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Unveiled in 1974, Marc Chagall's four-sided mosaic was slowly being destroyed by the very thing it celebrates: the four seasons. Chicago's freeze-thaw cycle was wreaking havoc with the mortar in which the jewel-like stone and glass pieces are embedded. A canopy was needed to protect the 70-foot-long sculpture from snow and rain while retaining the all-important play of natural light. Architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP produced a design strong enough to hold its own among the office towers lining First National Plaza and simple enough to focus attention on the art itself.
Form clearly follows function, with four columns supporting a 90-foot-long span. The steel structure has a gleaming bronze skin that echoes architectural elements of both the bank building and the plaza. The roof consists of 72 panels of laminated, tempered glass that are suspended from a secondary structure in such a way that no distracting mullions are needed. The canopy also houses concealed lights that provide for after-dark viewing. |
