Comments on: Time Travel And ‘Energy Umbrellas’: Chicago Gets A Makeover For The 22nd Century

By: Georgia

Georgia — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:54:25 +0000

The most intriguing of the plans is Zoka Zola’s “Plan for 21st Century Chicago” - a reduction of the ur-new urbanist space (the front porch) and private space (the rear yard) for tree planting and green houses (with associated public benefits).

Great post!

By: Quikboy

Quikboy — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:55:22 +0000

Some of those concepts are way too wacky for me.

By: burnham’s centennial - mammoth // building nothing out of something

burnham’s centennial - mammoth // building nothing out of something — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:56:20 +0000

[...] has a round-up of some of the projects selected by Chicago to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Burnham [...]

By: James

James — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:18:34 +0000

These renderings are proof positive why architects and planners are from different planets. Pretty, yes, but zero chance of becoming reality.

By: Infra Editor

Infra Editor — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:41:19 +0000

I must say have to agree with Lee’s comments on this one, grounded ideas are the ones that are most likely to be implemented. Being realistic however doesn’t have to mean that you can’t be innovative, although many of the ideas featured here are very aesthetically pleasing they are also extriemly far fetched, with ideas that certainly won’t feature in our lifetime… but maybe thats the point, ideas such as this could be shaping the future, just as Burnham’s did.

By: Lee

Lee — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:34:22 +0000

What I think made Burnham’s plan so great is that it was so grounded and realistic. It was within reach.

Most of these, by comparison, look like architect students getting carried away with their imaginations. Either head-in-the-clouds, pointless, or just ego-stroking.

Zoka Zola’s plan is the only one of these that I would actually want to see my tax money spent on implementing — which is what the real test for plans like this should be.