Landmarking the Black Panther Party

Bloomberg CityLab Ι February 24, 2024 The walls of the Church of the Epiphany in Chicago are two feet thick, made of red-brown sandstone from the upper peninsula of Michigan. Designed by Francis Whitehouse and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s a preeminent example of the Richardson Romanesque architectural style. The ornate… Continue reading Landmarking the Black Panther Party

The Chicago Architecture Biennial Is Stuck in a Loop

Dec. 9, 2023 Ι Bloomberg CityLab The Chicago Architecture Biennial, the largest architecture exposition in North America, is prone to repeating itself. The fifth and latest iteration of the festival, which opened in November at the ornate Chicago Cultural Center, charts its meta-turn as clearly as it can, starting with the event’s title: “This Is… Continue reading The Chicago Architecture Biennial Is Stuck in a Loop

The Future of the Office Is Cozy

Nov. 26, 2023 Ι Bloomberg CityLab It didn’t take long for Jon Race to diagnose the problem with his new office. Race, the CEO of the London architecture firm MCM, moved his 50-some staffers to a small co-working space in 2020 — his previous office lease ended just as the Covid-19 pandemic wound up. The… Continue reading The Future of the Office Is Cozy

After School Closings, a Renovation Challenge

Bloomberg CityLab Ι Oct. 9. 2023 Dwight Perkins isn’t among the most familiar names associated with Chicago architecture. But unlike Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe, his work left a particularly vivid impression on the childhoods of generations of Chicagoans from all corners of the city, because he designed their schools.

Buildings That Can Heal in the Wake of Trauma

The generous windows that line walls of this new apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, do more than just flood its hallways and bedrooms in sunlight: They’re part of a suite of design decisions that reflect the unique needs of its residents. Providence at the Heights, or PATH, is a supportive housing facility operated by the… Continue reading Buildings That Can Heal in the Wake of Trauma

When Monuments Go Bad

June 7, 2021 Ι Bloomberg CityLab The stately eagle atop the 50-foot-tall fluted column of the Illinois Centennial Monument can be seen from blocks away. Located in the gentrifying Logan Square neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side, the memorial was designed by Henry Bacon and Evelyn Beatrice Longman and built in 1918 as an allegorical representation… Continue reading When Monuments Go Bad