The tour's creator wants to give visitors a different take on the city, pointing out the quirky gems amid its notoriously beautiful buildings.
As Christopher Borrelli reports, a new architectural tour in Chicago highlights its least impressive buildings––and gives tourists and locals a fresh look at the city.
Mike McMains started the tour to bring a critical eye to the buildings that get overlooked. McMains tells Borrelli that "Chicago loves its architecture and loves showcasing it to the world and tourists, but then you don’t see anyone talking about all of these other buildings we have, and if everything you’re seeing is great and beautiful, you need to know the ugly to understand the beautiful."
Borrelli describes his experience on the Ugly Buildings Tour, during which McMains points out structures that, for a variety of reasons, people find unattractive or unwelcoming.
Read more about the tour in the source article.
FULL STORY: Heard enough about Chicago’s oh so lovely architecture? May we suggest a walk with the Ugly Buildings Tour
Chicago Transit Agencies on Brink of Major Crisis
Without additional funding, regional transit agencies will be forced to cut services by 40 percent.
Study: Most Chicago Rideshare Trips Could Be Made by Transit
Researchers found that 99 percent of rideshare trips could be made by buses and trains — but the time savings roughly equal an hour’s wage.
Chicago Latino Corridor Hollowed Out Amid Deportation Fears
Foot traffic and business in the largely Latino Little Village neighborhood declined by as much as 50 percent, with many businesses staying closed on Tuesday.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.
Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers
Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.
Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action
Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland