Chicago won the opportunity to house the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, proposed for a location at Chicago's Museum Campus. But critics are gathering with questions about how the museum will fit into the city's fabric.
"A rational city would conduct careful studies and even hold a referendum before its mayor decreed that 17 acres of precious waterfront property would be given to a movie mogul to house his collection of 'Star Wars' memorabilia, Norman Rockwell paintings and other stuff," writes Chicago Tribune Architecture CriticBlair Kamin.
"But Chicago is a boss city, not a rational city. City Hall makes the big decisions first, then it holds public hearings that offer the illusion of democracy."
Kamin's concerns are that the campus and surrounding area will be overwhelmed with cars, despite the hire of Jeanne Gang to oversee the museum's landscape design. On that latter note, Kamin says, "because Gang is on Lucas' payroll, she's in no position to argue that the cars and SUVs flocking to his museum could disrupt the ecological oasis she envisions with even bigger traffic jams. Kamin also presents an alternative proposition for the location of the museum, which you can find in the linked article.
As for the emerging politics of the museum proposal, Melissa Harris reports on the creation of a pro-museum group called the "Friends of Lucas Museum."
Read the full story: Chicago's Museum Campus planning hardly an exercise in democracy
Revealed: Proposed Designs for Chicago's Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Beijing's MAD Architects have unveiled their preliminary design for Chicago's Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, inspiring no shortage of commentary in the process.
George Lucas Chooses Chicago for New Museum Site
Equal parts a stunning victory for Chicago and a breathtaking failure for San Francisco, "Star Wars" director George Lucas has selected Chicago as the site of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
Museum of Public Housing Opens in Chicago
The museum highlights the history of public housing in the United States using displays intimately woven with family artifacts.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
How ‘post-disaster gentrification’ alters neighborhoods after natural calamities
After hurricanes, fires or other calamities, the original residents of a community are often replaced by younger, wealthier residents.
Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes
Maryland’s housing market is out of reach for the majority of moderate-income residents.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello