“I like fighting gravity. Magic is essential in architecture.” —Renzo Piano

Renzo Piano’s answer to the Art Institute’s needs is deceptively simple. He has designed a building that comprises three attached elements above grade—a three-story east pavilion for galleries and museum education; a three-story west pavilion for galleries, visitor services, and a board room; and a double-height, glass-enclosed concourse, or “main street,” that connects the two pavilions and leads the visitor into the rest of the museum. These are joined below grade by a common basement for storage, work rooms, a loading dock, and mechanical systems. Hovering above much of the building is a canopy that Piano has dubbed a “flying carpet,” a signature element in the design.

The design is supported by many civic groups and is registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the United States Green Building Council.

Location
The building will be constructed on the northeast corner of the museum campus at Monroe Street and Columbus Drive and will be accessible from a new main entrance on Monroe Street, which is directly across the street from Millennium Park and the foot entrance to a parking garage.

Contextual Design
The building’s simple look will add a 21st-century architectural identity to a museum best known for its historic Michigan Avenue building. Similar materials used in both will help to unite old and new. Integration with Millennium Park is also crucial. The main entry of the Modern Wing is on axis with the Pritzker Pavilion and linked to pathways through the Lurie Gardens. The new building and its “flying carpet” are a clear counterpoint to the music pavilion and its trellis. A bridge between the building and Millennium Park, crossing over Monroe Street, is under development and would literally link the two new icons of the city.

The exterior glass and steel facades and roofing system for the Modern Wing recall the tradition of the Chicago Modern style, and the building’s rational, rectilinear form echoes Chicago’s grid. The two Monroe Street entrance pavilions to the Millennium Park garage were designed by Piano as part of the transition from the park to the new wing.

Landscaping around the new wing is designed by Gustafson, Guthrie, Nichol, the landscape designers for the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. Views to and from the park have been carefully positioned and considered to provide vistas of its gardens and the city skyline.
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Size (in square footage does not include rooftop facilities)

Materials
The primary materials used will be glass, steel, and Indiana limestone.

Landscaping
An 11,780-square-foot public garden will be planted on street level, doubling the size of green space on the block.

Timeline
Construction mobilized in June 2005, and the opening is anticipated for summer 2009.