Conference “A City to Speculate?” Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park Room, 5th floor, 4-6 PM, November 22, 2014.
A conference on Chicago’s catalytic potential for urban and architectural speculation, convened by Alexander Eisenschmidt and Jonathan Mekinda. Related to the book and the exhibition at the Art Institute, “Chicagoisms” brings together practitioners to present and discuss ideas on speculative projects for the city. Speakers included Sarah Dunn (UrbanLab), Sean Lally (Weathers), Andrew Moddrell (Port A+U), Stanley Tigerman (Tigerman McCurry Architects), and Frances Whitehead (ARTetal Studio).
While Chicago has historically served as a springboard for architecture and urbanism by demonstrating an openness to experimentation and an innate drive to reinvent itself in search of progress, the city today seems to bear little of the restlessness and ambition that made it one of the earliest and most vital examples of the modern metropolis. This panel discussion aims, therefore, to understand what made Chicago tick and to explore how a new era of architectural speculation can be brought about.
The event is part of the Illinois Humanities Council program and organized in partnership with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).
Video stills (from right to left and down): Eisenschmidt, Dunn, Lally, Moddrell, Tigerman, Whitehead, Mekinda.
