Monthly Archives: September 2017

BP Student Design Competition

In conjunction with the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Founding Sponsor BP and Signature Education Partner Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF), the BP Student Design Competition is returning this fall.

This began in 2015 (the first ever Chicago Architecture Biennial) and, like that one, aspiring artists and architects from the city’s elementary and high schools will be able to create projects challenging around this year’s theme, “Make New History.”  Entrants will have to design solutions for two different Chicago-centric challenges, focusing on how our every day lives can be transformed by the built environment.

As Mayor Rahm Emanuel explained:

“The BP Student Design Competition is a unique hands-on experience for Chicago students to challenge their creative thinking and develop their passion in architecture and design. The educational partnership with the Chicago Architecture Foundation engages our young artists and architects by giving them the opportunity to participate in a range of opportunities in neighborhoods across the city.”

This year also new educational initiatives were proposed by the Chicago Architecture Biennial (and CAF), in an attempt to expand its reach to communities throughout the city.

 

Illinois Township Day

Earlier this week, the South Rock Island celebrated Illinois Township Day – the second annual event.  The idea behind the Day is to publicize the programs the township has to offer.

With a picnic, K-9 demonstrations and “meet and greet,” the day went off wonderfully, and was a great community event for all.  As well, it was used as a memorial dedication of green space for the late Matthew F. Parker, Jr. a former Rock Island Township Trustee who served the community for more than three-and-a-half decades.

The day’s man focus was Safety of Residents, with participation from Illinois Child Protection Identification Program (CHIP) representatives. CHIP takes information about children should they need to assist authorities if something happens to their child, giving parents peace of mind.  The idea is to identify and locate the child should something happen.

 

Places in Chicago You MUST See

It seems that sometimes the things you should see most are most easy to miss, at least according to Amy Bizzarri who just published her book 111 Places in Chicago That You Must Not Miss.  While going through treatment for breast cancer, she found many places – 111 to be exact – that are “must-sees” in Chicago.

Many of these places are very “easy to miss,” like Hero Coffee Bar, located at 22 E. Jackson Boulevard.  Bizzarri says she just loves watching people “come across it for the first time.”

Bizzarri did her research together with Photographer Susie Inverso and the two of them found a whole slew of “beautiful, funky, delicious, unusual, off-kilter, unique, and truly wonderful places for this new guidebook.”