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Darrel Babuk presented with Visit Oak Park Award

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At the Annual Meeting of Visit Oak Park (formerly known as the Oak Park Area Visitor and Convention Bureau), Darrel Babuk was presented with the “New Member of the Year Award”, in recognition of the Babuk Presentations, Inc.  initiative.

Though Darrel Babuk is a practicing architect – having completed various project and program management projects for clients such as the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Public Schools, and West Suburban Hospital –he has always been doing public speaking engagements and other presentations.

It may have started with his presentation to the Royal Institute of British Architects in London that described architectural internship and formal education in the United States, which Darrel was invited to present as part of his tenure as National Vice President of the American Institute of Architecture Students.  The concept of Babuk Presentations took off when Darrel was tapped by the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events for a series of presentations about Chicago’s architecture and railroad history for the Great Chicago Places and Spaces festival series.  His address to the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s national convention last year was but one of several out-of-town presentations where he has promoted Oak Park; on the flip side, he is constantly delivering customized presentations about Chicago and Oak Park to organized groups visiting from out-of-town and abroad.  

He has always been organizing events – like “Canadian Architecture in Chicago Week”, or the “Scottish Motor Club and British Car Show” at the Illinois Saint Andrew Society Highland Games, or even the “Oak Park Architecture Photo Party” for the North Avenue Business Association. 

Putting all of this together created Babuk Presentations, Inc, a hobby turned into a business that promotes Oak Park. 

In connecting even more of the dots, Babuk Presentations, Inc. provides cross-border US / Canada goods and services trade consulting to clients in the Architecture / Engineering and Construction sectors.  

It’s all great fun to do, and fun to be doing it in Oak Park.

It’s been a while, folks….

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…and a whirlwind of activities it has been.  Just to name a few of the distractions that came over me:

Leading a program for the National Meeting of the Society of Architectural Historians that was held in Chicago.

Delivering a presentation of “Canadian Architects of the Chicago School 1884 – 1935” to the National Festival of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and delivering abbreviated versions of this presentation to the Racquet Club of Chicago, and to the Cliff Dwellers Club.

Being a Docent for the Pleasant Home Foundation’s annual “Pleasant Homes of Oak Park” fundraiser.

At the request and sponsorship of Visit Oak Park, planning a program describing the art and architecture of Oak Park’s churches to be given during the Oak Park Arts Council’s “ArtRageous! Oak Park” Festival, to which the kind folks at Porter Airlines generously donated a pair of roundtrip airline tickets as a silent auction item.

All of the speaking engagements have lead to some fascinating research, like finding meeting minutes of the River Forest Tennis Club first approving the membership applications of Mr.  & Mrs. Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, only to be succeeded by Board Meeting minutes in 1912 or so, rescinding the memberships of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney, for reason of “Philandering”.

There’s been lots of travel, including some time on the west coast (prairie kids always want to wind up on the coast).

And a trip to speak in Saskatoon (it’s a city in Saskatchewan), where I found that not only was the person in line behind me at the airport the Senior Advisor to the Premier of Saskatchewan going away on a quick vacation of sorts, but that the incoming flight was grounded due to a bird strike and ensuing engine flame out.

But that if that wasn’t enough for careening into famous political figures, I bumped into Paul Martin (former Prime Minister of Canada) at the Island Airport in Toronto – he actually took a seat next to me in the Departures Lounge.

And many volunteer activities:

Volunteering to give impromptu Canadian geography presentations during the Tall Ships Festival.

Chairing the British Car Show at the Illinois Saint Andrew Society Highland Games.  I had planned to enter the Caber Toss event and even contacted the Heavy Athletic Chair to enquire; I just didn’t get around to attending the training sessions held in a far western suburb of Chicago. 

Assisting various community groups organize various car shows or British, Italian and German themes, complete with entertainment by the Thistle and Heather Highland Dancers, and various bagpipers.

Oak Park Architecture Photo Party, which even extended into the Galewood neighbourhood of Chicago, an area rich with mid-century modern architecture.

And I’ve started to develop manuscripts for books, including “Canadian Architects of the Chicago School 1884 – 1935”, “First Railroads, Then Skyscrapers”; and the one closest to publication “Art Deco Oak Park”, for which there is a hard bound draft copy lurking about.

Whew!!  Perhaps I ought to simply get back to writing The Babuk Report…

The North Avenue Architecture Photo Party

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North Avenue, the border between the north side of Oak Park and the Galewood neighborhood of Chicago, is relatively newer than many surrounding neighborhoods. While the buildings along North Avenue post date Frank Lloyd Wright, he golfed here with friends and clients. Many used the area as a place to get away and hide from the City.  It was one of the first automobile oriented commercial strips in the Chicago area. A favorite location for drive-in restaurants, the road west of Oak Park and Galewood – known as State Route 64 – was a renowned teen hangout for street races. 

