AIC Pritzker Garden ‘White Curve’ © Alice Joyce
The city of Chicago’s lakefront gardens, art and architecture draw locals and tourists, alike, to a year-round destination of cultural and sensual pleasures. May, 2009 heralded the opening of the new wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, designed by architect, Renzo Piano.
Chicago Millennium Park Footbridge and Rill © Alice Joyce
Although completed behind schedule, Chicago’s Millennium Park opened in 2004 to demonstrate a crowning achievement for the City, and an international success for Mayor Daley, the man responsible for spearheading the effort.
One of the delights of Millennium Park is the 2.5-acre Lurie Garden: Kathryn Gustafson/Piet Ouldolf/Robert Israel design. In 2009 a stunning walkway had recently opened to the public, ….
Lurie Garden Agastache
….leading from the Lurie Garden directly to the elegant Terzo Piano Restaurant and another entryway to the Art Institute’s new upper level.
AIC Modern Wing View of Sculpture Terrace © Alice Joyce
In the above photo, the Sculpture Terrace provides stunning views, looking out over the Lurie Garden, and beyond to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion designed by architect Frank Gehry.
Below:
Through the sculpture terrace’s glass wall atop the Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing, the view of the Lurie Garden takes in the rill, which culminates in a sedate waterfall.
Art Institute Terrace View Lurie Garden Footbridge © Alice Joyce
Margo and Thomas Pritzker Garden: One approaches the Pritzker Garden from the museum’s Griffin Court, in the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. Facing Columbus Drive, the space is designed with an elegant simplicity, given a sense of shelter by the flying carpet overhead, so named by architect Renzo Piano.
Chicago Pritzker Garden E. Kelly White Curve © Alice Joyce
Chartreuse chairs are placed about the crushed stone terrace, the bright enameled seating producing an ambiance that conjures up images of European gardens. Naturalistic plantings of grasses soften the sleek setting, punctuated by the spare placement of trees with peeling bark. White Curve: A work by Ellsworth Kelly glimmers with the changing light on the museum wall. The sculpture’s reflective surface is animated by reflections of the garden’s columns & trees. Specially commissioned in collaboration with the building’s architect, Renzo Piano, the work is the largest to-date in Kelly’s oeuvre.
Its certainly a beautiful place to visit one day. Your pictures are awesome.
I am planning a trip to Chicago next summer. I did want to visit some of the gardens. Now I know where to go :-)
Lots more to follow, Noelle. Stay tuned!
My niece just got married and it was in Chicago…unfortunately we were unable to attend. I would love to visit some of these gardens…they look fabuloso!
I loved your post about the Millenium Park and thanks for the link to the Lurie Garden – the plant lists they produce are great! I will use them – perhaps even tomorrow – for a planting design class.. thank you.