Walking Chicago

In The Weather is a collection of self-guided walking tours started by Bonnie Fortune and Melinda Fries as "an exploration of the city both private and shared." Submitted walks are primarily in Chicago, ranging from the far north to the far south and from the clear and concise to the random and emotional. Whatever their differences, they are all personal and off the beaten path. You won't find any architecture tours of the Loop or Pilsen art walks. One of the most immediately architectural areas (the Pullman District on the far south side, below) leaves out any information on the place's buildings or features of note. Instead Erikka tells us to "execute twice daily" and "execute twice weekly with companion animal" along with some scribbled thoughts on walking, houses, and guitars. Quite personal.



The various maps - particularly ones like above and the information-heavy Gas for Less map below - remind me of Kevin Lynch's experiments in deciphering the legibility of cities (Boston, in the case of his classic study The Image of the City) and the sketches made by individuals as they were trying to describe how to get from point A to B, or a particular space, or the like. Like Lynch's study, In The Weather illustrates the variety of ways we experience, remember, and then illustrate the spaces and places we inhabit. In this case, I'm glad In The Weather focuses on walking as THE way of interacting with the city, rather than driving or even riding the bus or train. Not only is it the most immediate and flexible, but also the most natural and contemplative way for us to move about and experience our surroundings.



(via Ecology of Absence)