_________________________________________________________________________________________________________




CHICAGO - August 4, 2009 - The much anticipated Burnham Pavilion by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) of London, UK, has officially opened to the public in Millennium Park. With UN Studio.

More than 7,000 pieces of aluminum - no two alike - had to be individually bent and welded to create its curvilinear form. Then thousands of yards of fabric had to be custom tailored and tightly fit onto the interior and exterior aluminum-tube structure.

Every evening, the inner fabric's curving skin serves as the "screen" for a sound-and-video installation by artist Thomas Gray that impressionistically explores how the Chicago region has transformed during the past 100 years, and asks people to examine their dreams for the future.

The pavilion's site is augmented by a kiosk for the public to engage in "inventing the future" of the metropolitan Chicago region. An interactive touch-screen installation let's people choose from various scenarios of the choices currently facing regional planners, and then see animations of the consequences of their choices.

Taken from: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/chicago/burnham_pavilion.htm