Giving voice to coral reefs in crisis

LED panels imagine how the “flow” of human activity impacts the health of the reef

A teeming world of marine life, displayed on 89 giant panels, immerses viewers inside a thriving coral ecosystem. Colorful, undulating creatures dance to a score of celestial harmonies providing a glimpse of an underwater world often overlooked by humans.

Welcome to “Choral,” an installation combining art, architecture and technology. The multidimensional effort was designed and informed by artists and researchers with ties to Northwestern University and is on display at 150 Media Stream through Sept. 30 at 150 North Riverside Plaza in Chicago.

The creators of “Choral” are composer Jay Alan Yim, an associate professor of composition and music technology at the Bienen School of Music, and 3D/video artist Marlena Novak (’83 MFA Weinberg), an adjunct associate professor of film, video, new media and animation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The creative partners work under the name localStyle.

150 Media Stream will host a public reception from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Aug. 29 at 150 N. Riverside Plaza with the project artists. More information is available on the 150 Media Stream website.

Yim and Novak’s interest in coral began after personal encounters with reefs — and news coverage about large-scale bleaching of coral.

“At some point it seemed obvious that something seriously problematic was going on with respect to corals worldwide, and that there was a ‘canary in a coal mine’ phenomenon taking place, where non-human species were more sensitive to environmental conditions than people were,” said Novak. “It’s essentially an early warning system that we can benefit from if we pay attention and do something about the situation.”

The wavelike structure and grand scale of the LED panels which stretch 153-feet wide and 22-feet high, inspired Novak to imagine the corals’ environment visually, as well as conceptually, in terms of how the “flow” of human activity impacts the health of the reef.

Rather than focusing on the degradation of coral due to ocean warming and other human-related factors, the work’s narrative follows their “origin myth” from the ascension of polyps to the constellations, through the descension of tetrapods — geometrical shapes scientifically designed to assist baby corals’ survival — and culminates in a celebratory dance, and an effervesence of new gametes.

Yim’s composition envisions an otherworldly choir for the coral polyps, which have mouths but no larynx. The score, which takes as its point of departure a 16th century choral work, creates an uplifting atmosphere for visitors.

By surrounding visitors with larger than life coral and enveloping them in music, localStyle hopes the public will be surprised and engaged by the beauty and charisma of these creatures and that it will lead them to greater involvement in ocean conservation efforts.

“We wanted to create an artwork that engendered hope and fostered public engagement rather than despair and cynicism,” Yim said.

Coral researchers Luisa Marcelino and Timothy Swain from Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering advised Yim and Novak on scientific research that shows the factors impacting coral reef habitats and introduced them to colleagues at Shedd Aquarium involved in coral reef conservation.

150 Media Stream, the curated media art space on the ground floor of 150 North Riverside Plaza, combines art, architecture and technology to celebrate the transformational power of art as collective experience, serving as an international platform for both rising and established Chicago, U.S and global media artists.

localStyle artists Yim and Novak have been creating works focused on understanding the contemporary conditions of non-humans and their environments since 2000. Recent large-scale projects have explored the mating behavior of hermaphroditic marine flatworms, the sonification of electric fish from the Amazon and experimental Eurasian blackbird grammar. Their intermedia works have been presented in festivals, museums, galleries and alternative venues worldwide.

Four Midwest developments named as finalists for ULI Global Awards for Excellence

Of the 19 developments from around the globe that have been selected as finalists for the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2019 Global Awards for Excellence competition, four are located in the Midwest. Widely recognized as one of the real estate industry’s most prestigious honors, the Global Awards for Excellence recognize real estate projects that achieve the highest standard of excellence in design, construction, economics, planning and management.

The Midwest developments include 150 North Riverside in Chicago, developed by Riverside Investment and Development and designed by Goettsch Partners; The Scioto Peninsula Cultural District in Columbus, developed by The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation and designed by MKSK, Jerome Scott Architects, Allied Works Architecture, The Olin Studio and Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Crosstown Concourse in Memphis, developed by Crosstown LLC and designed by Looney Ricks Kiss and DIALOG and finally Gathering Place in Tulsa, developed by George Kaiser Family Foundation and designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects.

The finalists were selected by a jury made up of ULI members representing a multidisciplinary collection of real estate development expertise, including finance, land planning, development, public affairs, design and other professional services.

“What distinguished the 19 finalists is the way they have significantly improved the communities in which they are located,” said ULI member Jacinta McCann, jury chairman and design advisor to AECOM. “These projects have brought new life to these places and are creating a spillover effect in their cities. They are unlocking the public realm for use by residents and visitors in a way that hasn’t been available before. Through their long-lasting impact, they are demonstrating the best leadership globally in the responsible use of land.”

In addition to McCann, the 2019 ULI Global Awards for Excellence jury members are Stuart Ackerberg, chief executive officer, Ackerberg; Amy Coburn, university architect/director of planning design and construction, University of New Mexico; Antonio Fiol-Silva, founding principal, SITIO architecture + urbanism; Michael Grove, chair of landscape architecture, civil engineering, and ecology principal, Sasaki Associates; Blake Olafson, managing partner, Asia Capital Real Estate Pte Ltd.; Gayle Starr, managing director, Prologis and Becky Zimmerman, president, Design Workshop.

The Awards for Excellence program was established in 1979 and subsequently expanded to a global program. The program is viewed as the centerpiece of ULI’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The winners of the competition will be recognized at the 2019 ULI Fall Meeting, to be held September 18-21 in Washington, D.C.

