Whether we’re waiting for the El, reading virtually any local publication, or—of course—walking along South Michigan Avenue, Chicagoans can’t help but remember that the Art Institute of Chicago’s much-anticipated Modern Wing opens this weekend.
But we are not, of course, the only ones paying attention. Joining the many stories that have already begun to appear about the event, New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussof noted in his review Wednesday that “the addition manages to weave the various strands of Chicago’s rich architectural history into a cohesive vision.”
So what, exactly, are those strands? Whether you can talk about them endlessly or are still trying to sort them out, our deep list of architecture books will bring you up to speed on everything from our most iconic structures to alternative takes on the city’s architectural history.
This weekend, for example, those lucky enough to try out the new bridgeway connecting the Modern Wing with Millennium Park might wonder about the history of this particular destination. Needless to say, we’ve got that covered.