Flyway City Exhibition at Chicago Architecture Center Reimagines Urban Design for Birds and Humans
On display at the Chicago Architecture Center until January 3, the exhibition "Flyway City: Architecture for a Flourishing Ecosystem," co-curated by Studio Gang Architects, tackles the issue of bird fatalities caused by architectural glass, which has led to a 25% drop in North America’s bird population. It showcases low-rise structures that emphasize collisions occurring within the 100-foot tree canopy. Highlights include a striking image of a yellow-bellied sapsucker, dioramas that address reflective glass challenges, and models of Studio Gang’s City Hyde Park project. The exhibition suggests that simple interventions could lower bird deaths from 25% to 5% and contrasts bird-friendly policies in cities like Toronto, San Francisco, and New York with Chicago's stagnant ordinance, featuring interactive activities for kids.
Key facts
- Flyway City: Architecture for a Flourishing Ecosystem is on view at the Chicago Architecture Center through January 3.
- The exhibition is cocurated by Studio Gang Architects.
- The National Audubon Society reports more than 25 percent of North America's bird population has been lost.
- Most bird collisions occur within the 100-foot mature-tree canopy, implicating low-rise buildings.
- Studio Gang principal Alissa Anderson said cheap treatments like beaded strings or patterned films could reduce bird deaths to about 5 percent.
- Toronto, San Francisco, and New York have adopted bird-safe policies, while Chicago's ordinance has been stalled for nearly a decade.
- The exhibition uses Jennifer Wolch's 'reenchantment' framework and includes local artifacts like nests from Jeanne Gang.
- The exhibition includes interactive options for children and mail-in advocacy materials.
Entities
Artists
- Jeanne Gang
- Alissa Anderson
- Jennifer Wolch
- Anjulie Rao
- Robert Chase Heishman
Institutions
- Chicago Architecture Center
- Studio Gang Architects
- National Audubon Society
- Chicago Collision Monitors
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Weathered
- American Institute of Architects
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Toronto
- Canada
- San Francisco
- New York
- Mexico City
- Mexico
- North America