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The Burnham Plan Centennial Opening Events Reception

A reception and concert was held on Friday, June 19 in Chicago to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Burnham Plan for the City of Chicago. These events coincided with the opening of two Millennium Park pavilions that capture the essence of the Burnham Plan of 1909, and marked the start of an entire season of cultural events and presentations.

The Burnham Plan was visionary. It envisioned a prairie metropolis with public lakeshore and efficient transit; with sustainable growth and economic muscle. It spawned the now famous phrase “..make no small plans..”

Before heading into the reception, I took a quick peak at the two pavilions, located on the opposite side of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion; the Frank Gehry designed bandshell and open air theatre.

Burnham Pavilion, UNStudio, Amsterdam

The rectilinear pavilion designed by Amsterdam Architect Ben van Berkel of UNStudio is a created slot of air and sky. People could wander through the square pavilion with its diagonal pilotis gracefully piercing through a solid sky of painted surface. The upward floor lights of changing colour reinforced the experience.

Foreground: Burnham Pavilion, UNStudio, Amsterdam. Background: Burnham Pavilion, Zaha Hadid, London

The oblong pavilion design by London Architect Zaha Hadid was an ambitious ‘clam’ of fluid space. Its tenuous frame sat adroitly at the site, waiting for its fabric skin. “..it was a bit more complicated than originally thought…” was a comment heard. When finished, a multimedia presentation displayed on the fabric would give a never-ending show of Chicago.

Burnham Pavilion, Zaha Hadid, London

Both pavilions presented strong, though concepts of “sky” – an important feature in a prairie city.

At the reception, civic officials and leaders, history aficionados and those who work to carry on the Burnham Plan were in attendance, under a mammoth tent erected just behind the new Harris Theater on Randolph Street. How a kid from the Canadian Prairies could ever wind up in an event like this is beyond me though not up for question. I renewed several contacts connected with Great Chicago Places and Spaces, and discussed potential format changes for next year. I also had the chance to tell the visiting Oak Park municipal delegation about my Secret Streets of the Loop presentation, and the concept behind those streets.

In a completely separate conversation, one said “..I’m off to an event with air conditioning..”, it was rather sticky weather, though many times I’m just a bit intolerant of weather like, my internal thermostat seems permanently stuck on the high plains. The Chicago Loop had been hit by a nasty rain storm earlier, at noon; it left everything humid under a dark sky. As the crowd was being ushered towards the Pritzker Pavilion, rain ponchos were being handed out as good hostess favours. Perhaps a telling omen.

June 21, 2009
Scottish Motor Club Oak Park Avenue British Car Show

The Scottish Motor Club is comprised of Illinois Saint Andrew Society members who own classic British cars and look for excuses to get them out of the garage now again. In doing so, we promote the Society, its goals and its programs. I chair this group. Our major event is the Highland Games British Car Show, held this year at the Oak Brook Polo Grounds. We attend other events throughout the year, and this year, we decided to hold a ‘pre-event’ in a neighbouring community to promote the Saint Andrew Society and the Highland Games. The Oak Park Avenue Business Association is a group I know. I used to hold membership in this organization when my practice was located in Scoville Square in Oak Park.

By using a few contacts I know on the Avenue; the Scottish Motor Club made a presentation to the Association to stage a car show with accompanying events. Two other businesses on the Avenue, the K9 Cookie Company and The Irish Shop helped us on this presentation. The Magic Tree Bookstore lent support and their facilities, as did the management of Scoville Square. The Wednesday Journal newspaper gave publicity. With all approvals in place, and with an effort of heroic proportions mounted by the manager of Cucino Paradiso who secured a street closure permit, the show went on as planned.

1967 MGB-GT

On the afternoon of July 14, like clockwork, Oak Park Avenue between Lake Street and North Boulevard was closed down, and about sixteen or so British cars and a motorcycle appeared, as did a client who drove his 1963 Lincoln Continental ( let’s see – this was the basis for the US presidential limousine, it saw a lot of international exposure: ok, we’ll let it in! ).

1957 MGA “hotrod”

It was a great collection – an MGA and an MGB-GT, a couple Jaguar XKE’s and a classic Jaguar XK150, a Triumph TR3 and Spitfire, a bunch of Lotus Europa’s and assorted other cars.

Not even counting the 1967 Sunbeam Tiger that kept driving around but never stopping, we had fifteen or so cars appear – real cars, not counting the folded-paper model cars that were displayed through the Chameleon Clothing Company.

