While architecture exhibitions have a tendency to be drab affairs with poorly displayed poster boards and reams of intellectualized text spouting pseudo-complex ideas, the Chicago Architecture Biennial stands out for its undeniable sense of playfulness. From its central HQ to the fringe performance events, this exhibition is bright, fun and Instagram-ready.
Chicago, like Venice, is blessed when it comes to architecture, making the city an ideal home for a recurring architecture show. The importance of this year’s iteration, the second after its inaugural event in 2015 (thus confirming its status as an actual “Biennial”), is clear. And the curators, Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee from LA-based practice Johnston Marklee, seem determined to grab people’s attention.
The Chicago Architecture Biennial sets out its spirited intentions early, with bright salmon-pink and navy blue branding. The show’s website and social media presence are also brazenly graphic and visually led. Inside the Chicago Cultural Center, which hosts the bulk of the Biennial, this fun aesthetic continues with a bold and bright yellow information desk, positioned immediately in front of the entrance.
