Aligned with the Chicago Architecture Biennial’s kick off on Saturday, the Art Institute of Chicago has just opened Past Forward: Architecture and Design at the Art Institute a new, permanent installation devoted to the museum’s seminal collection of architectural drawings and furniture, graphic, and industrial designs of the 20th and 21st centuries.
An ever-evolving Modern Wing display, it is the first of its kind in the United States and highlights important acquisitions and presenting architecture and design as an integrated, ever-changing, and multilayered experience. From Daniel H. Burnham and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to contemporary practitioners, the Art Institute’s diverse collection showcase the many voices that have shaped the fields of architecture and design and continue to do so today. Sections range from the history of ornament and Pop to contemporary moments in urbanism and speculative design.
The installation’s dynamic narratives highlight the impact of architecture and design thinking and practice on our lives, opening up a space for conversations with the general public, architecture and design enthusiasts, and experts in these fields alike. For those looking to delve deeper, don’t miss the Taking Positions: Architecture and Design Symposium on Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. where Curators Zoë Ryan and Alison Fisher lead a panel of scholars, critics, and thinkers in examining the impact architecture and design exhibitions have had on public discourse, scholarship, and the professional fields. Register here.
