Wanderlust Tales : In and around Millennium Park, Chicago
Yet in continuation from my wanderlust tales of Chicago:
The Millennium Park in Chicago houses the most iconic landmarks of Chicago. It is a public park located in the Loop community area. It's inception was to celebrate the second Millennium. It houses the state of the art collection of architecture,landscape design and art - also a host to a number of cultural events in the city. And the park is very lively and bustling with people.
Excerpts from the official website of the city of Chicago:
Designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park is a major addition to the city's world-renowned public art collection.
The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images from a broad social spectrum of Chicago citizens, a reference to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains, where faces of mythological beings were sculpted with open mouths to allow water, a symbol of life, to flow out.
Plensa adapted this practice by having faces of Chicago citizens projected on LED screens and having water flow through an outlet in the screen to give the illusion of water spouting from their mouths. The collection of faces, Plensa's tribute to Chicagoans, was taken from a cross-section of 1,000 residents.
The fountain’s water features operate during the year between mid-spring and mid-fall, while the images remain on view year-round.
Crown Fountain:
Skyscrapers:
At a stone's throw from the Crown Fountain is the Cloud gate.
Excerpts from the official website of the city of Chicago:
Cloud Gate is British artist Anish Kapoor's first public outdoor work installed in the United States.
The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect Chicago’s famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives.
Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high.
Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high.
Cloud Gate sits upon the AT&T Plaza, which was made possible by a gift from AT&T.
The structure is magnificent and is highly eye catchy - the reflection of the artistic skyscrapers on the cloud gate is the one which steals the show. The polished stainless steel plates act like a mirror, and on a sunny clear sky day - you can't ask for anything more alluring to your eyes.
You will find people enjoying photographing themselves in front of the cloud gate. It attracts a lot of people, again one of the must visit in Chicago. Have a glance at the panoramic view - just look at how it sits in a central position amidst the tall buildings. Selfie le le re...
As you walk further is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP bridge.
Excerpts from the official website of the city of Chicago:
Frank Gehry, the winner of the National Medal of Art and the designer of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP bridge, applied his signature style to Millennium Park’s revolutionary outdoor concert venue.
The Pavilion stands 120-feet high, with a billowing headdress of brushed stainless steel ribbons that frame the stage opening and connect to an overhead trellis of crisscrossing steel pipes. The trellis supports the sound system, which spans the 4,000 fixed seats and the Great Lawn, which accommodates an additional 7,000 people.
This state-of-the-art sound system, the first of its kind in the country, was designed to mimic the acoustics of an indoor concert hall by distributing enhanced sound equally over both the fixed seats and the lawn.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is home to the Grant Park Music Festival and other free concerts and events.
The Pavilion stands 120-feet high, with a billowing headdress of brushed stainless steel ribbons that frame the stage opening and connect to an overhead trellis of crisscrossing steel pipes. The trellis supports the sound system, which spans the 4,000 fixed seats and the Great Lawn, which accommodates an additional 7,000 people.
This state-of-the-art sound system, the first of its kind in the country, was designed to mimic the acoustics of an indoor concert hall by distributing enhanced sound equally over both the fixed seats and the lawn.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is home to the Grant Park Music Festival and other free concerts and events.
It is amazing how a piece of beauty can be created out of just steel pipes placed overhead. It is a premier outdoor amphitheater. It is truly a work of an artist.
If you around Chicago, definitely don't miss out on these places.
Cheers to life!!
~Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!
P.S. All the above photos have been clicked by me.
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