Unveiling Nature's Art: The Flight of Butterflies Exhibit at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Chicago's cultural landscape is set to bloom this summer with an extraordinary outdoor art exhibition that merges the beauty of art with the wonders of nature. The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum introduces the "Flight of Butterflies," a city-wide initiative that places 29 monumental butterfly sculptures across key locations including the Magnificent Mile and various city parks. This installation not only enhances urban spaces but also aims to foster a deeper connection between the community and nature.
Designed by a diverse group of local artists and community organizations, these six-foot sculptures, modeled after species like the eastern tiger swallowtail and the state-threatened regal fritillary, are crafted from steel with aluminum wings, making them both a visual and educational spectacle. Each piece is uniquely adorned, reflecting the artist's personal connection to nature and their community narratives. This effort is supported by various community partners and organizations, including ChiLab Studio, which provided crucial fabrication support and studio space for the artists.
The Flight of Butterflies is more than just an art exhibit; it is a vibrant platform for storytelling and conservation awareness. It highlights the museum’s efforts in biodiversity conservation and offers a poignant reminder of the delicate interdependence between urban environments and their natural ecosystems. The sculptures will be installed at the museum grounds before spreading their wings to various parts of the city, inviting residents and visitors alike to engage with art and nature in communal spaces.
This initiative is not only a testament to the power of community collaboration in art but also serves as an educational tool that brings to light the importance of conservation efforts amid rapid environmental changes. By visiting these sculptures, individuals can explore the role of art in environmental advocacy and perhaps be inspired to participate in local conservation efforts.
For those interested in experiencing this melding of art, nature, and community effort, the Flight of Butterflies exhibit promises to be a rewarding journey through the heart of Chicago's artistic and natural heritage (Nature Museum) (SocialWorksChi) (Choose Chicago).
Chicago communities using artistic expression to highlight climate change issues
CHICAGO - Chicagoans are harnessing the power of community and art to raise awareness of climate change and environmental justice.
The group, known as "Earth Art Chicago," with the assistance of private donors, is installing 12 works of art across multiple neighborhoods in Chicago.
CHICAGO - Chicagoans are harnessing the power of community and art to raise awareness of climate change and environmental justice.
O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5 Expansion Project
As part of the O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5 Expansion Project, the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) are commissioning the largest single acquisition of works by Chicago artists by the City in the last 30 years.
Stories about Uber Talent Hub at the Old Post Office, in Chicago, IL
Uber's New Downtown Office showcases several of Chilab Studio's Works and has recently been in several publications.
Uber's new Chicago office opens on Oct. 19. 2021. The new location at the Old Post Office will serve as the global headquarters for Uber Freight and house more than 2,000 employees across the Freight, Eats and Rides platforms.
Gensler Chicago designed the Uber Talent Hub in the historic Chicago Old Post Office, a building also home to other large corporations. Uber’s offices occupy three floors spanning 29,000 sq-m, with workspaces for over 2,000 employees.
Uber has big plans for expansion in Chicago. On Tuesday, the ride hailing company announced the grand opening of its new office location within the Old Post Office building.
Newcity: Design Issue 2019
Newcity's December issue is a showcase for Chicago's designed object scene, and this year the focus widened to feature designed experiences. Rick Valicenti and Anna Mort helped Newcity curate and design the latest issue, including a conversation with Barry Bursak, owner of Chicago's historic design, City, interviews with Tom Vack, Petra Bachmaier and Sean Gallerostore of Luftwerk, Alyx Harch, Ayush Kasliwal and Mike Dreeben of AKMD, Seth Keller, Dee Clements, and a number of Chicago-designed objects and experiences ready for gifting.
The text is set in Jackson Cavanaugh's latest typeface, OKAY. The chair on the cover is Ben Stagl's UNFOLDING CHAIR.
Newcity's December issue is a showcase for Chicago's designed object scene, and this year the focus widened to feature designed experiences. Rick Valicenti and Anna Mort helped Newcity curate and design the latest issue, including a conversation with Barry Bursak, owner of Chicago's historic design, City, interviews with Tom Vack, Petra Bachmaier and Sean Gallerostore of Luftwerk, Alyx Harch, Ayush Kasliwal and Mike Dreeben of AKMD, Seth Keller, Dee Clements, and a number of Chicago-designed objects and experiences ready for gifting.
The text is set in Jackson Cavanaugh's latest typeface, OKAY. The chair on the cover is Ben Stagl's UNFOLDING CHAIR.
