Misplaced Pages

#567432

92-650: Jay Pritzker Pavilion , also known as Pritzker Pavilion or Pritzker Music Pavilion , is a bandshell in Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois , United States. It is located on the south side of Randolph Street and east of the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District . The pavilion was named after Jay Pritzker , whose family

184-455: A loading dock and backstage facilities. Initially the pavilion's lawn seats were free for all concerts, but this changed when Tori Amos performed the first rock concert there on August 31, 2005. The construction of the pavilion created a legal controversy, given that there are historic limitations on the height of buildings in Grant Park. To avoid these legal restrictions, the city classifies

276-602: A proscenium arch and orchestra enclosure for a bandshell in the new park, as well as a pedestrian bridge over Columbus Drive (which became BP Pedestrian Bridge ). The city sought donors to cover Gehry's work, and the Chicago Tribune dubbed him "the hottest architect in the universe" for his acclaimed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao . The Tribune noted Gehry's designs would not include such Mayor Richard M. Daley trademarks as wrought iron and seasonal flower boxes. Millennium Park project manager Edward Uhlir said "Frank [Gehry]

368-525: A 1928 prototype by Lloyd Wright , has been rebuilt several times with the present structure being the fifth on that site. Rectangular pavilions with enclosed shell and stage like the example pictured in Boise, Idaho were in use after 1900. These proved very effective as outdoor performing venues, and many are still in use. This article about a building or structure type is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This stagecraft related article

460-672: A 1929 Indian silent movie about two kings with a common love interest, on July 30, 2008. At the debut, Nitin Sawhney and the Grant Park Orchestra accompanied the movie with a live performance. Oprah Winfrey filmed the September 8, 2008, season-opening Oprah Winfrey Show on September 3, 2008, at the pavilion with more than 150 Olympic medalists , including Michael Phelps , Nastia Liukin , Dara Torres , Kobe Bryant , Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh , in an effort to rally support for

552-644: A building, but that he could not complete it in time for the Millennium, and that he would need a much larger budget than the city had envisioned. The city wanted Gehry, the donors supported him, and he was interested in the project. The key component in the modern themes strategy was Gehry's acceptance of the commission in April 1999. That month, the city announced that the Pritzker family had donated $ 15 million to fund Gehry's bandshell and an additional nine donors committed

644-507: A design based on the 1909 Plan of Chicago by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett . Its original purpose was to serve as a dock for freighters, passenger ships, and indoor and outdoor recreation; events like expositions and pageants were held there. In mid-1918, the pier was also used as a jail for draft dodgers. In 1927, the pier was renamed Navy Pier to honor the naval veterans who served in World War I . In 1941, during World War II ,

736-400: A dozen north–south trusses supported by east–west truss girders . The south side of the orchestra shell space is enclosed by the glass doors of the proscenium, which are about 50 ft (15 m) tall, 100 ft (30 m) wide and function like aircraft hangar doors made of glass. They were the largest doors that Glass Solutions of Elmhurst , Illinois, ever produced; the thickness of

828-480: A loading dock, rehearsal rooms and other backstage facilities. The bandshell's brushed stainless steel headdress frames the 120 ft (37 m) proscenium theatre ; the main stage can accommodate a full orchestra and chorus of 150 members. The bandshell is connected to a trellis of interlocking crisscrossing steel pipes that support the innovative sound system, which mimics indoor concert hall acoustics . The pavilion has restrooms on both its east and west sides. It

920-409: A monorail, a 260-foot (79 m) spokeless Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, floating hotel, and a water park with a Great Lakes theme. The plan would have included nearly double the current parking and a replacement theater with a greater capacity. At the time of the announcement, a price tag of $ 2 billion was announced. Following the reorganization of the agency that runs Navy Pier and McCormick Place,

1012-463: A new study was commissioned to reinvigorate the upgrade process. The new study, by the Urban Land Institute, was released on November 11, 2010, and recommended a more modest set of enhancements aimed at retaining the pier's role as a public space, rather than turning it into a theme park. Suggested elements include a concert venue, an enlarged Chicago Shakespeare Theater space, new restaurants,

