Three Finalists Chosen For Burnham Memorial

Exhibit also planned at the Newberry Library on Burnham in the Philippines

Burnham Architects Have Nine Weeks to Finalize Ideas

Three conceptual designs for a new memorial planned for Grant Park have advanced to the final phase of a competition launched to celebrate Daniel Burnham’s impact on Chicago.

The finalists are David Woodhouse Architects of Chicago, Hoerr Schaudt of Chicago and Boston-based Sasaki Associates.

They have nine weeks to fine-tune their concepts and are scheduled to present their plans for the Memorial before the jury in early June. The winning design, along with all of the conceptual designs submitted, will be unveiled later that month.

An image shows Daniel Burnham’s vision for a Chicago street from his famous 1909 Plan of Chicago, the first urban-planning document in U.S. history. Several events to honor the centennial of Burnham’s document are planned. (Newberry Library)

The finalists were selected by a national jury of professionals in architecture, the arts, landscape architecture and planning.

A prominent site at the northern end of the Museum Campus in front of The Field Museum is the expected location for the Memorial.

Three other proposed concepts-by John Ronan Architects and Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, both of Chicago, and Peter Walker & Partners of Berkeley, Calif.-were recognized by the jury with Honorable Mentions.

The Burnham Memorial Competition Committee, composed of architects and community partners, has proposed to build a lasting memorial that will inspire, educate and honor the memory and importance of Burnham and his Plan of Chicago.

The competition is part of the Burnham Plan Centennial Celebration honoring the legacy of Daniel Burnham and his and Edward Bennett’s Plan of Chicago, the first comprehensive planning document guiding the growth of an American city. Burnham, known as the father of urban planning, also prepared plans for San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Burnham in the Philippines

In conjunction with the Chicago-wide celebration of the 1909 Plan of Chicago, the Newberry Library will draw on its collection on the history of the Philippines to create a free gallery exhibition that will place Burnham’s 1904-1905 trip to the Phillippines and his plans for Manila and the summer capital of Baguio City in historical context.

The display will include sources in Spanish and Tagalog about the Filipino nationalist and revolutionary movements before and after the United States’ 1898 war with Spain; John McCutcheon’s illustrated reports on the Filipino-American war; contemporary debate about United States’ imperialism; early American photographs of Manila and the surrounding provinces; copies of Burnham’s Plans of Manila and Baguio City; and photographs showing the implementation of his plan in the early 20th century.

In addition, the Newberry is the curator of a panel exhibition titled Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham’s Vision of an American Metropolis. The exhibition displays photographic reproductions of images from the plan and other primary sources, including stunning paintings by Jules Guerin, which were commissioned for the plan. The multi-format exhibition will be simultaneously exhibited at more than 50 libraries throughout the region from June to November.

Epstein Sells Stake in EN for $35 Million

Chicago-based Epstein, an architecture, engineering and construction firm, has announced that it sold its 50% stake in EN Engineering to Clearview Capital Fund for $35 million.

EN was a joint venture with Nicor Energy Ventures, an affiliate of Nicor Inc., which also sold its 50% stake to Clearview. EN provides engineering services in the transmission and distribution segments of the gas industry. It is located in Woodridge, Ill., and Glen Burnie, Md.

Chicago Project Honored for Precast

A Chicago project was recently honored by the Architectural Precast Association as part of its design and manufacturing competition

The Loyola Residence won the Educational Category and was designed by Temple Architects, St. Charles, Ill. The precast manufacturer was Architectural Cast Stone, Inc., West Chicago, Ill.