1973 Jaguar XKE 2+2

The K9 Cookie Company joined with the Oak Park Animal Care League to stage a dog show with an interactive exhibit identifying the thirteen breeds of dogs from Scotland, they both invited friends with dogs to bring them to the Avenue and parade them around. The Thistle and Heather Highland Dancers made an appearance, then the City of Chicago Pipe Band ( who practice around the corner at Grace Episcopal Church ) marched onto the Avenue and played, eventually the highland dancers started dancing flings to the pipe band, and then sword dances – at one point, there were about 200 people watching.

The Thistle and Heather Highland Dancers with the City of Chicago Pipe Band

It was quite the afternoon of activities. All was so successful that no one even noticed that this was an entirely volunteered event – no one was paid anything for their energies other than hearty gratitude and applause.

Thank you!

June 17, 2009
Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit Seminar

At the invitation of the Ontario government trade representative to Chicago, I attended the Scientific Research and Experimental Tax (SR&ED) seminar last Friday, June 12. It was held at the Mid-America Club, on top of the Amoco Building / Aon Center / Standard Oil Tower / whatever that building is known as these days.

The seminar was hosted by various Canadian, Ontario and Quebec government entities. While the amount of information concerning this topic was only ‘scratched’ during this presentation, it still seemed to be a rather exhaustive description of the type of tax credits out there; the types of research that may be funded by tax credits and the criteria that fundable research must meet.

June 16, 2009
Canada, as a Presentation and as a Networking Organization

Friday, 5 June 2009

A few weeks ago, I was approached by a relocation service to make a presentation describing Canadian history, government and culture to a family moving to Canada. While I do many public speaking engagements throughout the year, this was the first time I had been invited to speak on this topic. It took a bit of research outside of my typical sources, especially when one of the questions related to federal vs. provincial responsibilities described in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the historical basis for how this came to be.

It seemed that a presentation like this required a learned academic; however, I had been recommended by a source who would know better. I was quite flattered to have been asked, and to have delivered a presentation like this. The presentation was held today, and it was most enjoyable. The audience and client appreciated the talk as well.

Afterwards, I had been invited to attend an organizational meeting of the US / Canada Business Council, for which I participated. This group – to be part of the Canadian Club of Chicago – will work to foster networking and understanding between US and Canadian business communities. A relevant concept with many possibilities, I’m happy to be part of its founding. We threw around several ideas for organizational concepts and potential events, with the goal of a September inaugural event. Things are slow for Chicago’s business networking community during summer. More later.

June 5, 2009
Forecasting Global Economic Strategy, Understanding Urban Planning and the 1977 Mini Clubman Estate

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

While I’ve been avoiding the temptation, the removal of General Motors from the Dow Jones Index may provide a good reason to describe my own car, to draw parallels to the direction of this economy, and to the future of urban planning, of all things.

Both General Motors and Citi Group were recently removed from the Dow Jones Index, and replaced with Travellers Insurance and Cisco Systems. One could argue that the financial conditions of both GM and Citi had made them dead weight, they were not reflective of the US economy. It was curious that General Motors was not being replaced by another car company. Could it be that the automobile industry is not being seen as the driver (pardon the pun) of the overall economy that it once was?

1977 Mini Clubman Estate

Now, I drive a 1977 Mini Clubman Estate complete with right hand drive and British plates.

People stop me on the street and ask what it is ( “a car” ).

Some ask what kind of mileage it gets ( ” about forty in town” ).

Others ask if it’s legal to drive something with the steering wheel on the wrong side ( “of course it is, I’m driving on the right side” ).

Still others: how fast can it go? ( “I’ve had it opened up at 65” )

And still others wonder if it’s safe on the same road as giant SUV’s. Why one feels a need to drive a mammoth SUV in the middle of a large city and try to park it somewhere is beyond me. My Mini Clubman Estate belongs in a big city. That said, we don’t live in a big city, nor do we make a living by hauling things. The Mini wouldn’t be at all appropriate there, or in places where snowdrifts are bigger than it is.

In 1959, Minis were produced by the British Motor Corporation, sometimes known as Austin – Morris. It was designed by a team led by Sir Alec Issigonis during a one week design charette and was a revolution automotive concept – the absolute minimum car possible to transport four people. In 1969, a jazzed up version, the Clubman, was introduced. It had a flattened front to appear more modernand several trim upgrades. Like the regular Mini, the Clubman also came in a “wagon” version, the “Estate”. A Mini Clubman Estate Estate is what I drive.

If it didn’t make so much sense, it would be fun. Maybe it’s so fun because it pushes one’s bounds of tolerance so much.

