Starting tomorrow, the five design teams selected to redesign the outdoor spaces of Chicago’s Navy Pier will begin to reveal their schemes to the public. Lead by AECOM, Aedas Architects, James Corner Field Operations, !melk and the Xavier Vendrell Studio, each team will be given thirty minutes to present their ideas, followed by a ten minute question and answer session. The presentations will take place on January 31st and February 1st at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Continue reading for the presentation schedules and more information on the competition.
Navy Pier is Illinois’ most popular attraction, luring nearly nine million visitors in 2010. As the Pier approaches its centennial year in 2016, The Centennial Vision has been constructed to include new and renovated features that will bring more evening and year-round entertainment to an expanded audience. The design team’s are responsible for redesigning the Pier’s public realm, which includes Gateway Park, Crystal Garden, Pier Park, the South Dock and East End Park – along with smaller public spaces along the length of the Pier. Changes to the landscape and streetscape, the introduction of public art and water features, and relighting the Pier’s exterior will also be included in the plan.
The expansion of the Chicago Children’s Museum is also being considered as part of the Navy Pier’s redevelopment plan. As you may remember, Krueck + Sexton’s winning competition entry for the relocation of the children’s museum was recently removed from the redevelopment plan of Grant Park. Described as the “family anchor” of the Pier since the mid-1990’s, the expansion of the museum is now being considered near its current location at Navy Pier.
Furthermore, the Pier’s “cultural anchor”, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, may also be expanded, as increasing its program would be a “logical evolution for the Pier’s future”. A 950-seat house to complement its existing 500-seat courtyard-style theater and a 200-seat black box facility is being considered.
The preliminary projected cost for the public elements is approximately $155 million. This amount does not include the private investment that would come from partner cultural institutions, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and Chicago Children’s Museum, or from commercial partners such as hotel developers, entertainment companies, and restaurants. It is anticipated that Navy Pier, Inc. will provide some investment for these facilities from a pool of MPEA seed funding projected at approximately $50 million.
Presentation Schedule Jan. 31: 6pm Aedas Architects/Davis Brody Bond/Martha Schwartz Partners 6:45pm AECOM/Bjarke Ingels Group 7:30pm !melk/HOK/Urban Lab
Feb. 1: 6pm Xavier Vendrell Studio/Grimshaw Architects/Tom Leader Studio 6:45pm James Corner Field Operations / nARCHITECTS
Following the presentations, the proposals will be exhibited at the Chicago Architecture Foundation on February 2nd. Pier officials plan to use the public feedback as a guide through the selection process. A winner will be selected towards the end of February. Check out the complete list of the design teams here.
Reference: The Chicago Tribune, Navy Pier
