One Man's Treasure...

This weekend's Printer's Row Book Fair in Chicago is a book lover's delight. Earlier today I ventured to South Dearborn Avenue to dig through used and new books, trying to weed the gems from the junk. I took home the following haul:

A View from the Campidoglio: Selected Essay 1953-1984 by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. The acclaimed architects doing what they do best, writing.



The National Register of Historic Places. The 1969 version, in my opinion a much better format than recent editions.



The WPA Guide to Illinois. The Federal Writers' project guide to 1930s Illinois, definitely outdated but with quality writing and depth missing in contemporary guides.



Human Figure in Motion by Eadward Muybridge. The photographer's unique documentation of movement, compiled from his classic 1887 collection Animal Locomotion.



UN Studio Fold by NAi Publishers. The most recent book on one of the Netherlands' most progressive architecture firms, headed by Ben van Berkel & Caroline Bos.

All tolled, I spent $28 on five books. Not bad for a Sunday morning.

Big & Green

Last night's party at the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) - for the Big & Green traveling exhibition currently docked in the Santa Fe Building - was the usual architectural get-together: drinking, schmoozing, and a little bit of actually looking at the exhibits. In the large lobby space (image below) is the majority of the traveling exhibit, but in CAF's smaller storefront space is their local installment, Chicago Green.



Of the two distinct areas, the Chicago portion is much more impressive than the international offering, the former embedding models in a "green" bed - bugs and all - sloped to drain to a bucket (below), while the latter features mainly 2d images suspended between an oversized cardboard frame that's far too bulky and tinker-toy like to help the cause.



If you find yourself in Chicago, the exhibition runs until September 12 and is worth checking out, with the CAF running green tours and programs all summer. If you find yourself elsewhere, check out the online portfolio, featuring 15 local green projects and the Ford Calumet Center entries, also on display.

Pleased to Meet Me

Took this quiz after I ran across it at City Comforts.

Take the quiz: "Which American City Are You?"

San Francisco
Liberal and proud, you'll live your lifestyle however you choose in the face of all that would supress you.

Crown Fountain

The Chicagoist posts a picture of the soon-to-be-completed Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. Designed by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, the Fountain is located in the southwest corner of the Park, across the street from the Art Institute's shady sculpture garden.


Image found at Chicagoist

Renderings of the project show images of faces, created by LED screens on the two opposing towers, spitting water into the shallow pool (1/8" deep) between the two glass towers. According to the artist, for a few moments the faces will act like gargoyles, at other times faces will oppose each other in an effort to make us think about duality, one of the piece's main ideas.



At about five stories high, each tower is roughly the proportion of a brick, covered in what looks like bricks made of ice or glass, giving the fountain an ephemeral look and making for an interesting sight even without any images.

When the fountain is opened in late July, I'm sure it will be a welcome addition to the hodge-podge that is Millennium Park.

Update 06.04: Chicago Public Radio has an interview with the fountain's artist, Jaume Plensa. Listen to it in Real Audio here (Thanks to Edward for the link).

Another North Michigan Tower?

As reported at the Chicagoist, Lucien Lagrange is designing a 64-story residential tower that would be situated directly west of the Fourth Presbyterian Church on North Michigan Avenue (across from the Hancock). As the architect of the Park Tower and the equally historical Plaza Escada (image below) across the street from the church, we can expect something contextual - for Paris, at least.


The Lagrange Legacy in Chicago

Regardless of the actual design, the decision to build a tower on the Church's property is driven by the growing congregation, as the design would incorporate additional space for them, in addition to the 240 condo units. Also the $25 million for the property would go towards the Church's Project Light $52 million capital campaign. The 5,200-member congregation will vote on the proposal on June 13.

Neighborhood groups are protesting the proposal, for good reason, citing that the building would be too massive and block the sun's path into the wonderful courtyard next to the church. Ideally the Church and congregation can be more creative in finding ways to raise money and expand their facilities, instead of falling back on the all-too-reliable, yet all-too-redundant condominium tower.

Update 06.14.04: The Chicagoist reports that members of the Fourth Presbyterian Church voted in favor of the sale of the church's land for a 64-story condominium tower.

Japan Landscape

Via this month's AIA Chicago newsletter, last year's Roche Scholarship winner Colin Franzen has a well-done page visually documenting his travels in Japan (with SOM Fellowship recipient Zane Karpova). Interspersing natural landscapes with buildings by Tadao Ando, Toyo Ito, Kengo Kuma, and the like, daily scenes of Tokyo, sumo wrestling, traditional houses, and so forth, Japan Sections is a rich slice of Japan.

Monday, Tuesday

This week's update:

University of Toronto Early Learning Centre by Teeple Architects.

Book update: Preserving the World's Great Cities: The Destruction of the Historic Metropolis by Anthony M. Tung.



Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:

High Line Shortlist, four teams have been selected for the High Line Master Plan.



Siyathemba, Architecture for Humanity's 2004 International Design Competition, a soccer/football facility for Somkele, South Africa.



A 1-Minute Lecture by Jean Nouvel.



House in Progress, an online diary of the restoration of a neglected chicago bungalow (via kegz.net)