September 18th 2009
Our last day in Chicago and we decided to take one of the free tours of Millenium Park, since we had already spent so much time there we thought it would be good to learn some more about it.
Some of the highlights were ‘Cloud Gate’ or the ‘Bean’ as the locals refer to it which is the first outdoor public installation in the USA by the British artist, Anesh Kapoor. The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city’s famous skyline and the clouds above.
Also, the ‘Human Gargoyle’ fountain where two large towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool feature projections of Chicago residents with water spouting out of their mouths.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion was created by Frank Gehry. A revolutionary outdoor concert venue, the Pavilion has a series of brushed stainless steel ribbons that frame the stage opening. A spider’s web of steel supports the sound system and spans the 4,000 fixed seats in the seating bowl and the Great Lawn which can accommodates an additional 7,000 people. It also has a state-of-the-art sound system, which was designed to mimic the acoustics of an indoor concert hall.
The five acre Lurie Garden features a graceful hardwood footbridge over shallow water which divides the garden and follows the original lake wall from before the Great Fire when the debris turned this area into reclaimed land. All the plants are indiginous to the Chicago region and the design is inspired by Chicago’s distinct natural and cultural history.
It really is a fantastic area and I can’t think of anything similar back home to compare it to. Free performances, free activities for kids during the summer time, free ice skating and skate hire in the winter time. The goal was to create a really interactive space, so all the artworks and gardens had to be interactive, to allow people to use them, so you can touch and experience the park’s sculputres, sit and eat in its gardens and even dip your feet into the fountains if you wish. We had a really lovely tour guide who was obviously very proud of the park and city and extremely knowlegeable and passionate. We’ve both really enjoyed Chicago and would like to come back in the wintertime to experience its other weather extreme.
