Study: Chicago No. 1 for Architecture

Chicago is the best city for architecture and design according to an independent study conducted by an architectural practice.

Looking at ten criteria including architecture awards, green design and public transit systems, RMJM Hillier, the North American division of the Cambridge, U.K.-based RMJM, selected 10 cities leading the way in design policy and practice. Then the firm commissioned public opinion and research firm Zogby International to interview more than 1,000 residents of those cities on architecture and design issues and incorporated those results into the research to determine the final rankings.

Chicago came out on top with New York and Boston taking second and third place respectively.

According to the Zogby survey, 87% of Chicago residents polled think that the architecture in their city is excellent or good, versus 63% of New Yorkers and 64% of Bostonians.

The top-10 cities for design comprised the following:
1. Chicago
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Los Angeles
5. Portland, Ore.
6. San Francisco
7. Seattle
8. Denver
9. Philadelphia
10. Washington, D.C.

“Architecture and design are such significant parts of Chicago’s business and cultural communities,” says Zurich Esposito, executive vice president of AIA Chicago. “Walking down the street, you hear people talking about buildings just as often as you hear them talking about the Cubs or Sox.”

To identify, study and rank the ten best cities for design in the U.S., the study was conducted in four sections: data collection, which included secondary research from primary sources; interviews with residents of each city, executed by Zogby International; Anecdotal Data gathered via interviews with AIA representatives in each city; and, finally, rankings as determined by the data and opinions of in-house experts.

World’s Largest Tiffany Dome in Chicago Renovated

For the first time in more than 70 years, natural light will be shining once again through the world’s largest Louis Comfort Tiffany art glass dome above Preston Bradley Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

This dome has been restored to realize Tiffany’s original vision. The seven-month, $1.4-million renovation project included the cleaning, repairing and/or replacing of more than 30,000 pieces of glass.

The Tiffany dome caps the largest of two rotundas in the splendid Beaux Arts building, when it opened in 1897, as Chicago’s first permanent public library. It was designed by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co.’s chief mosaicist, Jacob Holzer, and has an estimated value of $35 million.

Approximately 38 ft in diameter, the dome’s ornate cast iron frame and jewel-like pieces of stained glass were originally protected by an exterior translucent glass dome, which allowed natural light into the room. This was removed in 1935 to address maintenance problems and replaced with a concrete and copper exterior dome. The 1935 date, which was determined when the latter dome was dismantled in January 2008, debunks the myth that the glass outer dome had been covered to conceal light during the World War II air raid blackouts.

The restored dome features a new exterior translucent skylight that, true to Holzer’s vision, once again allows natural light into Preston Bradley Hall to showcase the beauty of the stained glass. Other highlights of the renovation project included:

• Turning over more than 6,000 rough chunks of clear glass in the panels, called jewels, to face into the room as originally intended to catch and reflect light (the jewels were flipped during a previous restoration).
• Fixing or replacing about 1,500 to 1,800 pieces of cracked glass; this work was done by the Botti Studio of Architectural Arts, a family business with roots in 17th century Italy, and the glass replacements were made in Indiana at the Kokomo Opalescent Glass Co.—the same firm that created the originals in the late 19th century.
• Cleaning and repairing the dome’s cast iron framework to its original finish.
• Installing new, low energy lighting inside Preston Bradley Hall to illuminate the framework in the evening.

Darien-based Wight & Co. oversaw the project, and Chicago-based Holabird & Root served as the architect on the project.

Chicago 2016 AnnouncesSustainable Program

A program will link major businesses with nonprofit organizations to launch a comprehensive greening initiative in the city of Chicago in collaboration with Chicago’s 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games bid.

Pat Ryan, chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016, and Chris Walker, North America director of The Climate Group, a London-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing leadership on climate change, have unveiled details of the joint initiative.

The Chicago 2016 initiative will form a coalition with established nonprofits that will work with the business community to identify and commit to creating a series of “21st Century Green Urban Centers.” The centers will be located around the city’s potential Olympic venues, creating innovative green spaces that demonstrate Chicago’s commitment to climate action.

The program will seek to create a greener Chicago, with the objective of offering a more green Olympic bid for the city.

The initiative will invite participation of major businesses based in Chicago, as well as national companies that have a presence in the Chicago area. Partnering with well-established nonprofit environmental organizations to create these plans will help to ensure the programs deliver tangible and credible results.

The nonprofit organizations involved in the initiative include ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Center for Neighborhood Technology and Friends of the Chicago River.

“The Midwest is an important region in the U.S. for addressing climate change,” said Chris Walker, North America Director with The Climate Group. “The large populations of its major cities offer a tremendous opportunity to achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Chicago is at the heart of the region, and has a proven track record for its commitment to environmental responsibility, which makes taking action here key to addressing the issue and becoming a model for the region and the rest of the country.”

Architecture Index Drops Two Points

Following a slight rise in April, the Architecture Billings Index fell two points in May, prolonging the downturn in design activity at architecture firms.

A score above 50 indicates an increase in billings, and the May ABI rating was 43.4, down from the 45.5 mark in April.

Going against recent trends, the Midwest’s average was 51.9, the highest in the nation. The inquiries for new projects score was 46.5.

“With the exception of the institutional sector—projects like government buildings, schools and hospitals—we’ve seen a dramatic contraction in design activity in recent months,” says AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker.