Got a knack for architecture? Well, Chicago is certainly the place to be! The Chicago skyline offers many different styles of architecture by many different architects. Although many of Chicago’s buildings can be credited for their history (most of Chicago’s downtown buildings were destroyed during the Great Chicago Fire in 1871) they can most definitely be credited for the varying styles of architecture which now make up the City of Chicago. What more perfect time than summer vacation to take a roadtrip to explore the great history of Chicago’s architecture?!
Whether you’re an artist, a photographer, an architect or even an architecture novice, the architecture of Chicago will blow your mind. Here are a few fun ideas for exploring Chicago’s remarkable and incredible architecture! After the tours and visits are over, head back to the Village of Burr Ridge, just 18 miles from downtown. Stay in one of Burr Ridge’s greatest architectural wonders; the Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge, Springhill Suites Burr Ridge, Extended StayAmerica Burr Ridge, or the Quality Inn & Conference Center. All hotels are family friendly and provide free on-site parking!
Two architects during the late 1800’s, Daniel Burnham and Frederick Law Olmsted, were largely responsible for designing the World’s Columbian Expedition, held in Chicago. More than 200 new buildings, built solely for the far, proved to only be temporary and most were ripped down directly after the fair ended. The buildings were surfaced with stucco, therefore deeming Chicago’s nickname, ‘The White City’. Remarkably, only two of the original 200+ buildings built for the exposition still stand today; the Palace of Fine Arts and the World’s Congress Auxiliary Building. The Palace of Fine Arts has housed the Museum of Science and Industry since 1920! On a trip to the Museum, you can walk between the same walls and doorways that Burnham and Olmsted did more than a century ago.
After a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry, take a quick drive to the community of Riverside, just 10 miles southwest of downtown. The community of Riverside was the first planned city in the U.S! Olmsted was responsible for the placement and architecture of roads, driveways, parks and homes, ideas that were radical during the early 1900’s. Take a fresh air walk next to the river in Riverside then hop over the river to the Brookfield Zoo!
No matter where your travels take you in and around Chicago, be sure to make the Burr Ridge Hotels your home away from home. Just 7 miles from Riverside and the Brookfield Zoo, the Burr Ridge Hotels warmly welcome you and your family and provides the most comfortable and affordable accommodations in the area!