design finch

I just returned from a spontaneous trip to Chicago with my mom. We were chatting on the phone several days ago and the conversation went something like this:

Mom: “We should take a girls’ trip somewhere.”
Me: “Ok, where do you want to go?”
Mom: “Wouldn’t it be fun to take an architectural tour of Chicago!”
Me: “You are speaking my language! When can you get away?”
Mom: “How about this week?”
Me: “I’m buying the tickets now.”

And so, we went! We are just wild and crazy girls like that.

Homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

The highlight of the trip was touring several structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW), including his own home and studio. We went on a guided tour of the FLW Historic District in Oak Park, then explored the Hyde Park neighborhood on our own where we visited one of his most celebrated homes, the Robie House. Walking through the neighborhoods, it was really interesting to see the progression of FLW’s ideas about architecture. While some of FLW’s signature design elements are evident in his earlier homes, the Robie House (1910) exemplifies his Prairie style of architecture in its purest form. The house feels so contemporary that it is hard to imagine it was built 100 years ago. Mom and I agreed that we could move right in and feel perfectly at home there!

Rockefeller Chapel and Ida Noyes Hall on the University of Chicago campus

We also enjoyed walking around the University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park and peeking inside some of the old Gothic-style buildings. The Rockefeller Chapel, built in 1928, was especially stunning! We were interested to learn that many of the university buildings were built several years after Wright’s Robie House, yet they appear much older. That really put into perspective how progressive FLW’s architecture was for its time.

Art Institute of Chicago
Clockwise: Piet Mondrian, Composition No. 1 (1935); Modern Wing; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Illinois Institute of Technology: Library and Administration Building Proposal (c. 1944); Claude Monet, Water Lily Pond; Contemporary Furniture exhibit

We spent an afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago, but could have stayed much longer because there is so much to see there! I particularly enjoyed the exhibits on Impressionism, Contemporary Furniture, and Architectural Drawings. The new Modern Wing, designed by architect Renzo Piano, is an interesting piece of artwork in and of itself.

Millennium Park

From the Art Institute, we ventured next door to Millennium Park where we had fun taking pictures with The Bean. What a neat place…this is definitely not your average picnic spot! In fact, we enjoyed cocktails and hummus at the little outdoor cafe in the park. I told you we are wild and crazy!

Somewhere between all the walking, we squeezed in a little shopping and even saw a Broadway musical at the Oriental Theatre. Then, we did some more walking for good measure. Although my feet may never be the same, I had a great time with Mom in Chicago and am proud of us for being so spontaneous!