SECTION 10

#1732849085568

1104-515: A performance entitled Arctic at the pavilion in November 2007. Most events at the pavilion remain free; the only public event at the pavilion in the summer of 2008 that charged admission was a concert by Rogue Wave and Death Cab for Cutie on June 3. The pavilion has hosted several one-day events that were noted in international publications, including the United States debut of A Throw of Dice ,

1196-633: A prominent Chicago businessman, had died in January 1999; his family own several businesses, including Hyatt Hotels . Jay and Cindy Pritzker had founded the Pritzker Prize in architecture in 1979, and the Pritzker family's Hyatt Foundation continues to award it annually. Architect Frank Gehry had received the Pritzker Prize in 1989. In February 1999, the city announced it was negotiating with Gehry to design

1288-411: A renovated commercial area around the pier's entrance and additional park-like features to bring people closer to the lake. Possibilities, including the enlarged Ferris wheel and a hotel, are mentioned as more remote possibilities. In March 2012, a competition led to selection of a design concept presented by a team led by James Corner of James Corner Field Operations that focuses on the pier's role as

1380-462: A result, the city has what are termed the Montgomery Ward height restrictions on buildings and structures in Grant Park. However, Crown Fountain and the 130 ft (40 m) Pritzker Pavilion were exempt from the height restrictions because they were classified as works of art and not buildings or structures. According to The Economist , the pavilion is described as a work of art to dodge

1472-664: A short-term, north-side boat docking facility for use by recreational boaters seasonally. There are many outdoor attractions at the Navy Pier Park, such as the Pepsi Wave Swinger, Light Tower Ride, Remote Control Boats (now removed along with fountain around the Wave Swinger), Teacups and the Carousel. New for 2021 is Drop Tower, an S&S Double Shot relocated from the closed Pleasure Island. Amazing Chicago's Funhouse Maze

1564-409: A sound system with an acoustic design that replicates an indoor concert hall sound experience. The pavilion and Millennium Park have received recognition by critics, particularly for their accessibility ; an accessibility award ceremony held at the pavilion in 2005 described it as "one of the most accessible parks – not just in the United States but possibly the world". The Jay Pritzker Pavilion

1656-455: A surrounding waterfall and stairway were abandoned. In the end, budget limitations led to compromises with the original architectural plan that left many elements in their most straightforward form, such as exposed pipes and conduits, or rough concrete. The Talaske Group of Oak Park , Illinois, was the subcontractor for Jay Pritzker Pavilion's LARES sound system, which "generates the reflected and reverberant energy that surrounds and envelops

1748-618: A thickness of about 14 in (36 cm). They are made from aluminum with a stainless steel outer layer that has a uniform shade across all panels. The structural steel for the ribbons had an abnormally low fit tolerance of 0.125 in (3.2 mm), rather than the standard 1 to 2 in (25 to 51 mm). The proscenium was inspired by Gehry's 2001 flagship store for Issey Miyake in New York City, which has sculptured titanium that represents pleating . During construction, about five cranes and 18 aerial lifts were on site. The apex of

1840-432: A total of $ 10 million. The day of this announcement, after it became clear that Cindy Pritzker would fund the project, Gehry agreed to the design request. In November, when his designs for both the pavilion and bridge were unveiled, Gehry already had the basic design for the bandshell, but said the bridge's design was very preliminary and not well-conceived because funding for it was not committed. The BP Pedestrian Bridge

1932-522: A waterfront promenade. In 2013, the Authority announced plans to carry out the first elements of a streamlined version of that concept, with reworked streetscape and a wider pedestrian space, moving tour-boat moorings to improve the view from a new central stairway centered on the Ferris wheel. Work began on the redevelopment plan, called The Centennial Vision, during the winter of 2013–2014. The purpose of

SECTION 20

#1732849085568

2024-450: A weed in the center of the pavilion's seating". The director of Millennium Park was honored for his contribution to creating "one of the most accessible parks – not just in the United States but possibly the world" in a 2005 accessibility award ceremony held at the pavilion. The pavilion's stage is reached by gently sloped ramps instead of stairs, as part of the park's overall accessibility design. The decision to save money and not slope

2116-635: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Navy Pier Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot-long (1,010 m) pier on the shoreline of Lake Michigan , located in the Streeterville neighborhood of the Near North Side community area in Chicago , Illinois, United States. Navy Pier encompasses over 50 acres (20 ha) of shops, restaurants, live theaters, family attractions, parks (including Polk Bros Park ), gardens, and exhibition facilities and

