Like a jewel box placed gently on the seam of the city of Chicago and Lake
Michigan, Lakefront Luminance serves as both an icon and an enticing destination for all. Inspired by the original Palmolive Beacon and the city of Chicago's forthcoming lighting framework plan, the kiosk seeks to elevate the everyday into the extraordinary and seamlessly insert itself into the city’s existing network of diverse points of interest. As Chicago seeks to position itself at the nexus of the dialogue on architecture culture in the 21st century, this small intervention on the lakefront will help to solidify this Midwest metropolis’s reputation as a cultural and architectural destination.

As a place of respite along the Lakefront Trail, visitors will find simple, but carefully considered accommodations. Reminding visitors that bigger is not always better, the efficiently designed kiosk provides a myriad of opportunities to enjoy and appreciate the locale. From purchasing refreshments or renting recreational equipment to sitting down for a picnic lunch, the architecture beckons visitors to take a moment to enjoy the environs. The shroud that arches over the kiosk provides shelter from both natural elements and Lake Shore Drive, but also presents unexpected vignettes of the city skyline through its catchment fenestrations. With landscaping designed to facilitate movement from the Lakefront Trail to the kiosk, a variety of seating options await users seeking respite and reflection or just a place to tie a loose shoelace.

Recognizing its seasonal nature, the kiosk also actively reflects the microclimate of the lakefront. Putting on a dynamic show of shadow and light on sunny summer days, the shroud becomes an ephemeral installation of snow, light, and atmosphere during the winter months. Wind-blown snow formations bring life to the otherwise shuttered kiosk. In addition to seasonal changes, the kiosk also easily transitions from day to night. Open and active during the day, the kiosk truly sparkles after the sun has gone down. Bringing “life after dark”, the perforated exterior panels allow light to escape creating a beacon that can be used as a point of reference along the lakefront and from vantage points high in the skyline. Much like the Palmolive Beacon guided so does this newest addition to the lakefront

Along with the changing seasons come changing tenants. The kiosk has been designed to allow for flexibility and ease of transition. The interior is designed as a blank slate that can be easily fit out for retail, vending, or other types of tenants. The outer perforated skin performs as a rainscreen sheltering a simply framed infill wall, providing an insulated, weather-tight envelope. A fifteen-foot-wide section of the exterior skin--activated by a carefully detailed system of tracks, cabling, and electric winches--becomes an integral portal providing a generous point of service. As a kit of modular components, the kiosk is designed for efficient off-site prefabrication.

Lakefront Luminance is truly an experiment in small-scale architecture transforming public spaces and the lived experience. Installed as an iconic beacon on the lakefront, the Millennium Park installation seeks to further the mission of the Biennial. Serving as a platform embedded within a larger overall discussion, the installation will allow the general public to contribute their thoughts on the current state of architecture and where they think innovative architectural pursuits can lead. With prompts like “What is your favorite building/place?” or “What would you design if you were an architect?”, participants are able to provide comments and feedback to be shared with others. By opening up the discussion about architecture to those both in and outside of the industry, future design endeavors become more relevant and more capable of providing what is actually needed and not just wanted. Having started the conversation at Millennium Park, the dialogue will continue to engage with the installation of the kiosk along the lakefront.