architecture

Monday, June 29, 2009

Frank Gehry and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion

This past weekend I visited one of my favorite cities, Chicago. I was so excited to finally see the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park designed by Frank Gehry. Completed in July 2004, the pavilion is an open stage which seats upwards of 11,000 people in a mixture of fixed seats and the lawn as well as accomodate a full orcherstra on stage.
The pavilion is the gem of Millenium park, which is built over a large parking lot and the Harris Theater. One thing I question is the very lage trellis structure over the lawn seating, seen below. Meant to hold the complicated sound system, I wonder why a vinyl or canvas covering could not be stretched over it in the wintertime for more year round use. It seems much more practical to me and would not break the covenant for no buildings in the park as it would be a temporary structure. Just my 2 cents!
detail of the structure which directs the sound into the audience.
I never have been a fan of Gehry, but I think his style is best suited to outdoor structures like these and it is truly magnificent. Never mind that it cost around $60 million, it was well worth it as it's probably one of the most visited attraction in Chicago these days!
the pavilion seen in the distance above the water wall.
all photos taken with my iphone -which turned out surprisingly well!

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