exclusive shopping district in Chicago and to start the Christmas holiday shopping season, they have a large night time parade – bathed profusely in brilliant…
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The Shrinking City
A recent presentation by the President of CEO’s for Cities to the Association of Architecture Organizations spoke of major trends affecting cities, and described scenarios for growing – and shrinking – cities. The concept of shrinking cities struck a particular note. Anyone familiar with the United States will immediately think of Detroit or a variety…
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Tall Buildings Fall Short
A recent news report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat cites fifty major, tall building projects worldwide that have been halted by a global economic downturn. Last Friday, the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s “Chicago Model City” exhibit temporarily included the scale model of Santiago Calatrava’s “Spire” condominium project, the real one being on…
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The Historically Significant Sofa
Normally, I’d say “chesterfield”, but in order to make some sense for my American friends… During a meeting this morning at the Cliff Dwellers Club in Chicago, I remembered to bring my camera with. Finally, I have a photo of the Historically Significant Sofa: Louis Sullivan Slept Here Towards the end of his career, Louis Sullivan…
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It’s Biggar than LinkedIn
Suddenly, my interest in the abandoned railway roundhouse in Hanna, Alberta and electronic social media meet. Kind of. I’m helping the effort to restore the Hanna Roundhouse by donating a slideshow exhibit production describing the history roundhouses. It’s all being produced through a part of my practice called Babuk Presentations, or for the 21st Century, www.learnaboutchicago.com…
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A Mini that needs someone else to love…
Parting ways can be very hard, especially for a car like my Mini. But it’s time. I need to let go of it and find someone new to give it some loving. Affectionately kept, it’s a 1977 “R” registration (with British plates) Mini Clubman Estate. The serial badge says that it was made by Austin-Morris. …
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The Hanna Roundhouse, and Memories from One’s Past
Many years ago, having just arrived in Washington, DC for my tenure but realizing that I was a long ways from home; an issue of the Minnesota Architect crossed my desk. The feature story was a photo essay about wooden grain elevators; the front cover photograph was of the “nine in a line” grain elevators…
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A Mini meets a really big Cadillac
Harlem and Divison Auto Repair in Oak Park looks after my Mini. Bob, John & staff take good care of it for me. They work on all kinds of cars, people seem to bring their “unique” cars there for service. In taking my Mini to Harlem and Division the other day, it was noted that while I…
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The Abandoned Railway Roundhouse in Hanna, Alberta
This blog has written at length about early industrial age buildings that go up and down, and turn round, and do all sorts of neat things. One of those buildings from my youth is the abandoned railway roundhouse in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. Abandoned Railway Roundhouse, Hanna, Alberta, used as a set for Nickelback’s “Photograph” Video For years,…
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One Last Burnham Reception
The Centennial of the Chicago Plan of 1909 – the Burnham Plan – provided for a season of great networking this year. One of the last Burnham events – a reception to honour the entrants of the Burnham Memorial Competition was held last night at the Field Museum. Nice group, but didn’t have the previous…