STC Summit Tour: Architectural Boat Tour

One of the most pleasant afternoons I ever spent was on an architectural river boat tour on the Chicago River. Now, I’m not a huge history buff, nor am I particularly knowledgeable about architecture, but I found this tour to be fascinating. The guides really know their stuff, and they explain in entertaining detail how the dramatic and eclectic Chicago skyline came to look the way it does. If you’re staying in the Chicago area after the Summit, I encourage you to sign up for the River View Architectural Tour on Wednesday, 23 May, which leaves the Hyatt Regency O’Hare at 1:30 PM. A comfortable coach will take you into the city, where you’ll board a double-decker tour boat and cruise all three branches of the Chicago River (interesting in and of itself, because it flows backward and is dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day each year). From the “less is more” modernism of Mies van der Rohe’s IBM Building (soon to be called AMA Plaza), to the art deco “city within a city” immensity of the Merchandise Mart, to the undulating wave-like façade of Jeane Gang’s new Aqua Tower, you’ll learn interesting and historical tidbits about these and many other landmark structures. Chicago, after all, was the birthplace of the skyscraper, and nearly every significant architect of the past 140 years has a signature building here. The Architectural Tour is a great way to get an overview of the city, and an enjoyable way to pass an afternoon. I hope to see you aboard. The cost of the tour is $63. For more information, visit http://summit.stc.org/hotel-travel/optional-tourist-events/. You can register for the tour when you register for the conference. Linda Kelley is a member of the STC Chicago 2012 Host Committee and currently serves as the Vice President of the STC Chicago chapter.