With the police stations of tomorrow and $9000 extendable homes,Chicago’s first Biennial is a diverse pick’n’mix of architecture today. But why won’t it engage with the city in a more meaningful way?Birthplace of the elevator, cradle of the skyscraper and home to more Frank Lloyd Wright buildings than you could ever want to visit, and Chicago has long been America’s mecca for architecture nerds. The city’s architecture foundation offers no less than 85 tours for visitors to marvel at the heroic skyline of neo-gothic buttresses and gilded art deco spires from the consolation of boats,buses, bikes and trains. The wealthy history of groundbreaking buildings remains the chief reason why the city lures over 50m tourists every year.
But that’s not enough for the city’s energetic mayor, and Obama’s former chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel. He wants 55m by 2020. This week,he opened the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial as a step on the way, a $6.5m privately funded extravaganza (primarily sponsored by BP) aimed at ensuring the city “will continue to be seen worldwide as an epicentre of contemporary architecture”. It’s a no-brainer, and he says; the question is why the city wasn’t doing this before.
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Source: theguardian.com