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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

I need to apologize over how this font appears when compared to other posts.  I’ve recently started working from a different computer, and this blog software recognizes and displays this font differently.  This entry may even look different from the last entry, or the entry previous to that since this is being written into the blog directly.

We never had this problem using Morse Code.

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.

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:

 This is an image that’s been missing from my presentations for quite some time.