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Did you watch the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony? What an amazing display! The Beijing National Stadium, which hosted the ceremony, is also an incredible sight. Nicknamed the “Bird’s Nest,” the stadium is made up of twisting, interconnected steel pieces, inspired by traditional Chinese pottery.
If you’d like to see this architectural marvel yourself, you can […]
The Columbus Drive Bridge may not look like much, but it is actually the second-longest bascule bridge in the world. (If you happen to know which is the longest, I’d love to hear from you. I had difficulty finding this information.) A bascule bridge is the movable type of drawbridge which people are probably most […]
As a kid, I enjoyed playing with construction toys and putting things together. Steel Tec, K’nex, Lincoln Logs: I loved them all. (Trivia Tangent: Did you know Lincoln Logs were invented by John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright?) But perhaps the most globally popular construction toys of all are LEGO bricks. And […]
While I mentioned this attraction in my post on Navy Pier, the Ferris Wheel is so big, it deserves a blog entry of its own. It stands 150 feet tall (46 m) and is modeled after the very first Ferris wheel, built for the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. Open year-round (weather permitting), folks can […]
As the saying goes, “there’s strength in numbers.” That’s certainly the case with the Presidential Towers, a residential complex that spans two city blocks (near 525 West Monroe). Each of these buildings wouldn’t seem like much on its own. Built in 1985, the towers are 49 stories tall and “boring brown.” However, standing four strong […]
While Chicago’s architecture is incredible in terms of shapes and sizes, it doesn’t always offer much in the way of color. Most of these giants of steel and glass are some shade of black or gray. Standing out from the crowd in a unique red dress is the CNA Plaza.
While the building only stands 44 […]
• At the Newberry Library’s 24th annual Book Fair, you can browse through more than 100,000 books in 60 categories, most of which cost $2 or less. (July 24-27)
• In honor of Jimmy Buffet’s concerts at Toyota Park (July 24, 26), Lizzy McNeill’s Irish Pub is holding a Luau on the Chicago River. This Hawaiian-themed […]
I sincerely hope that when you visit today’s architectural feature, it is from the outside only. At the intersection of Clark and Van Buren Streets, located in downtown Chicago, is the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Completed in 1975, the MCC is a 289-foot tall (88 m) administrative facility, more commonly known as a prison. It houses federal […]
If you take a ride down the Chicago River, you’ll notice that many of the buildings actually incorporate the river into their design, either with reflective glass or stylish promenades and restaurants. But riverside buildings weren’t always this way. Originally, many of the structures were industrial, and a trip down the River would not have […]
Buckingham Fountain is probably the most famous fountain in Chicago, but one of my favorites has always been Centennial Fountain. It is much more interactive, allowing visitors to get close enough to actually touch the water. Completed in 1989, it commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago. The fountain is […]
A guide to what\'s going on in the Chicago area
Written by Kristin Peoples [email] for b5media.
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