iwan baan documents chicago for the city's inaugural architecture biennial

iwan baan documents chicago for the city’s inaugural architecture biennial
all images courtesy of the chicago architecture biennial

when ‘the state of the art of architecture’ was announced as the theme for the inaugural chicago architecture biennial, the event’s first commission was a photo essay on the city by world-renowned dutch photographer iwan baan.

baan’s rapidly expanding portfolio investigates architecture as a stage for everyday life
image © iwan baan

having worked closely with a number of leading architects, including rem koolhaas, herzog & de meuron and zaha hadid, baan’s rapidly expanding portfolio investigates architecture as a stage for everyday life, capturing the details that shape our perception of the built environment. 

baan’s work captures the details that shape our perception of the built environment
image © iwan baan

according to the biennial’s artistic directors joseph grima and sarah herda, iwan baan embodies the globalized nature of architecture in the 21st century, traveling constantly and rarely spending more than a few days in any one place.

the photographs capture the city during a moment of its daily routine
image © iwan baan

for this series, baan’s photographs of chicago capture the city during a moment of its daily routine. the aerial shots spotlight the city’s key landmarks, and set them against the broader cityscape.

the aerial shots spotlight the city’s key landmarks
image © iwan baan

the work also emphasizes chicago’s ongoing industrial role, as well as its defining relationship with the adjacent lake michigan. like the biennial itself, baan’s beautiful photography interprets chicago as a realm of architectural possibility. the chicago architecture biennial will span a total of three months, launching on october 3, 2015 and remaining open until january 3, 2015.

the work also emphasizes chicago’s ongoing industrial role
image © iwan baan

the chicago architecture biennial provides a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects and spatial experiments that demonstrate how creativity and innovation can radically transform our lived experience.

the inaugural chicago architecture biennial, north america’s largest international survey of contemporary architecture, launched in october 2015. through its constellation of exhibitions, full-scale installations, and program of events, the biennial invites the public to engage with and think about architecture in new and unexpected ways, and to take part in a global discussion about the future of the field.

the chicago architecture biennial is the vision of mayor rahm emanuel for a major international architectural event and an outcome of the comprehensive cultural plan developed by chicago’s department of cultural affairs and special events. it is presented through the support of BP, and in partnership with the city of chicago and the graham foundation for advanced studies in the fine arts.

the chicago architecture biennial remains open to the public until january 3, 2015.

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