2208-641: Is a home for the Grant Park Music Festival , which began in 1935 in the original Petrillo Music Shell. Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has been Chicago's front yard since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute , east of Michigan Avenue , south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive , had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it

2300-417: Is a part of the pier, with many different exhibits and activities for both children and adults to enjoy. Chicago Shakespeare Theater , a theater that performs Shakespeare's productions, is located there. The original Ferris wheel was sold on September 27, 2015, and moved to Branson, Missouri , where it opened in 2016. The new 196-foot (60 m) Ferris wheel which replaced it is a DW60 from Dutch Wheels,

2392-891: Is designed to serve as a buffer against street noise, helping the pavilion's acoustics. According to the Guggenheim Museum, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion "suggests musical qualities", much like Gehry's Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington . The Pritzker Pavilion follows a series of open-air projects by Gehry, such as the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland , the Concord Performing Arts Center in Concord, California , and numerous renovations to

2484-475: Is just the cutting edge of the next century of architecture," and noted that no other architect was being sought. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill architect Adrian Smith approached Gehry several times on behalf of the city, which originally asked him about doing just a facade , but Gehry was uninterested. A few months later the city asked him to get involved in Millennium Park; Gehry felt he would prefer to design

2576-478: Is known for owning Hyatt Hotels . The building was designed by architect Frank Gehry , who accepted the design commission in April 1999; the pavilion was constructed between June 1999 and July 2004, opening officially on July 16, 2004. Pritzker Pavilion serves as the centerpiece for Millennium Park and is the home of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Grant Park Music Festival ,

2668-411: Is on the pier. It is a self-paced, full sensory maze experience where a person navigates their way through 4,000 square feet (370 m ) of tunnels and mazes. Crystal Gardens is a one-acre, botanical garden inside the pier. It is a six-story glass atrium with a 50-foot (15 m) arched ceiling. Many schools come here for field-trips to see and experience the attraction. The Chicago Children's Museum

2760-476: Is one of the top destinations in the Midwestern United States , drawing over nine million visitors annually. It is one of the most visited attractions in the entire Midwest and is Chicago's second-most visited tourist attraction. Navy Pier opened to the public on July 15, 1916. Originally known as the "Municipal Pier", the pier was built by Charles Sumner Frost , a nationally known architect, with

2852-427: Is one of two features in the park to include accessible restrooms; the other is McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink . The majority of the park's 123 toilet fixtures (78 for women, 45 for men) are located in underground arcades to the east and west of the pavilion, with the ones on the east being heated for winter use. Millennium Park is built on top of a large underground parking garage . Construction started before

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-461: Is stated that they were abandoned by choice a long time before. The Dauntless members play capture the flag in the park. Tris and Four climb the Ferris wheel to spot the opposing team. In the book, the opposing team hides the flag in a park near Navy Pier, while in the film version, the flag is hidden in a tower of the Chicago Children's Museum building. In the video game NASCAR 09 , the pier

3036-688: The Captain on the Helm statue dedicated to maritime captains, and the Crack the Whip sculpture of eight children at play holding hands by J. Seward Johnson Jr . The Festival Halls can be used for sporting events. Festival Halls A and B can be turned into a 170,000 square foot competition arena. Gymnastics meets have been held in the Festival Halls. CTA The halls were used to represent Atlantic City, New Jersey , in

3128-464: The Cloud Gate , Crown Fountain and Lurie Gardens , where one could have enjoyed the sounds or the atmosphere of the park without having to pay. In addition to charging for lawn seating, the event promoters prohibited concertgoers from bringing beverages, including bottled water, to the lawn; drinks instead had to be purchased onsite. The city later stated that confiscation of unopened beverage bottles

3220-484: The Chicago 2016 Olympic bid . Concerts performed by the Grant Park Orchestra and directed by Kalmar were part of a June 19, 2009, citywide Burnham Plan centennial celebration that included the unveiling of the Burnham Pavilion elsewhere in the park. The concert featured the world premiere of Michael Torke 's work for symphony and chorus entitled Plans , paired with Rachmaninoff 's Piano Concerto No. 3. Also,