In fact, my Mini makes perfect sense as something to be driven in the city. Asides from great mileage, it takes up less space and can manoeuvre around some of the tightest places. From an urban planning standpoint, our cities have been designed and redesigned around transportation. In recent memory, cities have come to be designed around cars.

Combining examples from previous posts and from my “Secret Streets of Chicago’s Loop” presentation, one can point at the original layout of the Chicago Loop. It was designed around slower modes of transportation supporting a smaller population. It was eventually necessary to accommodate faster and heavier modes of transportation, the Great Fire providing a clean palate for redesign. The solution was to widen every second street with the other streets left as original.

Arcade Place at LaSalle Street, Chicago

Street upgrades have continued to accommodate faster modes of transportation, and to accommodate more traffic generated by a larger population base. The avenues that became primary streets of Chicago’s Loop are big and wide, able to accommodate the largest of vehicle. Out in the suburbs, where traffic travels even faster, streets are much wider and consume far more land while oddly supporting a sparser density. Back in Chicago, the remaining narrower streets – several of which still contain storefronts – make my Mini feel right at home. It’s a great example of designing streets around and the scale of our cities around the transportation we use. Going further, several sections of Chicago’s “L” use little more than a back alley’s right of way, while a subway can snake its way around, virtually unknown.

But I digress – enough about urban planning and back to my Mini and its irony concerning our economic direction…

By the time my Mini was built in 1977, the British Leyland Corporation was making itself more apparent. A variety of British marques were having difficult economic times, so the British Government and other parties stepped in, consolidated models, cut costs and proceeded on. While the Countryman version of a Mini came with real wood trim, the Clubman Estate came with a “swoosh” of fake wood trim along each side. Most Mini Clubman Estates came off the assembly line painted a “Harvest Gold” beige kind of colour with dark brown velour upholstery – the sort of fabric of jammies sold at Woolco that wound up under the Christmas tree. One would gather that producing many cars in one colour would reduce costs. As the model progressed on in years, many components came to be made from cheaper and cheaper materials. The marque’s image took a hit.

It took a solid change of course to right the Mini’s image – drop the Clubman, improve quality, and to build on the ‘fun’ aspect by producing special “themed” models.

If one were to change a couple names, this story may seem much like a drama being played out in Detroit as of this writing. Emotional connection to automobiles aside, indicators may be saying that the automobile industry isn’t going to play the major part in a manufacturing economy that it once did. Perhaps our cities have reached a point where traditional transportation systems are maxed out, and we need to return to mass transit to make our cities liveable.

Will the automobile ever regain its influence on the economy? Perhaps not. Getting around and moving about will continue to be a driver of the economy. The mode of transportation will simply have changed.

This begs the question: if Cisco replaced General Motors, are Wall Street’s forecasters envisioning that electronic communications will replace physically moving people from one place to another and that social skill known in Chicago as “schmoozing” ? I hope not.

June 3, 2009
Breakfast with the Consul General of Canada

Thursday, May 28, 2009

This morning, the Canadian Club of Chicago hosted a breakfast presentation by the Honourable Georges Rioux, Consul General of Canada. It was held at Chicago’s Cliff Dwellers Club.

It was a great opportunity to catch up on some old friendships and to hear the Consul General speak, a tradition in its third year. I was able to converse with Georges alongside some new consular staff, giving them my sixty second tour description of Chicago. For this group, I mentioned Eglise Notre Dame de Chicago – a Roman Catholic parish built on the site of the original Pere Marquette mission but since enveloped by the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. This neighbourhood is described on census maps of the 1870’s as being populated by “French Canadians”. An historic though unusual octagonal building with a pipe organ made by Casavant Freres of Ste. Hyacinthe, Quebec that has maintained french speaking clergy throughout its years; it claims to boast Quebecois roots. My observation is that now and again, I have noticed the term “expulsion” in describing its original congregation; I think that they may have actually been Acadiens from New Brunswick. Still others from the Consulate theorize that they may originated with french language people groups from Saskatchewan, though I couldn’t imagine the numbers of those people being able to populate a neighbourhood in Chicago.

However, in conversing with a group at the Cliff Dweller Club about Historical sites in Chicago, little compares to the lumpy old leather couch in the Cliff Dwellers’ Reading Room. Urban legend has it that as Louis Sullivan fell difficult financial times, he used to crash on that particular couch and maintain his Club membership, rather than rent a boarding room. This couch is still there in original condition, though one would think that it has since been cleaned.

Next month, the Canadian Club will host a similar presentation by Marc Boucher, Head of the Quebec Government Office in Chicago. M. Boucher’s presentation is timed to occur on St. Jean Baptiste Day.

