A Big Splash

Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA

With its wave-like balconies, the eighty-two story Aqua makes a big splash on the Chicago skyline.

Studying the Heavens

Adler Planetarium on Lake Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, USA

When we arrived at the Adler Planetarium, it was raining cats and dogs.  The rain just wouldn't stop.  While we were studying the heavens inside, the rain poured from the heavens outside.  Just as we finished our visit, the sky cleared and it became a spectacular summer afternoon on Lake Michigan.

Living in the City

Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA

This little roadway in Chicago near Millennium Park is a hodgepodge of 20th Century urban living.  From the fire escapes, to the lack of natural daylight, to the narrow roadway, this showcases how folks lived and worked in the earlier days of cities.  Naturally, these buildings are still in use, but this style of living has been replaced by more bright and airy ideas.

Reflecting on Michigan

Marina, Chicago, Illinois, USA

These boats were quietly awaiting their next jaunt out onto the open water of Lake Michigan.  This protected marina made the water seem almost glassy on a very windy day.

Tribune Tribute

Tribune Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA

At one time, newspapers ruled supreme in American life.  The glorious Tribune Tower showcases the power and money the Chicago Tribune had in the 1920's.

Welcome to Chicago

Miró's Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Situated in a courtyard next to a city church and resembling Jesus Christ with a crown, this sculpture is actually a woman wearing a tiara and is named Miró's Chicago.  Whatever it really represents, the sculpture is stunning and is framed beautifully by the surrounding buildings.

2011: A Cooling Odyssey

Crown Fountain, Chicago, Illinois, USA

The wonderful Crown Fountain, at the western edge of downtown Chicago's Millennium Park, is a cooling oasis for body and mind.  Usually crowded with hordes of tourists, this little boy somehow got a moment all to himself.

Flags for the Flagships

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, USA

At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), American Airlines' Concourse K is a skylit hall adorned with the flags of many nations with a modern globe as its centerpiece.  Timeless and modern all at once, the hall transmits positive energy to the hustle and bustle.

Liquid Sun

Cloud Gate, Chicago, Illinois, USA
The sun hit the famous Cloud Gate sculpture at just the right moment to create this image. Located in Millennium Park and familiarly known as The Bean, the Cloud Gate is meant to resemble liquid mercury and is a favorite of both locals and tourists.

Criss, Cross, Climb

Escalators, Chicago, Illinois, USA
This double escalator bank (2 pairs of up and down) is found in the Macy's on State Street (originally the Marshall Field & Company flagship). We really like how these crisscross and appear almost suspended in the atrium.

A Signature Building

John Hancock Building, Chicago, Illinois, USA
The juxtaposition of these structures was captured by laying down in a church courtyard across the street from the John Hancock building.

Live, Work, Play - Sixties Style

Marina City Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Built in 1964, Marina City was a mixed use live, work, and play complex on the Chicago River.

Although considered part of the Modernism architectural movement, the towers were designed with an organic feel, firmly rooted in nature.

This picture was taken while we were on an Architecture River Cruise, a fabulous way to see Chicago.

Wings on Wind above the Windy City

Midway Aiport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois, USA
This shot of Midway was taken just after take-off from nearby Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). Behind the wing you can see a glimpse of downtown Chicago.