3312-466: The Chicago Tribune criticized the "ugly concrete structure" surrounding the mixing console in the midst of the fixed seats as the pavilion's "biggest design miscalculation", and called for it be moved. Although modern practice is to locate the sound console in with the audience, Gehry said at a symposium after the park's opening that he wanted "to scrap the big box of a sound booth that sprang up like

3404-582: The Grammy -nominated Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus performs free classical concerts at the Grant Park Music Festival. The festival, a Chicago tradition since 1931, remains the nation's only free, outdoor classical music series. Although the Music Festival shares pavilion space with several other program series and annual performances, its concerts most Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings throughout

3496-602: The Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California . Jay Pritzker Pavilion cost $ 60 million, a quarter of which came from the Pritzker family donation. It includes 4,000 fixed seats and a 95,000 sq ft (8,800 m) Great Lawn that can accommodate an additional 7,000 people. The pavilion was built above and behind the Harris Theater , which has the benefit that Millennium Park's indoor and outdoor performance venues share

3588-537: The score by five-time Academy Award -nominated composer George Fenton , who serves as conductor. Among the artists who performed with the festival at the pavilion in the 2000s decade are sopranos Karina Gauvin and Erin Wall , tenor Vittorio Grigolo , pianist Stephen Hough , violinists Rachel Barton Pine , James Ehnes , Roby Lakatos , Christian Tetzlaff , and Pinchas Zukerman , and vocalists Otis Clay , Mariza , and Maria del Mar Bonet . All rehearsals at

3680-410: The 1986 movie The Color of Money for the 9-Ball Championship. In both Raw Deal and Cooley High , the pier was used as a location for car chases. The fourth season finale of T. J. Hooker , titled "The Chicago Connection", featured a scene in front of the then-abandoned pier. In the film Divergent , the pier and Ferris wheel are shown abandoned and decayed in a future Chicago and it

3772-619: The East End buildings were renovated and for a brief period the pier was alive again, home to summer events like ChicagoFest . But maintenance was not done and the pier went into decline. In 1989, the City of Chicago had the Urban Land Institute (ULI) reimagine uses for the pier. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) was created; its responsibility was to manage and operate Navy Pier as well as McCormick Place . The MPEA undertook

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-465: The Grant Park Orchestra. The show featured new orchestral arrangements of The Decemberists' songs by Sean O'Loughlin, who also conducted in lieu of Kalmar. While the concert was free, the front seating sections were reserved for season membership holders; fans of the band got the remaining seats or sat on the lawn. This led Decemberists' frontman Colin Meloy to encourage the crowd to breach the barriers between

3956-777: The Great Lawn as much as originally planned was not universally popular. However, Gehry said that the actual slope of the lawn was more accommodating to people with disabilities and better able to accommodate activities than the original plan. Bandshell Often shells are designed to be removable, either rolling away on wheels or lifting into a flyspace . Shells are most commonly used for orchestras, bands and choirs, although they can also be used in any application that requires passive sound amplification. Shells are generally made of hard materials because they are designed to absorb as little sound as possible. Acoustical shells were developed to focus sound outward in one direction as opposed to

4048-479: The Great Lawn. During the concert, the Gehry-designed BP Pedestrian Bridge that connects Millennium Park with Daley Bicentennial Plaza was closed until 7:00 a.m. the next day. Jay Pritzker Pavilion competes with Ravinia Park as a Chicago area outdoor music venue. The pavilion hosts free music events such as Chicago Gospel Music Festival from spring to fall. In June, July and August,

4140-562: The Netherlands-based company that built the pier's former wheel. The state-of-the-art DW60 is the first of its kind in the U.S. with similar wheels currently in operation in Hong Kong and Baku, Azerbaijan. Significant features include two-sided cars that allow for easy loading and unloading, a fortified structure to withstand winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h) and safety glass capable of weathering intense storms. The new Ferris Wheel

4232-411: The acoustics of a concert hall and create a clearly defined concert space. Noise from city disturbances is masked by sound arriving directly from lateral sources. Downward facing speakers simulate sound reflection similar to indoor concert hall wall and ceiling effects. Although Chicago Tribune music critic John von Rhein felt the inaugural concert's sound quality was "a work in progress" that varied with

