The Burnham Plan Centennial

Bold Plans. Big Dreams. This is the legacy of the Plan of Chicago. In 1909, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett collaborated with the Commercial Club of Chicago and others to create a new plan for the greater Chicago region. Today, their Plan still inspires us to be visionary, think regionally, recognize the value of beauty and conservation, and to plan – and implement – systematically. The year 2009 will be a time to look back 100 years for inspiration, and appreciate the big dreams that led to Chicago’s sweeping lakefront, the “emerald necklace” of County Forest Preserves, and a tradition of thinking comprehensively about the region’s development. The Centennial also is an opportunity to make and implement bold plans for the 21st Century that build on the 1909 Burnham Plan’s “…steady determination to bring about the very best conditions of city life for all the people…” Website
ONGOING 2008 PUBLIC PROGRAMS November 2, 2007 and continuing into 2008: Festival of Maps November 16, 2007 – December 31, 2008: Maps in the Public Square: An Atlas of the Next Chicago Region, www.mapsinthepublicsquare.org January 10 – March 21, 2008: Map This! Envisioning a Global CityA diverse group of students—from Seoul to the south side—offers fresh perspectives on Chicago’s built environment. Map This! showcases unique graphic representations of Chicago’s history and future through a collaborative effort of researchers and students at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology. (Cost: Free.) Through March 28, 2008: Under Study: Maps and Photographs of Chicago's Near West Side
2008 CENTENNIAL PRE-EVENTS April 2008: Burnham Plan Subscribers Event July 10 – 13: International Planning History Society, 13th International Planning History Society Conference in Chicago October 15 – 17: American Shore and Beach Preservation Association Annual Meeting in Chicago October 23: Swedenborg Library and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Daniel Burnham Program with Eric Larsen and Kristen Schaffer at the Chicago Cultural Center. October 29 – November 9: Chicago Humanities Festival, THINK BIG Festival
2009 CENTENNIAL EVENTS January – March: Glessner House Museum, Daniel H. Burnham and Prairie Avenue Exhibit and Programs January – April: Chicago Architecture Foundation, History of O’Hare Exhibit and Programs January – December: The Art Institute of Chicago, Rotating Exhibit of Jules Guerin’s Renderings for the Plan of Chicago March 4 – 7: Urban Affairs Association, Annual Conference at the University of Illinois – Chicago May 2009: Mayor’s Office of Special Events, Great Chicago Places and Spaces Festival May – July 2009: The Newberry Library, Exhibit on Burnham’s Plans for Manila and Baguio City May – August: Chicago Architecture Foundation, “Model City” Exhibit and Programs Summer: The Archimedia Workshop: “Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City” documentary film June: DePaul University, “The Power of a Shared Vision – Burnham and Beyond” Symposium June 19: Burnham Plan Centennial Committee, Centennial Opening Event June 19 & 20: Grant Park Music Festival, Premier of Michael Torke’s Burnham Centennial work for Orchestra and Chorus June 2009: Landmarks Illinois Annual Conference June – September: Field Museum of Natural History, Water: H2O=Life Exhibit and Programs June – September: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Public Input on 2040 Regional Plan Scenarios June – October: Facets Multi Media, Architecture, Cities and Urban Planning Film Series July 4: Chicago History Museum, Anniversary Event to commemorate the official release of the Plan of Chicago July: Burnham Family Reunion August – October: The Art Institute of Chicago, Ryerson & Burnham Library Archival Exhibits September 18 – 21: American Society of Landscape Architects, National Conference in Chicago September: American Planning Association – Illinois Chapter, Upper Midwest 4-State Conference: Celebrating the Plan of Chicago