Behind the tour: 50 Years of Chicago Architecture
Each year, CAC staff and our team of more than 450 dedicated docents work together to create new ways to see the city. But have you ever wondered what inspires our tours? Here’s the story behind the 50 Years of Chicago Architecture bus tour.
by Kerstin Adams, Marketing Manager
WHY 50 YEARS OF CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE?
Throughout 2016, CAC is celebrating its 50th anniversary. For half a century, our docents and educators have strived to inspire people to discover why design matters in their communities, cities and lives. In order to commemorate this significant milestone, CAC docents Maurice Champagne and Ellen Shubart, along with CAC staff, developed a tour that highlights the architectural changes in Chicago during the 50 years of CAC’s existence.
CHICAGO: THEN AND NOW
This special anniversary bus tour covers popular architectural styles from the previous five decades. Guests get up close and personal with buildings constructed in several architectural styles, including Brutalism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. After viewing the exteriors and interiors of many unique sites, guests leave with a deeper understanding of Chicago’s architectural history and the acclaimed designers who played a significant role in the beautification and transformation of the city.
The bus tour explores the history of post-WWII development from the 1960s into the 21st century. It begins at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where we find prime examples of 1960s Brutalism in the urban campus’s raw concrete buildings. From there, we see the outcome of city planning efforts during the 1970s and 1980s for residential development at Dearborn Park and at Bertrand Goldberg's River City. The tour concludes downtown, where we view office development sites from the 1980s, 1990s and 21st century.
CELEBRATE 50 YEARS WITH US
Experience this exclusive bus tour featuring five decades of prominent sites not typically visited on other CAC tours. We hope that you’ll join us in celebrating our 50th anniversary by taking a fascinating excursion into Chicago’s architectural history.
Tours are available on select Saturdays and Sundays through October 23, 2016, only.