Architecturally, the area is rich in 1920’s storefronts with highly decorative terra cotta cladding and details. Later buildings were exuberantly mid-century modern. 

Experience the world renowned architecture of our town, which is just a scant eight miles / twelve kilometres from another equally world renowned and architecturally significant place, the Chicago Loop.  

And besides –North Avenue has lots of great restaurants, stores and cultural attractions to discover and enjoy once you’ve completed the North Avenue Architecture Photo Party.

Instructions:

By walking along public sidewalks and right-of-ways contained along North Avenue between Austin and Harlem Avenues, and for an area one block north and south along Harlem Avenue; locate these architectural features and details, noting their location. 

Oak Park is a living museum containing many private homes that just happen to be world renowned masterpieces.  No private residences are featured in the North Avenue Architecture Photo Party.   However, please respect the homeowner’s privacy and remain on the public sidewalks for the hunt.

Here’s a sampling of the program:

The Jetsons’ probably get their teeth fixed here.
Terra Cotta TV
A monumental building

An additional feature of the scavenger hunt is the North Avenue Historical Photo Party.  This may be the most enigmatic image of them all:

North Pole Drive In, River Forest, Illinois

While historians agree that this was the North Pole Drive In, located in River Forest, Illinois.  It’s also agreed that its architect was Bertrand Goldberg.  No consensus exists on where this was located.  However, I have my theories….

 The entire program is on display in the lobbies of these banks on North Avenue, who have supported the North Avenue Architecture Photo Party:

ABC Bank, North Avenue, Chicago

Charter One Bank, North Avenue, Chicago

Midwest Bank, North Avenue, Elmwood Park

US Bank, North Avenue, Oak Park

June 2010 North Avenue Architecture Photo Party is a production of:

North Avenue Business Association

Oak Park Architectural League

This edition has been made possible by:

Visit Oak Park

Oak Park River Forest Historical Foundation

www.3planets.com / www.shopoakpark.com

Heitzman Architects

Babuk Presentations, Inc / www.TourAboutChicago.com

Keep following this event anywhere in the world at www.OakParkArchitectureParty.com

So your town wants a hotel…

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A question that was asked during my presentation of “Canadian Architects of the Chicago School 1884 – 1935” to the Racquet Club of Chicago was about the iconic Canadian railway hotels, and what role they played in the development of Canadian architecture and society during this time period.  The question was probably brought about by my mention of Frank Lloyd Wright’s extended visits to the Banff Springs Hotel, during the execution of his collaborative project with Francis C. Sullivan of the Banff townsite’s Recreation Pavilion.

Banff Springs Hotel
Banff Springs Hotel

I literally grew up in the shadows of Canadian railway hotels.  The waiting room of the Canadian Pacific Railway station in Vulcan, Alberta was adorned with several large travel posters promoting the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, the Empress Hotel in Victoria and the Banff Springs Hotel. These were among the hotels built by the CPR.  The competing railway – the Canadian National – had establishments like the Hotel MacDonald (Edmonton), the Fort Garry (Winnipeg) and the Chateau Laurier (Ottawa) in their portfolio.  All have since come to be dubbed “chateauesque”.  The central architect who began this movement – Bruce Price, an American who practiced in New York City – was charged with creating something “Scottish Baronial” for the Banff Springs Hotel, then for the Chateau Frontenac in their original incarnations.  The imagery grew in both physical and cultural proportions.

The Empress Hotel
The Empress Hotel

Godfrey Holloway in his book, “The Empress of Victoria” states:

                “In a very special way The Empress Hotel is Victoria.  The reverse too, is true; Victoria is the Empress Hotel.”

In virtually any Canadian city that had a railway hotel, that establishment set social and etiquette standards for the city in which it was located – the hotel became that city, just as that city became its hotel.

Of note – perhaps coincidental – is that the daughter of architect Bruce Price was Emily Price Post, who was an authoritative author of various books about manners and etiquette.  How appropriate.

Chateau Frontenac
Chateau Frontenac

When the concept was being “visioned” – as we would call it today – then CPR President William Cornelius Van Horne made the comment: “If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists.”  Both Banff and Quebec enjoy truly outstanding natural settings.  One might ascertain that any hostelry plopped down in this setting may have been a success: perhaps.  Imagine, if you will, some sort of lodging reminiscent of post-war housing in eastern-bloc countries were plopped in the middle of Banff, or Quebec City, neither of those settlements would have blossomed into what they are today. It could even be that neither of the lodging establishments would have had any sort of longevity.

The lesson here is that if your town is planning to take a prominent site and build tourist lodging, the lodging had better be of a quality your town wants to be; lest your town become the same quality as the lodging establishment.  Inexpensive motel or a sensational place – it’s your choice.

The Scottish Motor Club – 2010 Calendar of Events

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There have been some inquiries regarding the Scottish Motor Club’s Calendar of Events this year.  An abbreviated version:

2009 Heartland International Tattoo & 1991 Lotus Exige

Heartland International Tattoo, Sears Center, Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Saturday, 10 April, 2010

www.heartlandtattoo.org

This event is being in conjunction with members of the British Car Union, Lotus Corps Chicago and the Rolls Royce Owners Club / Lake Michigan Region.

2008 Highland Games and 1954 MG-TF

 

Illinois Saint Andrew Society Highland Games, Oak Brook, Illinois

19 June 2010

http://www.chicago-scots.org/24th-annual-scottish-festival-a-highland-games.html

We will probably make an appearance at the Scottish Home Picnic on Saturday, August 7.

The British Home / Daughters of the Empire have requested that we appear in September, but we’re trying to understand if there are any scheduling conflicts. 

2007 British Car Union & Triumph Herald Cabriolet (timeless)

British Car Union, Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Illinois  

12 September 2010

www.britishcarunion.com

2009 Downers Grove "Import Night" & rainstorm

We may also be making an appearance at one of the regularly scheduled car shows in the area when they hold “British Night” or Import Night” if we can round up dancers and a bagpiper.

1957 "Hot Rod" MGA, Oak Park Avenue British Car Show 2009
2009 Oak Park Avenue British Car Show & 1957 "Hot Rod" MGA

Aye!

The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party

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Few places anywhere have the sort of architectural tradition found in Oak Park, Illinois. Arguably, Oak Park is the birthplace of the Modern American Residence, and the American Suburb; not to mention architectural figures like Frank Lloyd Wright, George Maher, John van Bergen, William Drummond, Purcell & Elmslie, Tallmadge & Watson….  These days, Oak Park boasts one of the largest per capita concentrations of architects anywhere.  We get back to that “anywhere” word again, because Oak Park is that prominent in architectural history.  Oak Park is overshadowed only by a rather large city that can claim the invention of the modern skyscraper, a city on its eastern border that shall remain nameless.

Nationally, the American Institute of Architects has an initiative for “Architecture Week”, to occur April 12 – 18.   Architecture Week in Oak Park is intended to showcase Oak Park’s architecture and its architects, past and present. It will highlight the significance of architecture and Architects to the cultural and economic vitality of the village.  An in Oak Park, we will be commemorating Architecture Week with The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party.

The Oak Park Architectural League is spearheading and planning community activities during that week in conjunction with Visit Oak Park, Architecture Adventure (a program of the Oak Park Education Foundation) and other local organizations.

The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party will be comprised of three major architectural scavenger hunts.

The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party – Visitor Edition will is a self guided format that starts and ends at the Oak Park Visitor Center, and will extend throughout the week.

The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party – Seasoned Local Edition will occur on Saturday, April 17. 

In both of these hunts, participants will obtain photos and clues of architectural details which have been submitted by village architects and posted on www.OakParkArchitectureParty.com . The task will be to locate the addresses of the buildings whose detail is shown in the photo, and for participants to prove their find by posting their photos to the website. Fabulous prizes from local businesses will be awarded to winning contestants who complete the scavenger hunt, and whose photos receive the most votes on The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party’s website.  All contestants will be recognized on the Oak Park Architectural League web site and at the Oak Park Visitor’s Center.

A third interactive event is being organized by Oak Park Education Foundation’s Architecture Adventure, geared towards families with school aged children.  This event will showcase the work and projects of OPEF’s visiting architects program in District 97 schools. 

Anyone, anywhere in the entire world may view the photos of Oak Park’s world renowned architecture on The Oak Park Architecture Photo Party website at www.OakParkArchitectureParty.com

We wanted to call the “The Oak Park Architecture Polaroid Party”, but that presented a couple problems.

 

 

 

The YUL – LAB Project

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One’s world may be defined by available media, and the spread of that media is becoming increasingly larger.

The YUL – LAB Project recently met in Chicago to promote itself.  I was invited to attend the closing reception.

In the world of product research, introductions and research, a city is usually targeted to be a “test market” for this function.  In the past, this has usually been a city of a size that isn’t a major market, of a level of taste that would deemed conservative, and located with a relative amount of isolationism – so that word of this new product wouldn’t suffer “market leak”.  Like: Peoria, Illinois. Peoria has traditionally been a testing ground for new products. However, even Peoria has been more and more difficult in that last criteria point of “media leak”.  These days, one may listen to the radio, watch television or read a newspaper over the internet.  I read other cities’ newspapers all the time on the web.

