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Millennium Park, Pritzker Pavilion

Chicago, IL

Chicago’s Millennium Park is a public space created over existing below-ground commuter train lines. This project adds 25 acres of greenscape to downtown Chicago.

The Music Pavilion is the new home of the Grant Park Music Festival, the only city-funded free music festival in the United States. In addition, the Mayor’s Office of Special Events books the Pavilion for popular music acts during Chicago’s many summer festivals. The Pavilion stage is also used as an indoor space during the colder months.

Schuler Shook planned the facility with architect Gehry Partners, including the 4,000 fixed seats and the 7,000-person lawn seating area, and designed the architectural lighting including programmed colour-changing lighting of Gehry’s signature soaring stainless steel panels. 

We closely watched issues of stage space and circulation to allow users the most complete performance area and gave productions room to grow by designing power and support systems for larger future installations.

This project opened in Summer 2004.

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The Pavilion’s striking metal shapes are lit in a multi-colour arrangement each night. The architectural lighting and its control scheme are designed to integrate with the performance lighting controls.

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Our work on the Music Pavilion supports its multiple uses and the totally new experience for Chicagoans who love music in the park.

Project Details

Architect

  • Gehry Partners, LLP

Acoustician

  • Talaske

Recognition

  • AIA Chicago Design Excellence Award, 2004

  • Chicago Building Congress Merit Award, 2004

  • Friends of Downtown Adaptive Reuse Award, 2004

  • Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, 2003

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