TR AVEL I MIDWES TERN ARCHITEC T URE TOUR
MIDWESTERN MODERN
by ROBIN CHERRY
➋ Chicago River Architectural Tour
➊ Tribune Tower & Wrigley Building
A Road Trip to the American Heartland’s Architectural Masterpieces People associate the Midwest with wide plains and cornfields, but surprisingly modern architecture has its roots here. After Chicago was ravaged by the Great Fire of 1871, architects embraced modernism and introduced it to neighboring states. This 8-day excursion features architectural icons from Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, and Mies van der Rohe. It begins and ends in Chicago, while taking in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Day 1 Chicago | Check into the Omni Chicago Hotel on the Magnificent Mile. After a recent renovation inspired by Louis Sullivan’s sketches, the hotel pays homage to the city’s iconic architecture. It’s conveniently within walking distance of ➊ Tribune Tower, The Wrigley Building, and the Water Tower, one of the few buildings to survive the fire. ➋ The Chicago Architecture Foundation Center’s River Cruise is a perfect overview of the city’s architecture.
➍ Farnsworth House Day 2 Chicago to Davenport | Head to Oak Park to see ❸ Frank
❸ Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio
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ENSEMBLE VAC ATIONS I CLOSER TO HOME 2020
Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio where he created his hallmark Prairie style and The Robie House, considered the consummate expression of that style. Then head to Plano to visit Mies van der Rohe’s ➍ Farnsworth House, a glass and steel single room house in perfect harmony with its natural setting. Drive to Moline to see Eero Saarinen’s ➎ Deere & Co. Administration Building, clad in glass and Corten steel that turns earth-colored as it ages. Enter Iowa and visit Davenport’s minimalist glass-clad Figge Art Museum, the first major American building by British architect David Chipperfield. Then drive to Iowa City.