YUL is the airport code for Montreal – Pierre Trudeau International Airport.  Montreal is promoting itself to be used as a market research laboratory in this project.  Montreal is a typical North American city with one exception: it speaks French.  Its media communicates in French.  Moreover, its French speaking media really doesn’t get much “leak” outside of Montreal, to those other North American markets that speak English.  In the YUL – LAB Project, Montreal is billing itself as the perfect test market.

If Peoria – a stoic sort of place – were the typical profile for a test market city, Montreal is different.  Cosmopolitan, Montreal’s a very stylish and fashionable place, cutting edge at times.  I really do like Montreal, but compared to what tastes constituted a test market before: maybe we’re in for some changes.  Not all bad, could liven things up a bit.

And about the media leak thing – dare I say that one of my favourite internet radio shows is the afternoon / drive home jazz show on Radio-Canada / Espace musique?  Listen to it all the time in Chicago…

The website of the YUL – LAB Project is  http://www.montreal.ad/en

Canadians in the Chicago School 1884 – 1935 Presentation

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The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada holds a national convention every year, entitled the “Festival of Architecture”.  This year, the Festival is being held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and its theme will be “Sounds Like Architecture”.

Proudly, I will be delivering a talk “Canadians of the Chicago School 1884 – 1935” at this year’s Festival, on June 26.  This topic talks of the contributions made directly by Canadians to the development of the 1880’s Chicago skyscraper format, and the contributions those Canadians brought back to create a “Canadian” skyscraper.

This is a presentation delivered previously to the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and to visiting student and faculty groups from various Canadian and European universities.  I’m constantly drawing on research from many sources in preparation for this preparation.

So, what was that you wanted to know?

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The last month or so has seen a flurry of behind the scenes activity at the Babuk Report.  All for the good.  It’s all about Learn About Chicago a venture described elsewhere in this blog.

Learn About Chicago is an initiative that is an extension of the sort of architectural awareness and organization that I’ve done in past.  It is a division of Babuk Presentations, Inc.

The major focus of Learn About Chicago targets university students who want to spend an extended period studying Chicago’s architecture. It may be a studio class led a professor from a visiting institution, or it may be a program of presentations and interactive learning experiences that I assemble.  I work with the visiting groups to tailor make a Chicago experience that they will take with them, to further their studies at their home collegiate institution.  Learn About Chicago can work with many other groups wanting a series of presentations – presentations delivered by myself or others – bundled together into a program that describes Chicago.

Tour About Chicago is another division of Babuk Presentations Inc.  Tour About Chicago focuses on delivering articulate and informative presentations about Chicago’s architectural and railroad history.  I weave Chicago’s historical sites into captivating and fascinating story lines.  Tour About Chicago is much like what I’ve been doing all along.  Many of the Tour About Chicago presentations – especially those that describe Oak Park and the near western suburbs of Chicago will be marketed through Visit Oak Park.

Tour About Chicago specializes in the little known parts of Chicago.  Quirky history.

Babuk Presentations, Inc. is a new direction within my architectural practice.  It specializes in all types of presentations; graphic design, public speaking and the like.

Watch for a revamped web presence soon.

More Chicago Christmas Trees

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If the Cook County Treasurer’s display of “Christmas Trees Around the World” wasn’t enough, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry likewise has a display of “Christmas Trees Around the World”.  Unlike the Treasurer’s Office which has table top height trees, the Museum’s trees are full height – well, as full height as one could imagine artificial trees.  I gather that they’re more sustainable, and they do make for quite an impressive display.

Canadian Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry
Canadian Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry

The Canadian tree was decorated by the Canadian Women’s Club, as was the tree at the Treasurer’s Office.  Because the Museum’s tree is much larger, the Canadian Women’s Club used their larger ornaments on this tree, rather than drowning the smaller tree at the Treasurer’s Office in big ornaments.  One can only hope that the dolly decorator programs on cable television understand this concept, rather than attempting to inflict oversized ornaments on tiny trees on society as their promotion of a new tasteful norm.

Scottish Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry
Scottish Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry

The Scottish tree likewise was decorated by the Thistle and Heather Highland Dancers, who also did the Scottish tree at the Treasurer’s Office.  Something about the Scottish trees though, I can never take a photograph of them without the image being wildly out of focus.

Main Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry
Main Christmas Tree at the Museum of Science and Industry

The main tree at the Museum of Science and Industry was bedecked in simple, white lights this year; that in deference to the Museum’s current exhibit of the White House miniature.

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