Srose from the ashes of the devastating fire of 1871 like a phoenix of steel and glass, Chicago embodies the very essence of American ambition: a crossroads of architectural ingenuity, cultural vibes and flavors which tell of centuries of migrations. This is where architecture found itself a new language, forged by the vision of Louis Sullivan, mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright and father of modernism, who knew how to transform verticality into urban poetry. His famous principle, “form always follows function”, still resonates among the spiers and reflective surfaces of skyscrapers, like an aesthetic credo etched into the skyline.
But the metropolis does not end in its steely outbursts. In the Windy City overlooking Lake Michigan you can stroll among the notes of the blues, the glittering shop windows and the large urban parks, while the wind shapes the profile of the city like an invisible artist.
The Loop, urban vertigo and green breath
The Loop, the railway ring that encloses the Downtownis a microcosm of light and glass. Once a business heart, today it has transformed into laboratory of modernity and innovation. Between futuristic towers and clear buildings, bistros and fashion, craft and interior design boutiques line up, often with artistic inspiration, in shapes, materials and textures. Among the vertical giants stand out the Aqua Tower by Jeanne Gang, the elegant Aon Center and the Two Prudential Plazain constant dialogue with the sky.
Cloud Gate is a sculpture by Anish Kapoor that stands in the center of Grainger Plaza at Millennium Park, in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago. But everyone calls it “The Bean”. @Elena Barassi
Near Millennium Park lies an urban landscape that combines art and sustainability. The Cloud Gate, Anish Kapoor’s famous Bean, reflects the city like a liquid mirage, while the Frank Gehry’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion undulates in metallic trails that look like suspended notes.
Next door, Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain plays with water and the faces of citizens, e.g Piet Oudolf’s Lurie Garden offers an oasis of botanical tranquility, a tribute to the Illinois prairie. The cultural soul of Chicago pulsates, a little further on, in the rooms of the Art Institute, with its neoclassical facade and modern wing designed by Renzo Piano. Here, between Monet and Hopper, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright interact, symbols of an ever-evolving architectural language.
Chicago from the river, on the architectural cruise
A nice way to discover the architectural richness of the city is get on cruise organized by the Chicago Architecture Center. From the water you can enjoy a privileged view of the magnificent skyscrapers of Chicago that rise like metallic waves: conceived by Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaasthe masters of contemporary construction.
There’s no better way to experience Chicago’s architectural beauty than from the river. @ChooseChicago
They call it The Second City, after the rebirth of 1871, but its vocation is that of a trailblazer city. It is here that, in 1885, the Home Insurance Building by William Le Baron Jenney, the first skyscraper with a steel skeleton, inaugurated a new phase that will change the history of the urban architecture of large metropolises. Crossing the Chicago River, the city reveals itself as a diffuse tunnel, where the facades reflect on the water and each tower tells a story of urban evolution.
From the soaring Willis Tower, with the balconies suspended in the void of the Skydeck, to the 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck of North Michigan Avenue, to the solemn Merchandise Mart, an icon of the most optimistic Art Deco, up to the sinuous St. Regis by Jeanne Gang, the tallest building ever designed by a womaneach profile expresses the ambition and elegance of a vertical ideal.
The view from the skydeck to the Willis Tower @Ranvestel photo
On the wave of blues and jazz
The cadences of the blues spread everywhere in Chicagobringing with it the story of the suffering and hope of the African American communities who created the soundtrack. South Michigan Avenue preserves the memory of the great recording studioslike the legendary Chess, where they left their mark Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones, and Vee-Jay Recordswhich introduced the Beatles to the United States in 1964.
In the shadow of Trump Tower and the Chicago Tribune, the Magnificent Mile, which is also an icon of luxury shopping, continues to vibrate to the rhythm of the Chicago Blues of the 40s, between guitar virtuosity and electric keyboards. At Kingston Mines, the city’s oldest venue, where Koko Taylor and Sugar Blue performed, today the new generations carry on the myth, while the House of Blues which hosted the Blues Brothers sessions remains an unavoidable point of reference. Uptown, the Green Mill, Al Capone’s favorite former speakeasy, maintains the atmosphere of prohibitionism with its reserved table and secret escape tunnel, scene of cult moments in Gli Untouchables and Ocean’s Twelve.
