Rudy Bruner Award Collection

Title

Millennium Park

Description

2009 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal

Chicago’s Millennium Park is a 24.5-acre lakefront park with performance venues, open space, and public art catalyzing significant economic growth downtown. The park includes 12 art and architecture installations (some permanent, others rotating) and multiple theaters and stages and offers over 500 free cultural programs each year. Together these elements, along with the draw of open green space and access to the waterfront, attract over 15 million visitors to the park annually. Parking is available in two multi-level parking lots beneath the park, which replaced the unsightly old parking lot and rail lines formerly on the site to become the world’s largest “green roof.”

The $475 million project has sparked community and economic growth, marking a significant increase in tourism and boosting real estate values and residential and commercial development. Its public art installations include commissions from world-renowned artists, and an architectural pedestrian bridge over a highway gives visitors easy, safe access to the park. The park has become synonymous with Chicago’s identity and serves as a model for other cities.

Coverage

Chicago, IL

Date

2004

Subject

parks

public spaces

public art

cultural centers

performing arts centers

pedestrian bridges

urban beautification

sustainability

recreation areas

public-private sector cooperation

environmental planning

waterfronts

Rights

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