CHICAGO | The 78 Site

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

It served a purpose to humanize the impersonal complexes of Modernism, but now large developments have a range of architectural styles which are softened by warmer colors/materials and curved or angled lines. The open spaces usually lean more towards grassy lawns than granite plazas. "Activation" is achieved with events and activities rather than objects of art.

Was Cloud Gate installed in a different era?

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller

Was Cloud Gate installed in a different era?

Certainly feels like a different era

[Kumdogmillionaire]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

It served a purpose to humanize the impersonal complexes of Modernism, but now large developments have a range of architectural styles which are softened by warmer colors/materials and curved or angled lines. The open spaces usually lean more towards grassy lawns than granite plazas. "Activation" is achieved with events and activities rather than objects of art.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller

Was Cloud Gate installed in a different era?

Millennium Park opened almost 17 years ago! There's also that weird Agora piece down at Roosevelt, but that is just as old now.

There's been temporary stuff in Pioneer Court, Pritzker Park, etc but I'm struggling to think of anything permanent completed since 2005-ish, other than the Calatrava at River Point.

[gandalf612]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Millennium Park opened almost 17 years ago! There's also that weird Agora piece down at Roosevelt, but that is just as old now.

There's been temporary stuff in Pioneer Court, Pritzker Park, etc but I'm struggling to think of anything permanent completed since 2005-ish, other than the Calatrava at River Point.

If something new was installed every year we'd run out of plaza's downtown very quickly. ~15 years is a reasonable time gap between monumental sculptures IMO

[BuildThemTaller]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Millennium Park opened almost 17 years ago! There's also that weird Agora piece down at Roosevelt, but that is just as old now.

There's been temporary stuff in Pioneer Court, Pritzker Park, etc but I'm struggling to think of anything permanent completed since 2005-ish, other than the Calatrava at River Point.

What is an era? I mean, if most of the people that decided to install the sculpture are still around, I don't think we are in a new era. These things last multiple generations. Getting a nice new piece of public art every 10-20 years or so in the Loop or adjacent parks seems like an appropriate pace to me.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by gandalf612

If something new was installed every year we'd run out of plaza's downtown very quickly. ~15 years is a reasonable time gap between monumental sculptures IMO

Well, hopefully, we get another one in a lot less time than that outside Salesforce Tower. Given that the water sculpture was scrapped it still demands an exclamation point at ground level for pedestrians to admire.

[CrazyCres]

Link: https://chicagoyimby.com/2020/12/the...velopment.html

[Busy Bee]

Why does this look so damn cheap? Are they planning on ripping it up after it gets torn to shreds during the construction process? Honestly can anyone say this looks "good"? Compare to a streetscape you'd see in a brand new urban zone in Europe or Asia. This looks like a mall access road.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Why does this look so damn cheap? Are they planning on ripping it up after it gets torn to shreds during the construction process? Honestly can anyone say this looks "good"? Compare to a streetscape you'd see in a brand new urban zone in Europe or Asia. This looks like a mall access road.

Define 'cheap'. What would make it better? People in this forum are always critical of even the smallest things, but never provide actual examples of how it could be made better. What about 'new urban zones in Europe or Asia' would be beneficial here?

[Mimol742]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Why does this look so damn cheap? Are they planning on ripping it up after it gets torn to shreds during the construction process? Honestly can anyone say this looks "good"? Compare to a streetscape you'd see in a brand new urban zone in Europe or Asia. This looks like a mall access road.

Huh? I’m from Europe and I have no idea what you are talking about... not really sure what you are looking for here.... neon lights and tile flooring? 😂

[Busy Bee]

Just forget it. I had no idea people wouldn't just instinctively know what I was talking about. In a nutshell I don't see much here that looks like they are trying to create something that will improve with age. Just standard old concrete and engineers handbook streetlights. Lame. The possibilities are endless and they seemingly didn't think of a single one.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Just forget it. I had no idea people wouldn't just instinctively know what I was talking about. In a nutshell I don't see much here that looks like they are trying to create something that will improve with age. Just standard old concrete and engineers handbook streetlights. Lame. The possibilities are endless and they seemingly didn't think of a single one.

