Chicago
First Impressions
I went to Chicago on an adrenaline pulsed whim. It was one of the many cities on my list of places to go in life.
So one day as I was browsing the web feeling drained from work and the sameness of the city I currently call home, I decided to check fares and hotel rates in Chicago. I saw a deal I liked and went for it. Once you click that purchase button, you know you’re going and there is no turning back.
Chicago turned out to be one of most visually interesting cities I’ve ever been to in the United States. Skyscrapers, unique architecture, amazing urban design elements, beautiful bridges and parks abounded. And that was just in the heart of the city where my trip was focused.
I visited the city in early May 2006. It was the dawn of spring and all of the flowers and flowering trees in the city were in bloom. The skies were blue and there was relatively no humidity in the air.
I stayed within the area of the city called The Loop. It’s probably where most tourists make their home when they visit the city. Either there or in the area north of the river in the Magnificent Mile area.
The one first impression of Chicago that did shock me to a certain extent was how relatively empty the area within The Loop seemed to be on Saturday and Sunday. Many restaurants and shops were closed (the ones that cater to weekday workers). I had to walk all the way to the “touristy focal points” to find food.
However, it was my first stay in Chicago and this one impression may have not been totally accurate. I could have been a little blinded by breakfast cravings.
Urban Design
Beautiful urban design elements permeate the heart of Chicago.
One repeated design element were the grand entry ways that straddled the sides of the streets at major entry points into the city. I think an especially beautiful example is Congress Plaza and Congress Plaza Drive at the Michigan Avenue intersection.
In today’s overly cautious transportation designs, you most likely will never come across an interesting intersection such as the one created by these streets. But it is the curving elegance of Congress Plaza Drive and it’s wide sidewalk and trees as it approaches Michigan Avenue and sweeps past the giant Native American statues and the large monolithic entry ways that evokes such aesthetic pleasure.
These ornate entryways were also repeated on the bridges that cross the river, especially along West Wacker Drive from Michigan Avenue west to Wells Street.
The repetition of these entryways, along with the beauty of the unique draw bridge designs, creates an awesome spectacle for the eye as you look westward down West Wacker.
Chicago also has a spectacular (though I think fairly new) set of stone railings and steps along the river as it meanders through the city. They help frame the river and provide excellent places to stop and take in the architecture.
One last urban design element I’d like to mention, though there are many more, is the incredible collection of public art and public plazas in Chicago.
The most amazing new example is Millenium Park with the stunning Cloud Gate sculpture , the Crown Fountain, the beautifully design gardens and the associated plazas.
The Cloud Gate’s mirrored surface creates exquisitely curved reflections of the Chicago skyline as well as the blue sky. It is surrounded by an open plaza that allows the observer to escape the canyon of skyscrapers and take a long fascinating look into the image reflected in the sculpture.
The Crown Fountain incorporates multimedia imagery into its design and provides a whimsical visual experience at night.
I was also struck by the beauty of the gardens planted in the park. As I walked along the wooden planked boardwalk past the cage of trees, I saw a rabbit hop into the security of the mini-forest. It was nice to see wildlife thriving in such an urban setting.