Chicago Leads The Way In Skyscraper Innovation

As the birthplace of the skyscraper, Chicago’s love affair with tall buildings and innovative architecture is world-renowned. We’ve illustrated 20 of the city’s most iconic skyscrapers to celebrate the groundbreaking and revolutionary changes of sky-high architecture. https://www.orbitz.com/features/chicago-skyscrapers/#/

Chicago’s 150 North Riverside Drive tower wins a 2018 IDEAS2 National Steel Award

As one of 12 winners of the AISC’s 2018 IDEAS2 National Steel Design Awards, the 150 N. Riverside office tower in Chicago is quite an engineering feat. Placed on an elevated perch along the edge of the Chicago River, the 54-story tower spans seven active Amtrak lines and has one of the largest steel sections in the world.

Chicago-based Goettsch Partners was the architect, while Magnusson Klemencic Associates served as the structural engineer. Members of the design team will be presented with their award during a ceremony at the building on Monday, July 9.

Last month, the new ProMedica Corporate headquarters in Toledo also received a National Steel Award for its innovative adaptive reuse.

The 1.25 million square-foot building’s unique shape features a very narrow structure at its base and a compact footprint that gradually extends diagonally to highly efficient, column-free floors above.

150 N Riverside Integrates Tenant-Focused Technology

Developers of the state-of-the-art 150 N Riverside office building in Chicago’s West Loop had one goal in mind—to be the best. “We wanted to quite literally build the absolute best building not only in the city of Chicago but in the country,” says Tony Scacco, executive vice president of Riverside Investment & Development, developer of the LEED Gold property.

They had their work cut out for them. The two-acre property, while one of the most sought after in Chicago, posed many challenges. To the east of the property is the Chicago River, which comes with a requirement for a 30-foot wide river walk, and to the west are the exposed rails for seven active train lines coming into the busiest commuter station in the city, Union Station.

Developers worked with architects at Goettsch Partners to design a high-tech, sustainable, core-supported building with a narrow footprint to fit the site. Only 25% of the site is occupied by enclosed structure. “It is a building in a park,” says Joachim Schuessler, design principal at Goettsch Partners. “Its iconic shape and urban experience is not just a feat for the building but for the city at large.”

Tenant-Focused Technology

The 54-story building has 1.25 million rentable square feet, an extensive green roof system, and some of the most advanced technology systems available. It has a destination dispatch elevator system, unlike any in Chicago, Scacco says. 150 N Riverside also has a state-of-the-art fiber-optic system for tenants and carrier-neutral vaults to greatly increase multiple provider presence. “We wanted to substantially reduce the build cost for tenants as well as increase provider competition in the building to result in lower costs to the tenants when procuring telecommunication service,” Scacco says. Currently there are 12 telecommunication providers onsite, with room for up to 20.

The building has Bluetooth-enabled access control and security, so tenants can use their mobile devices to get in and out. Because of its proximity to the train station, the building was constructed with the highest performing acoustically enhanced glass available. And Scacco says its shape was achieved by using a structural steel that has never been used before on the Western Hemisphere.

The 150 N Riverside office has fully integrated building management systems that are unique to the property, allowing for all systems to be remotely controlled, and 360 feedback that gives building managers the ability to control and respond to utility performance outputs as efficiently as possible. “What is really interesting about technology infrastructure is you only notice it by its omission,” Scacco says. “What we are really trying to do is provide enhancements to our tenants and their employees’ day-to-day lives without them noticing it.”

A Building in a Park

To make tenants and employees even happier, secure Wi-Fi is available throughout the property—even in the acre-and-a-half of park space outside. Meetings don’t have to be held at a desk or in an conference room; the building is designed so employees can work anywhere, including the on-site restaurant and fitness areas. “We understand people spend a lot of time at the office and wanted to support a comprehensive work-life balance,” Scacco says.

While it’s common for architects to focus on how the building meets the sky, Schuessler and his partners put much of their focus on how the Riverside building meets the ground. “It is important that we make the interior and exterior come together in some way—for them to interconnect and intermingle,” he says. “We feel, especially in urban environments, that it is important for there to be public and private spaces and for the public spaces to activate the private space. It makes it much more interesting.”

The transparent, glass fin hung walls, described by Schuessler as a “shower curtain made of glass,” that make up the structure’s lobby are one of the tallest in North America, at 77 feet. The walls allow people passing by to see into the lobby, and those in the building can take in the river view. You’ll also find various art installations in the lobby, adding to the awe.

The Loop’s Latest Happy Hour Destination With River Views Launches Today

Happy Hour lovers should take note: Porter Kitchen & Deck, a new 260-seat restaurant with a 75-seat patio off the Chicago River, opens today in The Loop at 150 N. Riverside, a 54-story office tower that opened in April. The after-work crowd should make it a popular spot to gather on weeknights, and hungry diners will have a menu of elevated American cuisine to peruse. It’s the latest restaurant from Four Corners Tavern Group, the owners of establishments including SteakBar in Old Town, Federales in West Loop, and 20 East in Gold Coast.

Porter will stay open only on the weekdays, serving lunch and dinner, plus a bar bites menu. The outdoor space will close during the colder months. The restaurant hopes it can cater office functions, and the space also features a 24-seat private dining room.

Peek at the dinner menu, here. The restaurant offers reliable favorites likes salads and a burger. But there are a few items designed to challenge the average diners including charred octopus and a short rib pappardelle with fennel-crusted beef. The lunch menu is nearly identical.

The drinks feature a selection of craft beer. But the bar is banking hard that Loop workers will want to enact Mad Men cocktails fantasies. The menu clearly explains the different variations of a martini, in case some guests didn’t know that James Bond enjoyed his shaken, not stirred. There’s also a trio of mocktails without alcohol.

Real estate is all about location, and Four Corners certainly has a gem with Porter. Hopefully the weather holds up through the fall and customers can enjoy the outdoor space for a few more weeks. Porter debuts at 11 a.m. today in The Loop.