Finishing "The Plan" 100 years later, Smith proposes Eco-Bridge (original) (raw)

Architecture Fri Jun 13 2008

Architect Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill have been quietly drumming up support for what they consider the last missing element to Daniel Burnham's famous Chicago Plan, the Chicago Tribune reports. Burnham's plan called for the creation of a land bridge connecting the two major peninsular elements of the shoreline, Navy Pier and Museum Campus. Smith and Gill have take the century old idea and redesigned it in the spirit of contemporary design and construction. Formulated to be an "Eco-Bridge" the project would allow people the ability to walk out into the lake and have a head-on view of the skyline. In addition, an observation tower would promise to create one of the most scenic vantage points in any city. Making the development ecologically beneficial, the project would provide vegetative habitats for lake fish and a series of wind turbines to help generate electricity.

The project is certainly in its speculative stages right now but could become a real possibility if the Chicago Olympic Committee is looking for a dynamic way to improve upon its bid. The International Olympic Committee criticized Chicago 2016 for not proposing measures that would leave a significant legacy. An environmentally sustainable, sure to be world-wide tourist attraction that harkens back the city's infancy should put the bid over the edge.

As Architect Smith states, "Now all we need is a billion dollars." I can't tell you how many times I've said that about a project!