Only two U.S. airline terminals make me look forward to flying: Dulles and Terminal -1 at O’Hare. Catching an early morning flight last Wednesday the light was magical as it danced with the steel structures. Beyond the Chrystal Palace / train shed references the building is smart and nuanced: its clear organization and narrow floor plates aid orientation and daylight access; the luminous ticket hall (pics 1, 4, 9) has been able to adapt to the needs of check-in kiosks and post-9/11 security because it’s column-free and everything is hung from the trusses above. The follow-through is staggering: the air-side exterior facades (that most never see), the bathrooms, the signage, the terrazzo. It’s all of a piece. And the epic amount of creative structural steel detailing makes your head spin. All in all, it conveys the adventurous spirit of travel, a rare vibe in domestic airports. And the chef’s kiss: the underground passage between piers is a fantasy land of color, sound (custom soundtrack), and movement, with neon sculpture by artist Michael Hayden. Unchanged for almost 40 years but still feels fresh and fun. United Airlines Terminal-1, O’Hare airport: Helmut Jahn, 1987 #airportarchitecture #airtravel #transportation #fantasyland #helmutjahn #murphyjahnarchitects #modernism #postmodernism #architecturelovers #ɪɴsᴛᴀɢᴏᴏᴅ #steelfabrication #publicart #structuralengineering #daylight #civicarchitecture @united @fly2ohare

Graceland Cemetery - Chicago’s pantheon of 19th & 20th C. industrialists, architects and athletes. And an Eden in the middle of the city. 1: detail of the Getty tomb, design by Louis Sullivan 2&6: Ernie Banks (aka “Mr. Cub”), grave with stone baseball mit & ball. 14 time all-star and the Cubs’ first black player where he played 19 yrs. 3: Mies van der Rohe’s grave, 4: Daniel Burnham tomb on the island plot in Lake Willowmere. 5: Bruce Goff’s grave breaks all the rules… of course. 7&8: The Palmer and Kimball tombs by McKim Mead & White. 10: Louis Sullivan’s grave. #chicagoremembers #buildingamerica #chicagoarchitecture #gracelandcemetery #landscapelovers #architecturelovers #heroes #baseball

A temple for a river god… There are worse things than being trapped in the Farnsworth house by a torrential downpour. Like all great works, this one retains the power to surprise: The structure’s communion with its site in a forested flood plane is as daring a proposition as the impeccably executed glass box. Having designed it as an island-in-waiting, Mies consulted local farmers and the army corps of engineers to determine the river’s historic high water level then set the living floor a foot above that. Alas, post-war suburban development rewrote history funneling more water into the Fox River than ever and has inundated the home 3 times over the last 75 years. Thus, the rain - which now carries the frisson of danger, is also stunning as it turns the iconic travertine platforms into mirrors, deepening their color in resonance with the river’s muddy hue. Edith Farnsworth house Mies van der Rohe, 1951. One of our spirited guides, John (pic-11). @edithfarnsworthhouse #midcenturymodern #glassandsteel #miesvanderrohe #modernarchitecture #ɪɴsᴛᴀɢᴏᴏᴅ #dreamhouse #templearchitecture #architecturelovers #landscapelovers