4324-449: The bandshell as a work of art rather than a building. With several design and assembly problems, the construction plans were revised over time, with features eliminated and others added as successful fundraising allowed the budget to grow. In the end, the performance venue was designed with a large fixed seating area, a Great Lawn, a trellis network to support the sound system and a signature Gehry stainless steel headdress. It features

4416-399: The center element is approximately 150 ft (46 m) high, which was near the limits of basic construction equipment at the time. Acme Structural of Springfield , Missouri, was the subcontractor for the trellis over the Great Lawn, which resulted from the distributed sound system's requirement for speakers every 70 ft (21 m). One way to achieve this would have involved placing

4508-538: The development of a seven-story, 240-room hotel, adjacent to the south side of Festival Hall; marquee additions to the East End Plaza, including a proposed arched, elevated overlook walkway and reflective water feature; a Welcome Pavilion in the 13-acre Polk Bros Park with 4,000 square feet for guest services and programmatic space; a seasonal ice rink within the footprint of the Polk Bros Park's fountain and plaza; and

4600-454: The elements when necessary. In addition, the pavilion has a Choral Rehearsal Room that can be rented. Critics have said that Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the highlight of Millennium Park. Fodor's travel guide described it as the park's "showstopper" and "stunning", praising its stainless steel and sound system, as well as the variety of events it hosts. Time called the pavilion "dynamic" and recommended it as one of two must-see attractions in

4692-456: The farthest reaches of the lawn. Despite the praise it has received, the pavilion has its blemishes: the supporting north side of the structure along Randolph Street has attracted criticism for not being pleasing to the eye, and some observers found the exposed supporting proscenium braces offensive. Critic Fred Bernstein of The New York Times felt that the smooth rounded trellis and sharp-edged bandshell were geometrically discordant. A review in

SECTION 50

#1732849085568

4784-410: The farthest reaches of the lawn. James Palermo, artistic and general director of the Grant Park Music Festival, felt that musicians were able to interact more effectively with the new sound system because they could hear each other better. Protected by legislation that has been affirmed by four previous Illinois Supreme Court rulings, Grant Park has been "forever open, clear and free" since 1836, which

4876-555: The first year, the city charged $ 10 for lawn seating at the August 31, 2005, concert by Tori Amos. Amos, a classically trained musician who chose only piano and organ accompaniment for her concert, earned positive reviews as the inaugural rock and roll performer in a venue that regularly hosts classical music. The city justified the charge by contending that since the Pavilion is an open-air venue, there were many places in Millennium Park, such as

4968-425: The glass was a design problem for the steel supports. Zahner of Kansas City , Missouri, was the subcontractor for the pavilion's ribbons, described as "stainless steel panels that appear to be peeling back from the central opening". The proscenium's metal ribbons are composed of 697 panels that range from 6 to 300 sq ft (0.56–27.87 m) and 1,600 to 20,000 lb (730–9,070 kg) with

5060-488: The heart of the summer are the core of the pavilion's offerings. Travel guide Frommer's lists the park, pavilion, and these free concerts as some of the best free things to do in Chicago. In summer the pavilion also hosts a series of jazz concerts, and the Great Lawn hosts yoga and pilates workouts on Saturday mornings. The Pritzker Prize presentation ceremony, which moves to an architecturally significant location each year,

5152-549: The high demand from returning service members. As the maximum capacity was exceeded, the school outgrew the pier, the University of Illinois at Chicago was partly founded as a result. After the university left, Navy Pier became underutilized. In 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened and increased commercial shipping activity at the pier for a short time, though business died down and left for more modern facilities at Lake Calumet . In 1976,

5244-806: The interior of the Family Pavilion and South Arcade. Phase I projects included the transformation of South Dock into a more engaging, greener space, conversion of the South Arcade indoor walkway into a Chicago-themed food experience and creation of a lighted water fountain/ice skating rink in Polk Bros Park. In November 2016, Phase I development achieved Gold certification under the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) rating system, based on its expanded green spaces, improved pedestrian access, energy efficiency, innovative storm water management, and use of recycled local materials. Phase II projects include

5336-501: The listener in an indoor performance venue". The system, which effectively produces an even quality of sound throughout the entire venue, has received critical acclaim for its technological adaptations, such as signal processing in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. The Pritzker Pavilion is the first permanent outdoor installation of the LARES system in the United States. The trellis has both acoustic and architectural functions; it allows for

5428-551: The listener's location in the pavilion, critics Kevin Nance and Wayne Delacoma of the Chicago Sun-Times said that on the opening weekend it was clear that the acousticians, Talaske Group, and Gehry had solved many of the problems presenting classical music outdoors. John von Rhein said in 2005, "the system has been fine-tuned over the past two summers and now delivers a warm, even approximation of concert-hall sound to listeners at even

5520-506: The load requirements. Arches longer than 300 ft (91 m) have four or five different radii, where radius describes the extent of pipe curvature. The arch pipes connect to the structural steel of the pavilion structure without linking to the metal ribbons. The trellis is 600 by 300 ft (183 by 91 m). The pavilion's construction was aided by the French CATIA software program and internet conferencing. Early plans to incorporate

5612-439: The music festival rehearsals, which are well-attended. Millennium Park is part of the larger Grant Park . The pavilion, which has a capacity of 11,000, is Grant Park's small event outdoor performing arts venue, and complements Petrillo Music Shell , the park's older and larger bandshell. Pritzker Pavilion is built partially atop the Harris Theater for Music and Dance , the park's indoor performing arts venue, with which it shares

SECTION 60

#1732849085568

5704-421: The nation's only remaining free outdoor classical music series. It also hosts a wide range of music series and annual performing arts events. Performers ranging from mainstream rock bands to classical musicians and opera singers have appeared at the pavilion, which even hosts physical fitness activities such as yoga . All rehearsals at the pavilion are open to the public; trained guides are available for

5796-516: The newspaper, is the lessee of 45,000 square feet (4,200 m ) of space, which has radio and newspaper functions. Navy Pier hosts sightseeing tours from companies such as Seadog Ventures, Shoreline Sightseeing cruises and Water Taxi service, and the tall ship "Windy". There are also dinner cruises by Entertainment Cruises on their ships the Spirit of Chicago , Odyssey II , and Mystic Blue . The pier has fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday nights during

5888-655: The original bandshell was replaced and relocated a bit further north in Grant Park in 1978, the new structure retained the Petrillo name. In the early 2000s decade, the Petrillo family said naming the new music shell in Millennium Park after Jay Pritzker ignored Petrillo's legacy, and threatened legal action. As of 2009, the Petrillo Music Shell was still in use, though Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich described it as "dilapidated" and "dismal". Controversies during construction involved escalating costs and delays; both

5980-466: The park's design was completed, and in January 2000, 17 additional caissons had to be added to the partially built garage to support the weight of Gehry's pavilion. In April the tops of all these caissons had to be rebuilt for changes in the pavilion's foundation. U.S. Equities Realty was responsible for negotiating contracts with Gehry and all contractors . Walsh Construction and its subcontractors were hired to execute three elements of Gehry's design:

6072-497: The park, while one New York Times writer found herself standing "agog" at what appeared to her to be a "celestial gateway to another universe" and a frame for the sky. Lonely Planet travel guide called the pavilion the anchor of the park, and the 2004 Year in Review issue of Time described it as the park's crown jewel. USA Today described the bandshell as a landmark and the centerpiece of Millennium Park. Another critic described

6164-455: The pavilion and park opened four years later than originally planned and cost millions of dollars more than expected. Once the pavilion was built, the initial plan was that the lawn seating would be free for all events. An early brochure for the Grant Park Music Festival said "You never need a ticket to attend a concert! The lawn and the general seating section are always admission free." However, when parking revenue fell short of estimates during

6256-413: The pavilion are open to the public and well-attended. The festival is represented by a staff of trained guides, called docents , that field questions and provide educational talks during the rehearsals. Besides these public functions, the pavilion is available, as is the entire park, as a venue for private events year-round. The stage's glass and steel doors enable it to provide indoor space protected from

6348-501: The pavilion as the "most spectacular structure to go up in early-twenty-first-century Chicago". According to the Financial Times , the bandshell's acoustics are unparalleled compared to any contemporary outdoor venue. Critics say that musicians have lauded the onstage acoustics. Another Financial Times critic noted that Gehry revisited some of his past design motifs , such as his use of stainless steel, and explored new ones such as

