Designs for Burnham Plan Centennial by Zaha Hadid and Ben Van Berkel

Apr 2009

By Sebastian J — Filed under: News , Chicago, Pavilion, UNStudio, USA, Zaha Hadid

Alderman Brendan Reilly and the Burnham Plan Centennial Committee today unveiled designs for two temporary pavilions that will be installed this June in Millennium Park, symbolizing the forward-looking agenda of the 220 organizations commemorating this year’s 100th anniversary of the Plan of Chicago.

The architects’ rendering of the two recyclable pavilions were released by the Alderman, the Burnham Committee, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Art Institute of Chicago and Friends of Downtown. The pavilions will be open from June 19 through October 31 on the South Chase Promenade of Millennium Park.

Both pavilions-one designed by London-based Zaha Hadid and the other by Amsterdam-based Ben van Berkel of UNStudio-emphasize the importance of boldly imagining a better future for all, as Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett did in 1909 in their Plan of Chicago.

Seen at Bustler. More images after the break.

: Pavilion by Ben van Berkel

: Pavilion by Ben van Berkel

: Pavilion by Ben van Berkel

: Pavillion by Zaha Hadid

: Pavillion by Zaha Hadid

22 comments »

DiaphanousAbyss says:

Zaha c’mon! That’s a mini-Chanel pavilion. Are you too lazy(to think)?

# April 8, 2009 at 21:25

E says:

funny renders, but… what about it? :(

# April 8, 2009 at 21:39

Opium says:

Zaha is thinking about being a real bitch…if van berkel wins my next building will look like his pavillion

# April 8, 2009 at 21:55

NMiller says:

I think the Berkel pavilion is more interesting from an engineering standpoint. Of the two I think it has the potential to be an interesting piece of public art in the way the Cloud Gate is (the bean shaped silver thing).

I have seen the Zaha one too many times before and I think it feels more like a copy than an original piece(the pleated roof especially)… but it is still ok. It actually reminds me more of Greg Lynn than Zaha (embryological house?)

# April 8, 2009 at 22:08

theDude says:

Van Berkel says: Salvador Dali eat your clocks out! Zaha is welcoming Easter eggerly!

# April 9, 2009 at 00:51

jeff says:

I prefer the Van Berkel, the zaha piece feels like it’s been done before, like it’s just another math object with some skylights in between the ribs and some ovals booled out. Also a bit too much resemblance, formal and material, to her chanel pavilion.

While I’m not wild about the van berkel either I think the experience of being under all that cantilevered weight could be nice and I like the challenge of it only touching at 2 points. Really needs to lose the plinth though.

# April 9, 2009 at 03:05

JJ says:

I still want to know what on earth these things have to do with Burnham. I’m not saying I don’t think they’re beautiful (albeit completely pointless) but I agree that these architects are just phoning it in once again. Have the big dogs lost the ability to think critically, or is that unnecessary in the digital age?

# April 9, 2009 at 08:33

tk says:

zaha is washed-up. she and gehrey should both teach pottery.

# April 9, 2009 at 09:07

Rut says:

The Berkel Pavilion isn’t touching on 2 points but 3. the chosen camera stands are so that you cannot see the other stand.
it’s a bit like a table by Zaha Hadid, but then a bit adjusted…
http://www.stylepark.com/db-images/cms/established_sons/img/p262237_488_336-1.jpg

# April 9, 2009 at 09:12

Francisco Pardo Téllez says:

Espacios escultoricos, recorridos dentro de nuevas formas, texturas y especialmente nuevos materiales… Construcciones temporales, pequeñas maquetas de una arquitectura más organica…

# April 9, 2009 at 09:19

Lucas Gray says:

I like the Van Berkel one quite a bit.

QUESTION:
Why don’t they let young designers from the area have a shot at something like this? Let a studio at a local architecture school take on the project and give birth to the next great architects instead of seeing the same old forms flow from the same starchitects.

# April 9, 2009 at 12:50

Jessica says:

I agree with Lucas. Zaha seems to be doing a lot of interventions lately. They are interested from an engineering standpoint, and I understand she was a mathematician before going into architecture, but it is nice to be able to visually read structure every once in a while. The architect is going to be replaced by the computer if we continue to drool over this type of work.

# April 9, 2009 at 14:43

reynot says:

Could someone please put Zaha out of her misery? Please

# April 9, 2009 at 18:33

evren yildirim says:

calm down everyone… these will all pass… we are going to forget about these in 10-20 years…

this is just an over-exploding trend… an easy way to get contracts…

# April 10, 2009 at 04:51

tor erik says:

I agree, these pavillions are just stupid and pointless, no function at all. I agree that it should rather be young stundets who got the chance to explore making a piece in the public space, rather than just getting left-hand signature-pieces from established stars. And if so, why not place them, I don’t know, somewhere else than a park? There must be other needs in Chicago than this.

# April 10, 2009 at 11:19

dgw says: