July 20, 2006

Bridge From Art Institute To Millennium Park OK'd Steel Bridge Will Rise Over Monroe (STNG) CHICAGO The Chicago Department of Planning and Development on Thursday granted final approval to two crucial elements of the Art Institute of Chicago?s expansion program -- a Renzo Piano-designed pedestrian bridge and recladding of Gunsaulus Hall, according to a release from the museum.

The pedestrian bridge designed by Piano, architect of the Art Institute's new Modern Wing, will cross Monroe Street and reach from the southwest corner of Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion to the third level of the Modern Wing, the release said.

The bridge, constructed of steel with an aluminum plank walkway, is a slender structure that rises over Monroe on a slight grade, according to the release. It will lead to a sculpture terrace and dining facilities in the new wing. The Art Institute's bridge is the first in the United States designed by Piano and will offer unprecedented elevated and unobstructed views of Michigan Avenue, the lakefront and Millennium Park, the release said.

The Plan Commission also approved the Art Institute's proposal, conceived by Piano as well, to remove limestone cladding from the north wall of the museum's Gunsaulus Hall, which connects the Allerton Building to the Rubloff Building, according to the release. Gunsaulus Hall runs perpendicular over the Metra tracks and currently houses the Art Institute's collection of arms and armor.

Built as a bridge in 1916, its windows have been sheathed in a limestone facade for decades, the release said. By removing the limestone from the lower level of the north side, the Art Institute would gain an additional daylit gallery, constructed by replacing the limestone with glass and exposing the original trusses of the structure.

The next step of the process will be the completion of designs by Piano for the new treatment of the north wall, according to the release.

(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire ? Chicago Sun-Times 2006. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)