6440-567: The pavilion serves as host to the annual Chicago Winter Dance Festival. During the festival there is a month of free dance instructions behind the glass doors of the pavilion stage and free skating instruction at the McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink . Among the highlights of the 2010 calendar is the screening of the BBC 's nature documentary Planet Earth Live on July 21, with live Grant Park Symphony Orchestra accompaniment featuring

6532-506: The pier became a training center for the United States Navy ; about 10,000 people worked, trained and lived there. The pier contained a 2,500-seat theater, gym, 12-chair barber shop, tailor, cobbler shops, soda fountain and a vast kitchen and hospital. Beginning in 1946, as the Navy was winding down from its mission, the University of Illinois held classes at the pier, especially to serve

6624-518: The pier was announced on June 23, 2015. It is 196 feet (60 m) tall, 46 feet (14 m) taller than its predecessor. Rides now last twelve minutes instead of seven and feature three revolutions. The new wheel has brighter lights and opened in May 2016. The Centennial Vision 's first phase was completed in summer 2016. Work included the redesign of the Pier's public spaces, known as Pierscape, and improvements to

6716-542: The plan is to fulfill the mission to keep Navy Pier as a world-class public space and to renovate the pier so it will have more evening and year-round entertainment and more compelling landscape and design features. The Polk Family Foundation (founded by Sol Polk ) donated $ 20 million to the redevelopment effort; the park and fountain at the entrance to the pier was named the Polk Bros Park and Fountain. The park hosts concerts and screens films. A new Ferris wheel for

6808-504: The precise placement of speakers for sound optimization without visual obstructions, while simultaneously providing a unifying visual canopy. The overall acoustic system is a distributed sound reinforcement system, which allows musicians on stage to hear each other clearly in a way that facilitates ensemble play. In addition, direct natural sound from the stage is reflected from architectural surfaces as well as being reinforced by two sound systems. The forward-facing reinforcement speakers time

6900-401: The protections established by Ward, who "rules over Grant Park from the grave". The naming of Jay Pritzker Pavilion was a cause for protests. The new pavilion was built as a replacement for Grant Park's decades-old Petrillo Music Shell, which had a long history of hosting free music events and was named after James C. Petrillo , a labor union leader who started free concerts in Grant Park. When

6992-475: The redevelopment, incorporating some of ULI's recommendations. In 1995, Navy Pier was redesigned and introduced to the public as a mixed-use venue incorporating retail, dining, entertainment and cultural spaces. Efforts to update Navy Pier for the 21st century began on January 13, 2006, when the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority released a proposal for a major renovation of the pier, which including

7084-416: The relaying of sound so as to make it seem to have arrived directly from the stage with proper clarity and volume levels. Distributed speakers allow for lower sound volumes than would be necessary with centralized speakers, which would disturb neighboring residences and business. Instead of reinforcing the sound like a traditional public address system, the sound system on the trellis system seeks to replicate

7176-504: The seating area. However, two factors led to the cancellation of the original plans. First, the project's scope changed as a result of additional funds raised by John H. Bryan , former CEO of the Sara Lee Corporation . The second factor was the intervention of the Pritzker family as potential donors. Unimpressed with the pavilion's original design, Cindy Pritzker "mandated that Frank Gehry be involved in its re-design". Jay Pritzker,

7268-441: The seats and Great Lawn to get closer to the stage for the band's encore performance, which was without the orchestra. Estimated attendance was 11,000 to 15,000, the largest for any free concert at the pavilion to date. Other events include a concert by Wilco on September 12, 2007, the "Poland for Chicago" show with Polish President Lech Kaczyński on September 25, 2007, and a global warming awareness festival which culminated in

7360-557: The smaller Blues and Jazz festival events to the pavilion, with its better, more modern acoustics. By 2009, as the city grappled with a budget deficit, it considered realigning parts of the larger festivals and made definite plans to move some of the smaller ones to the more modern venue. On July 18, 2007, the Grant Park Music Festival partnered with the Metro Chicago to produce a free Wednesday-night show celebrating Metro's 25th anniversary and featuring indie band The Decemberists with

7452-427: The speakers on pipes or columns, but the resulting forest of columns seemed discordant with the architecture. Gehry preferred the trellis although it cost about $ 3 million more than speakers arranged on posts would have. The trellis uses 22 criss-crossing arches in a lattice pattern, and is noted for its parabolic grid. The arches use pipes varying in diameter from 12–20 in (30–51 cm) depending upon