Wicker Park, urban creativity
Art, fashion and music coexist in Wicker Park, one of the most emblematic neighborhoods of Chicago’s hipster culture. Its creative influence has already established it as one of the city’s trend nodes, becoming a hotbed of urban cultural rebirth. Between independent boutiques, galleries and cafés, murals and street art, every street invites discovery.
The vibrant and welcoming neighborhood of Wicker Park @ CC BY-NC-SA
A walk on the Bloomingdale Trail, known as The 606, offers a hanging garden suspended above the city, while the intersection of North, Damen and Milwaukee Avenue is a crossroads of styles, where the vintage clothes of Vintage Underground and Kokorokokothe contemporary offerings of Gemini and Penelope’s and the rare volumes of Myopic Books. Vinyl sanctuary is Reckless Records, also known for its legendary live performances in store. Pit stops also at the Gallery Cafe, a café where you can admire the creations of local artists, and at Wilderhouse which offers Californian style with a sustainable footprint, enhancing culture and welcoming diversity.
Chicago food tour, journey into the multicultural soul of the city
Chicago is a capital of taste where the legacy of the 19th century waves of immigration still influences the palate. At the center of the most representative street food is the famous Chicago-Style Hot Dog (strictly without ketchup), an explosion of fresh ingredients that finds its temples in Portillo’s and the legendary Dave’s Red Hot, active since 1938.
Equally legendary is the Deep Dish Pizza, the rich pie with cheese and sauce. A ritual to try among giants like Lou Malnati’s, Gino’s East and Giordano’s. Alongside it, the Italian Beef Sandwich from Al’s Italian Beef pays homage to the inventiveness of early Italian merchants.
Deep dish pizza is a city pride that betrays Chicago’s Italian roots, like the famous “Italian meat” sandwich, at the center of the first season of the TV series The Bear. Photo: Giordano’s Pizza
The multicultural imprint also shines in specialties such as the Puerto Rican Jibarito, the fried plantain of La Bomba, while the bittersweet soul of the city is contained in the Garrett Mix, caramel and cheddar popcorn. For a classy experience, historic steakhouses like Gene & Georgetti and Gibsons they keep the tradition of meat alive, alongside current versions such as those of RPM Steak.
Info: https://chicagofoodtours.com
Where to sleep in Chicago
PendryChicago
230 N Michigan Ave. In the heart of the Loop, near the Magnificent Mile, the hotel, in the Preferred Hotels collection, is located in the 1929 Art Deco Carbide & Carbon building, shaped like a champagne bottle, contemporary interiors, art collections, Château Carbide rooftop on the 24th floor, 24H gym. Double from €184 https://preferredhotels.com/hotels/united-states/pendry-chicago
Viceroy Chicago
1118 N State Street, Chicago. In the Gold Coast district, hotel with a 120-year-old landmark facade and a modernist glass tower next to it, interiors a tribute to Art Deco design, panoramic swimming pool, gym. Double from €174 https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/chicago
Linmcoln Park chicago www.AdamAlexanderPhoto.com ©Adam Alexander Photography 2019
Where to eat
Time Out Market Chicago
916 West Fulton Market. In the heart of the historic Fulton Market District, it’s home to more than 15 restaurants, three bars and a rooftop deck that showcase the best of Chicago food, drink and culture https://www.timeout.com/time-out-market-chicago
Primes & Provisions
222 North La Salle Blvd. A steakhouse inspired by the supper clubs of the 1920s that celebrates American heritage with waygu, Tomahawk and seafood options https://www.primeandprovisions.com/
Chicago Art Institute @choose Chicago
What to buy
The 900 North Michigan Shops
900 N Michigan Ave. On the north end of the Magnificent Mile, seven floors of shopping include Bloomingdale’s, sophisticated boutiques like Janet Mandell, and gourmet culinary oases like Aster Hall. https://www.shop900.com
Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave. On Lake Michigan, a true institution that, in addition to entertainment, restaurants and shows, offers a variety of shops that reflect the city’s local culture and craftsmanship. https://navypier.org
Info:
visittheusa.com
https://www.choosechicago.com/
Direct flights with Ita Airways and United Airlines
Excellent fares from Italy with Finnair with a stopover in Helsinki https://www.finnair.com/it