Meanwhile, I am part of a group that has been asked to explore founding the United States / Canada Business Council; an organization within the Canadian Club of Chicago dedicated to furthering business ties and understandings, and to promote opportunities between the US and Canada. The idea is to build off of this series, beginning with a series of breakfast presentations featuring topical speakers.

May 28, 2009
Presentation to Fachhochshule am Main Frankfurt and Ryerson University

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Yesterday, I made a presentation of “The Canadian Side of the Chicago School of Architecture 1884 – 1935” to a group of architecture students and faculty visiting Chicago from Fachhochscule Frankfurtam Main of Frankfort, Germany and Ryerson University of Toronto, at their request. It was a group of about fifty people, they had booked the Lecture Hall at the Chicago Architecture Foundation.

While the important role of William LeBaron Jenney towards the development of the skyscraper building format is well known, the substantial Canadian influence in his practice at that time tends to be overlooked.

YMCA Association Building, Jenney and Mundie, Architect. 1893, Chicago, Illinois.

Jenney’s practice was one of a few noteworthy architectural practices in Chicago at the time of the Great Fire in 1872. In 1879, he designed and constructed the First Leiter Building, which is seen as a significant contributing building to the skyscraper format, both technically and aesthetically. In 1884, William Bryce Mundie, a young architect from Hamilton, Ontario, entered the Jenney practice. Mundie was immediately made Site Superintendant of the Home Life Insurance Building, widely considered by historians as being the first true skyscraper. Mundie was exceptionally talented and capable. Working his way up in the Jenney practice, Mundie was made Partner in 1891, at which point the practice’s name was changed to “Jenney and Mundie”. In 1897, the State of Illinois adopted an Architect’s Act, which defined who may practice architecture and what that practice may entail. Mundie obtained licensure as an Architect; Jenney did not, and passed away in 1907.

The period of time from 1891 – 1897 was very lucrative for the Jenney and Mundie practice, producing some of the most memorable projects associated with Jenney that are rarely associated with Mundie, though it appears that Mundie had considerable influence. Those projects would include the Fair Store (1890 – 96), the Ludington Building (1891), the World’s Fair Horticultural Building (1893), the YMCA Association Building (1893) and the New York Life Building (1894).

Union Bank Tower, John D. Atchison, Architect. 1912, Winnipeg, Manitoba

During this time, another young architect, John D. Atchison, passed through the Jenney and Mundie practice. After leaving to persue his own practice, Atchison did a string of unknown greystones and courtyard apartment buildings in Evanston, Illinois; he established an architectural practice in Winnipeg that was the only local practice with the knowledge and ability to take on ‘skyscraper’ projects.

Interior Stairway, Bank of Hamilton Building, John. D. Atchison, Architect. 1916, Winnipeg, Manitoba

John Atchison was the Architect of many skyscraper in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, such as the Fairchild Building (1906), the Maltese Cross Block (1909), the Great Western Insurance Building (1909), the Union Tower Building (1912) and the Bank of Hamilton Building (1916).

William Bryce Mundie continued on, being a guiding force in the Chicago Architectural Club, developing its curriculum and competition formats, becoming a major influence for incoming generations of Chicago architects. There is evidence that he stayed in contact with Atchison, who was also a member of the Chicago Architectural Club.

Meantime, Winnipeg’s economy took a prolonged downturn. John Atchison became a civic planner, being the force behind the establishment of the “Capitol Mall” concept leading up to the Manitoba Legislature Building. Atchison also persued out of town work, first in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, then in Pasadena, California.

There are many unanswered questions I’ve come across in my limited research, all of which would make excellent research topics for students of architectural history. Any takers?

May 26, 2009
Great Chicago Places and Spaces 2009, Part 2

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Great Chicago Places and Spaces took place yesterday. While the overall program was shortened (one day rather than two, 100 presentations instead of more than 200) it was very well attended. All three of my presentations sold out. It was beautiful weather, albeit a bit windy at times.

Secret Streets of Chicago’s Loop was able to get up close to the ghost sign on court place in back of the Cadillac Palace Theatre that advertised the lounge inside the former Bismarck Hotel. Speaking of ghosts, no one reported capturing any mysterious orbs on photograhs they took on Couch Place, in back of the Ford Theatre. We even had a good look at what was Pickwick Place, now addressed as 22 E. Jackson Boulevard.