Well yes, that's true, I personally don't know what you're talking about. What else would the street be made of? Pavers? Asphalt road are pretty standard considering they can be maintained and upgraded relatively easier than concrete. Cost is everything when related to construction, but that doesn't mean that what we see is cheap by any means; keep in mind we're just seeing surface improvements and not the new utilities under the surface. The streetlights are LED so they're probably a lot more efficient than the classic Chicago "orange glo". Plus it appears there's a dedicated, integrated bike lane, which is pretty important:


Don't forget, landscape work on the parkways will most likely be planted in the springtime, seating/benches, as well as other lighting, and even signage have still to be installed.

This is just the first piece of the puzzle.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Just forget it. I had no idea people wouldn't just instinctively know what I was talking about. In a nutshell I don't see much here that looks like they are trying to create something that will improve with age. Just standard old concrete and engineers handbook streetlights. Lame. The possibilities are endless and they seemingly didn't think of a single one.

I understand and I thought the same about the Fulton market streetscape “upgrades”. I think all streets follow the same guidelines but without the surrounding buildings here you can reallly see what they look like.

I’m sure it will be torn up every month during construction like they do in the rest of the city.

[rlw777]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I feel like the era of large-scale public sculptures has passed. That Calatrava piece at River Point is great, but I can't remember the last permanent sculpture installed downtown previous to that.

It served a purpose to humanize the impersonal complexes of Modernism, but now large developments have a range of architectural styles which are softened by warmer colors/materials and curved or angled lines. The open spaces usually lean more towards grassy lawns than granite plazas. "Activation" is achieved with events and activities rather than objects of art.

Nah I don't think any public sculpture era is over if there is such a thing. The last one I remember going in downtown prior to the Calatrava piece is David Hovey's sculpture at Optima which I believe was 2016 or 2017? and before that I believe that exhibit on superior had a sculpture installed in the pocket park on wells. Also I believe the first design for 1000M included a public sculpture of some type.

[cozy]

that road looks awesome

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Just forget it. I had no idea people wouldn't just instinctively know what I was talking about. In a nutshell I don't see much here that looks like they are trying to create something that will improve with age. Just standard old concrete and engineers handbook streetlights. Lame. The possibilities are endless and they seemingly didn't think of a single one.

I think it's still too soon to tell. W/r/t the streetlights, I know CDOT is extremely strict about maintaining a limited number of designs. It's basically just this one, or the black Victorian design which would be even worse.

The asphalt you see is just a binder course, so it's not manicured at all. The final wearing course of asphalt will look nicer, it will cover the gutter and probably smooth out some of the dips but they won't put that in until after the winter at least since the batch plants are closed. There's also a lot of landscaping yet to go in, and street furniture. You can see the stubs for the pedestrian lamps. I think other furniture like benches, trashcans, etc will be installed (and maintained) by Related as they develop each building. The retaining walls further south by the underpasses have a nice "flying delta" pattern cast into them, so at least in that section they gave it some flair.

I think the important thing here is just the cross-section. The multiple allees of trees are what will give it a European feel, and it seems that they have provided adequate soil for the trees to flourish. I wish they were plane trees, of course, for that real Parisian je ne sais quoi but I think Chicago's winters might be a little too extreme for them.

[jpIllInoIs]

I am loving the big infrastructure builds underway with the CN St Charles Airline rail and viaducts and Wells/Wentworth connector.

When can we expect to see the RI realignment begin construction? The new rail alignment will be needed to move the RI lines west from Clark Street to allow eastern side access to the 78 site.

[ardecila]

This was the timetable agreed to in early 2019:



This isn't a binding schedule, but Related must start work on all of the above projects before April 2029 or they can no longer be reimbursed by the City.

I think someone upthread mentioned their firm was working on the engineering for the RI relocation, so it seems like the gears are moving if slowly.

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Why does this look so damn cheap? Are they planning on ripping it up after it gets torn to shreds during the construction process? Honestly can anyone say this looks "good"? Compare to a streetscape you'd see in a brand new urban zone in Europe or Asia. This looks like a mall access road.

Keep in mind that it also may look kinda lumpy because of the raised "speed tables" designed to calm traffic.