The Third School

This week's Chicago Reader features a cover story by Lynn Becker on Chicago's Third School of Architecture, highlighted by Studio/Gang's Aqua skyscraper in the Lakeshore East Development.


Architect or CSI?

While it may be a bit premature to label this new wave of architect and architecture a school, the designs of Gang, John Ronan, Doug Garofalo, and others are definitely a refreshing change from the recent spate of designs in and around the city. The greatest impact would be for other architects to embrace what Becker calls their "freedom and spontaneity...[and] their profound interest in how architecture is experienced," rather than trying to achieve novel designs. The best architecture of this third wave has a core of pragmatism, with effects like the contoured balconies of Aqua arising from functional and experiential considerations.

In addition to the Reader article (now available in PDF and html versions), there is also a slide show with images not included in the print version. Looks like the Reader is finally starting to take its online presence more seriously.