Delivering a lecture as part of an Architectural Walking Tour

The Great Train Stations of Clinton Street was back after a year’s hiatus; fortunately, Johnny Depp’s filming of “Public Enemies” was not. That production reaked havoc on last year’s Union Station presentation, as the entire station – Great Hall, Concourse and platforms – was closed at the last minute for filming. This year, everything was open. Amtrak, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Chicago Transit Authority were all very helpful, it all came off well. We even had a presentation from Mason Pritchett of Casimir Kujawa Architect, Mason being part of the design team that won an Honorable Mention in the Chicago Architectural Club’s design competition to integrate high speed rail into Union Station. Caz – who was one of my interns years ago – couldn’t make the presentation and Mason was an excellent stand in. A college chum in town from California for a conference in Chicago who took this tour noted that an intern of an intern of mine made the presentation.

This presentation of Just a Bit of Chicago’s Transit Archaeology was a walking tour adaptation of a trolly bus presentation I made last year. There are many bits’n’pieces of transit archaeology all over Chicago. The trolley ride between the sites was a bit much of dead air, so a walking tour od a portion of that presenattion was tried this year.

I trust that Great Chicago Places and Spaces will continue on next year. Am hoping that some of the really classic tour presentations, like “Inside a Bridgehouse” or the rendition of “Rooftop Real Estate” that saw the entire group taken up to the roof of the Sears Tower may be back.

May 17, 2009
Luncheon with the Consul General of Spain

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Javier Rupérez, Consul General of Spain

The lunch talk by Javier Ruperez, Consul General of Spain was fascinating – it was a very Spanish view of North America, that Spain was the founding country of the Americas, a viewpoint not necessarily heard in Anglophile circles like mine. Mr. Ruperez has represented Spain in the United States in varying capacities for about ten years – he was the Ambassador, and was also the United Nations Assistant Secretary General. It was a small group, maybe 30 or so, including the Consul generals of Uruguay, Serbia and a couple others I didn’t catch. There were a bunch of other people who worked in areas with international twists – business and legal translators, curators of museums and immigration attorneys. The talk was followed by a stand-up lunch of “Mediterranean” food, from the cafe Turquoise – lots of couscous and baklava. I don’t recall seeing many grape leaves, but they would be difficult to deal with in a stand up lunch setting.

This event was hosted by the Niagara Foundation. Though I don’t know much of it, The Niagara Foundation has many Turkish roots, it was established to promote international, cultural and religious understanding. Although its initial bequeath was from a Turkish Muslim, I had a long conversation with a member of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago – he said that he was a regular attendee and found their programs to be excellent. This is their website: www.niagarafoundation.org

They have many programs, including lunch speakers and breakfast conversations. Find a topic that may be of interest, I highly recommend attending. Fascinating people, interesting conversation.

May 13, 2009
Great Chicago Places and Spaces 2009

Friday, May 8, 2009

The City of Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events has just announced the presentations being offered for Great Chicago Places and Spaces this year. I am honoured to have been asked to make three separate walking tour presentations for this event, which will occur on Saturday, May 16.

Chicago's Loop, looking over the Northwestern Station Yards

In Secret Streets of Chicago’s Loop; streets like Monroe, LaSalle and Jackson are quintessentially part of Chicago’s Loop, just as are streets like Garland, Couch, Marble and Arcade. Let’s find these streets and learn about the significant events that happened there. This presentation will take place at 945AM and registration is available at the Chicago Architecture Foundation on the day of the tour.

Coaling Tower, C&NW RR 40th Street Yards (GCPS 2006)

Great Train Stations of Clinton Street occurs at 12 noon. The train stations of Clinton Street – the Old Post Office, Union Station, Northwestern Station (Olgivie Transportation Center) and the CTA Clinton / Lake Green Line and the CTA Clinton / Blue Line Stations have always played an important role in Chicago’s Development. See the stations of the past and present, and let’s glimpse at what the future holds in store.

The presentation of Just a Bit of Chicago’s Transit Archaeology takes place at 2PM. What is this lost wall, this crooked building, this odd thing in the river, this old sign? Remnants of a lost civilization? No: Chicago is loaded with all sorts of Archaeology of past transit systems. let’s look at this one part that ran up to the Loop. On my suggestion, some of this tour was previewed by Geoffrey Baer in a telecast of “Ask Geoffrey” during an episode of Chicago Tonighton WTTW-TV last January.

The two afternoon presentations “Great Train Stations of Clinton Street” and “Just a Bit of Chicago’s Transit Archaeology” require advance registration, which will be available online at www.greatchicagoplaces.us starting Tuesday, April 21. In previous years, both of these presentations sold out early.

Great Chicago Places and Spaces offers a cornucopia of other terrific presentations, most of which are not offered other times of the year. Some presentations are aimed specifically at children and families. More information is available at www.greatchicagoplaces.us

May 8, 2009