i'm from brussels.

but i was'nt asking for this movies.
something i already know.

I'd call or go by the Chicago architecture foundation when you get into town. They are nice people and very helpful.

www.architecture.org

danda

of course theres his famous stuff:

860 880 Lakeshore Drive apartments
Farnsworth house (quite a bit of a drive outside of Chicago)
Federal Plaza (great example of his tower/pavillion style, and you get a bonus--Calder sculpture!)
The IIT campus, notably Crowne Hall (IIT school of architecture building)
The IBM tower at 330 N. Wabash (I work there! Mies died before its completion)

More obscure (I suppose) would be:

Residential tower ~ Fullerton and Clark
Residential towers at Diversey and Sheridan
(both of these are a grey aluminum skin rather than his typical black steel)
The Promontory Apartment buildings (not sure on the address, but a great example of early Mies tower design)
Lakepoint Tower (not Mies, but a direct translation of a tower proposed by Mies. very cool extruded 3-leaf clover form)

And of course there's a lot of Mies immitators or i guess you could call them followers. when i first moved to Chicago it took a while for me to figure out was was actually Mies and what was 'school of Mies'.

sure i'm forgetting plenty....but i hope this is a good start

sorry,

the Federal building is at Dearborn/Jackson (I believe)
Lakepoint Tower is at Grand and Lakeshore (near Navy Pier, but stay away from that tourist nightmare)

take an architecture boat tour if they're running. they're awesome, especially at night. You can catch them at the Wrigley building (Michigan and Wacker)

definitely go out to see the farsnworth house - mies at his best! http://www.farnsworthhouse.org/ and now the daffidiles are out so its lovely - call ahead to make certain they are open - will have to rent a car of find a friend -- is about a 2 hour drive from down town but well worth it.

thanks a lot wangsta.

do you know wether it is possible to visit some buildings?
except from iit and farnsworth.

i'm especially interested in the lake shore drive appartments.

i'm editor for danda.be, it would be great to do a reportage and enter such a building.

i read in an article that in the IBM building there's a public cafetaria where you can eat. right?


regards,
stijn

an other project i just read about.

the chicago arts club.

but not much information about that one online...

i think that only the stair at the new chicago arts club is by mies. the building is vinci hamp architects.

yes, he only did part of the interior.
do yo u know where the arts club is located?

by an aia guide to chicago at any bookstore there.

I would visit the post office during the day at Adams and Dearborn. It's a little similar to the Neue Nationalgalerie. The massing of the three Mies buildings is very special and look at the neighboring 19th century skyscapers: Modnadnock (tallest solid masonry office building in the world; the masonry would make Berlage envious), the Fisher with its furniture-like, gold terra cotta spandrels and the Marquette.

The two most celebrated buildings at the IIT Campus are the Chapel and Crown Hall. I would definitely get in the chapel. I also like the Railroad Building on 31st because it combines his architecture with graphics.

There's a building on the University of Chicago Campus that is steel and painted black. It is the School of Social Science Administration on the south side of the Midway at ? I forget which street.

The Arts Club, in my opinion, is a real disppointment. The staircase was rebuilt and they have it about 12" off of being centered from the entrance door. It looks like a mistake. The building otherwise is pleasant.

The high-rise buildings all have their own special characteristics. I like 2400 Fullerton and the way it makes the corner and engages the street.

There is no substitute for a pilgrimage to the Farnsworth House. it is very special. Rent-a-car. Take Amtrak to Plano. Crawl on your hands and knees. But GO!

That's 2400 N Lakeview at Fullerton.

2nd the arts club - skip it. its crap.

you have never lived until farnsworth. dont underestimate seeing something special here that others have missed; do a crit / interview with dirk lohan - mies's grandson who did the reno repairs after the last flood. [he did muck it up - but you see for youself]

promotory is diversey + lakeshore drive or commonwealth -

i second fullerton + lincoln park west [2400 n lakeview] is where [helmut jahn lives in these mies pieces] -- maybe interview him in his digs.

the best way to get into the appartments is to make an appointment with a real estate person saying you want to buy a place - just go on line - be creative and lie - best way to do it!

arrange to visit perkins + will archs -- their in a mies piece and tell them you just want to see thier office.

2nd also the chapel at iit - very special

while your in chicago visit the iit lib and most of the mies plans you can scavange through old mags + journals.

danda,

i'm pretty sure they don't allow tours of 860-880, it is a private residence...but maybe if you arranged beforehand, act as though you're interested in buying a unit!

the IBM tower does have a public cafeteria, however it has been undergoing recent renovation....though it may be open by now. if you'd like, I could get you past security and tour you around my floor (36)...let me know in advance when you will be coming and we could meet up.

would be great if you could arrange that for me.

i just send you an e-mail.


thanks,
stijn

danda,

Just a word - I really like your website - well done.

d

Mc Cormick House in Elmhurst - 15 min by Metra train west of city - along the way stop in Oak Park to see Frank Lloyd wright


The Mc Cormick house is now a contemporary art gallery in Wilder Park, 2 blocks from the Metra train station

its the structure in the foreground with blond brick endwalls

While you're visiting IIT, be sure to look at OMA's "BUTT" (Building under the tracks)

farnsworth house is a must-see. i would strongly recommend renting a car or perhaps getting in touch with an architecture student from IIT or UIC (who has a car) who would take you there. that might be more fun anyway. it is very much on the periphery of the chicago metropolitan area...58 miles from the loop, to be exact. fortunately the driving directions are fairly easy.

link to directions