The Frank Gehry Effect on Chicago

BP Pedestrian Bridge. Chicago, IL. The BP Pedestrian Bridge in Chicago’s Millennium Park was designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect, Frank Gehry, in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) for structural engineering. The bridge’s design and construction complements the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, also designed by Gehry. Since opening in July 2004 the bridge and Millennium Park have become Chicago’s top tourist attraction (3-4.4 million visitors/year) and has gained worldwide recognition. Gehry’s innovative design is described as shimmering and snake-like due to its biomorphic allusions (design based on nature). Stainless steel plates allow fluid and continuously curving lines along the 925’ long, 20’ wide structure. The bridge links Millennium Park and the Pavilion with Maggie Daley Park by spanning the 6 lane Columbus Drive. From the bridge you can view Lake Michigan, the Chicago skyline, Grant Park (including Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park), and Chicago’s historic Michigan Boulevard District. The bridge also serves as a sound barrier to shield the Pavilion and park from noise from Columbus Drive. The design is inherently accessible and barrier-free drive due to its 5% slope on incline. The floor of the bridge is constructed with Brazilian hardwood. Due to the hardwood, the bridge is closed in the winter as rock salt will cause damage- and shoveling isn’t possible due to the freeway below. The much anticipated Gehry design has not disappointed and has won numerous awards- for its barrier-free design and use of sheet metal, as well as the 2005 Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering. Gehry was highly sought after for this project with Millennium Park project manager, Edward Uhlir, quoted saying, “Frank, is just the cutting edge of the next century of architecture…” Part of the draw was due to Gehry’s design of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain which opened in 1997. Its design spurred a theory called the “Bilbao Effect”- a phenomenon in which a city’s cultural investment in showy architecture creates an economic rejuvenation in the surrounding area. This was Chicago’s hope with Mayor Richard Daley saying in 1998 that he hoped (Millennium Park) changed the way the world saw Chicago. This was also part of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development’s strategy- to expand downtown Chicago with more residents, workers, and visitors- boosting residential and retail on the East Loop, commercial development on the West Loop as well as drawing visitors to retail, hotels, and restaurants. Gehry’s Millennium Park designs are just a part of a collaboration of architects, landscape designers, artists, and planners who have transformed Millennium Park and its surrounding areas with gardens, ice skating, indoor/outdoor concerts, restaurants, festivals, fairs, fountains, water features, and interactive art installations. Combined, these designs have had a tremendous impact on revitalization and economic growth for the city.