The 12 Coolest Offices in Chicago 2019
Knoll's new three-story space showcases a colorful mix of the company's furniture and accessories against a view of the city skyline. Twenty of Knoll's 3,500 worldwide employees spread out among rich fabrics and diverse textures in the 24,000-square-foot, den-like workspace. Most do not have assigned desks and work alongside decor inspired by their new neighborhood. Knoll collaborated with design firm Gensler to create an aesthetic with midcentury modern, contemporary and bohemian themes. The space also serves as the North American flagship showroom for Scandinavian design brand Muuto, the newest addition to Knoll's portfolio.
By Jackie Bender
What makes an office cool? We use the term as a catchall for a well-designed workplace that's a good representation of the business and allows employees to work comfortably and efficiently. After that, opinions diverge. Should they be homelike, with lounges, table tennis and the like? (No, says judge Richard Wright of Wright Auctions.) Wright, along with interior designer Michael Del Piero and Crain's assistant managing editor Jan Parr (a longtime design magazine editor in a previous life), chose 12 offices out of 78 submissions for this year's crop of Coolest.
Winner's Circle
Knoll
Fulton Market / Furniture, textiles and design
Knoll's new three-story space showcases a colorful mix of the company's furniture and accessories against a view of the city skyline. Twenty of Knoll's 3,500 worldwide employees spread out among rich fabrics and diverse textures in the 24,000-square-foot, den-like workspace. Most do not have assigned desks and work alongside decor inspired by their new neighborhood. Knoll collaborated with design firm Gensler to create an aesthetic with midcentury modern, contemporary and bohemian themes. The space also serves as the North American flagship showroom for Scandinavian design brand Muuto, the newest addition to Knoll's portfolio.
A giant hole cut through the center of the fifth through seventh floors allows light to bend into every corner, changing the feel seasonally, daily and hourly. A rotating mix of designers, developers, architects and clients are invited to work from the showroom, infusing it with energy that "gives an enormous amount of vitality to the space," says Design Director Benjamin Pardo.
It's a marked break from tradition for a Chicago furniture and textiles company, where the Merchandise Mart has traditionally been home. The change, says Pardo, is a sign of the times, with a new generation of buyers. Pardo says it was vital to be integrated into the city. He particularly loved the gritty, industrial backdrop of Fulton Market, where the average age of workers is conspicuously younger than in neighborhoods farther east.
"It boxed us away from an urban center in some senses," Pardo says of the company's former home in the Mart. "To be engaged in the city to me is magical."
Knoll has the unique distinction of being in the business of creating cool offices by incorporating luxurious fabrics, juxtaposed textures and vibrant patterns. Pardo believes workspaces that offer choice, comfort and visual interest play a key role in employee retention.
"If you're happy, have access to light, there's movement because the physical space permits that, you're more efficient in your work, more focused and happier to physically be in the space," he says.
Knoll's goal with its new office was to set an example for clients, demonstrating how an office can embody a company's culture and brand.
"The Knoll office proves that contract furniture is, in actuality, far from dull," says Michael Del Piero, one of the Coolest Offices judges. "The space invites you to explore, engage and expand your thoughts on traditional office furniture."
Knoll Unveils New Chicago Showroom at Fulton Market
Coinciding with NeoCon 2019, Knoll said goodbye to the Merchandise Mart and hello to their new Chicago showroom at Fulton Market. The new space was designed in collaboration with Gensler as a representation of how current workspaces are most successful when they offer employees choices. The multi-level showroom displays how users can adapt spaces to fit their own needs for just about any task, offering options rather than limitations.
Coinciding with NeoCon 2019, Knoll said goodbye to the Merchandise Mart and hello to their new Chicago showroom at Fulton Market. The new space was designed in collaboration with Gensler as a representation of how current workspaces are most successful when they offer employees choices. The multi-level showroom displays how users can adapt spaces to fit their own needs for just about any task, offering options rather than limitations.
WantedDesign Chicago
ChiLab is a thinktank for innovation in design, technology, and art based in Chicago, IL.
Unfolding chair by Chilab
ChiLab is a thinktank for innovation in design, technology, and art based in Chicago, IL.
The collective is comprised of Ben Stagl, Bo Rodda, Chiu Kuan-Wen, Jason Gillette, and Max Davis.
Ben Stagl’s work blurs the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, and interior design. Bo Rodda is a designer, visual artist, technologist, and educator, with a trans-disciplinary background that integrates traditional arts and the sciences with digital, interactive, visual, and industrial design; he has done extensive research into high performance and sustainable design. Chiu Kuan-Wen holds a BA in Economics from National Taipei University (2007) and a Master of Design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2012). Jason Gillette is an architect and designer whose work aims to mediate the social, infrastructural, and psychological conditions that make up urban life. Max Davis spent five years in the dungeons of Cornell University’s Department of Architecture, Art, and Planning.