7544-410: The structural steel supporting the stainless steel ribbons, the ribbons themselves and the trellis and associated sound system. The LeJeune Steel Company of Minneapolis was the subcontractor for the structural steel. The pavilion's concrete walls frame the orchestra shell space, which is 100 ft (30 m) wide, 50 ft (15 m) tall and has no support columns . The pavilion's roof rests on

7636-476: The summer and Saturday nights during the fall. Navy Pier hosts the Fifth Third Bank Winter Wonderfest from December through January. Many outdoor art installations are displayed on the pier. The anchor from the naval vessel USS Chicago (CA-136/CG-11) is on display at the far end. Other installations include a statue of actor Bob Newhart on a couch as seen on The Bob Newhart Show ,

7728-452: The trellis and sound system. This sentiment was echoed by others. During the opening concert von Rhein noted that the sound is not of uniform quality throughout the venue and opined that the optimal sonics are toward the back of the seated area and front of the lawn. However, he subsequently noted in 2005 "the system has been fine-tuned over the past two summers and now delivers a warm, even approximation of concert-hall sound to listeners at even

7820-411: The ″sound in the round″ diffused from all sides of the open gazebo bandstand. In the United States they were built in large city parks and amusement parks as bands increased in size. Free−standing outdoor shells in a variety of styles were built starting in the 1890s. Professional architects were often employed to design them with varying degrees of acoustical success. The Hollywood Bowl shell, based on

7912-459: Was a mistake and that "Bottled water is always allowed at the free concerts we host at the park, and will be allowed at any future events as well." An estimated 300 attendees set up blankets beyond the trellis system, where they could enjoy their own beverages while listening to the concert. The official Chicago policy is that alcohol is permitted throughout Jay Pritzker Pavilion during public performances, but cans and glass bottles are not permitted on

8004-506: Was a year before the city of Chicago was incorporated. In 1839, United States Secretary of War Joel Roberts Poinsett declared the land between Randolph Street and Madison Street east of Michigan Avenue "Public Ground forever to remain vacant of buildings. Aaron Montgomery Ward , who is known both as the inventor of mail order and the protector of Grant Park, twice sued the city of Chicago to force it to remove buildings and structures from Grant Park and to keep it from building new ones. As

8096-548: Was built as a replacement for Grant Park's outdoor concert facilities, larger annual events such as the Chicago Blues and Chicago Jazz Festivals and Taste of Chicago are too large for Jay Pritzker Pavilion and continue to be held in and around Petrillo Music Shell. The pavilion has hosted smaller festivals, such as the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, since 2005. Public opinion has been in favor of moving some of

8188-642: Was held in the Pritzker Pavilion in April 2005. Among the annual performers at the pavilion are Steppenwolf Theatre , Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO). At the end of the Grant Park Music Festival season in August, the Festival's Grant Park Orchestra and Carlos Kalmar presented Pulitzer Prize -winning composer John Adams ' On the Transmigration of Souls , which

8280-471: Was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park . In 2007, Millennium Park trailed only Navy Pier as a Chicago tourist attraction. When the city first determined that a new pavilion should be built, the commission was supposed to go to Skidmore, Owings and Merrill . The original pavilion design was much more modest than the structure that was eventually built, with a smaller shell structure and speakers affixed to poles interspersed throughout

8372-552: Was unveiled on May 27, 2016. Around April 2019, the pier’s original carousel that had operated since 1995 was dismantled and removed, after the original carousel’s mechanism broke due to cold weather in early 2019 . Around late May into June, a new carousel was installed in the site of the original. This new carousel had previously operated at Dorney Park from 1986-2016 under the name Chance Carousel. The Chicago Sun-Times has its headquarters in Navy Pier. WBEZ , affiliated with

8464-621: Was written at the request of the New York Philharmonic to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks . On Sunday September 11, 2005, United States Senator Barack Obama (who was later elected President of the United States ) served as guest narrator for a 9/11 tribute concert by the CSO. The focal work of the concert was Aaron Copland 's "Lincoln Portrait" and the concert was led by former CSO resident conductor William Eddins . Although it

#567432