History
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In the 1890s, Daniel Burnham realized that Chicago needed new architectural plans and a new layout for the city. With population growth from 30,000 to 300,000 over a period of 20 years, Chicago was unable to sustain the rapidly growing population. Burnham decided to oversee the transformation of a swampy area near Lake Michigan into a glistening White City for Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
World's Columbian Exposition
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This grand event, meant to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World. The layout of the city for the fair was a prototype for Burnham's eventual plans to transform Chicago into a more modern, efficient design.
Burnham used neoclassical architectural principles to make the city look more appealing and, therefore, promote urbanization to the cities. He believed that if cities became more planned out and easier to live in, people would be more motivated to accept the shift into the cities.
The exposition ran for 6 months. Over this run, 27 million people attended the exposition. The scale and grandeur exceeded other world's fairs and was a symbol for American Exceptionalism.
The fair showed to serve the world that Chicago had risen from the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire, which had destroyed muc hof the city in 1871.
The day was deemed Chicago Day and set a world record for outdoor attendance.
Burnham used neoclassical architectural principles to make the city look more appealing and, therefore, promote urbanization to the cities. He believed that if cities became more planned out and easier to live in, people would be more motivated to accept the shift into the cities.
The exposition ran for 6 months. Over this run, 27 million people attended the exposition. The scale and grandeur exceeded other world's fairs and was a symbol for American Exceptionalism.
The fair showed to serve the world that Chicago had risen from the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire, which had destroyed muc hof the city in 1871.
The day was deemed Chicago Day and set a world record for outdoor attendance.
White City Layout
The area was the first example of a comprehensive planning document in the nation. The fairground was complete with grand boulevards, classical building facades, and lush gardens. It was often called the "White City" due to the Paris plaster it used and the chalky white appearance of the buildings.
Burnham's Plan for Chicago
Recommended an integrated series of projects including new and widened streets, parks, new railroad and harbor facilities, and civic buildings. Not all of the plans were used, however, the document reshaped Chicago and had a large influence on modernizing city planning.
Six major physical elements
Improvement of the lakefront |
Acquisition of an outer park system |
Developing a highway system |
Arranging systematic streets |
Improving the freight and passenger railway systems |
Creation of a civil center of cultural institutions and government |
Six principles to guide the region
Water |
Ecosystem and energy |
Transportation tied to good land use |
Connect people to opportunity |
Public transit and freight |
One region, one future |