Griffin MSI's new design must go back to the drawing board: 'Carbuncle in the park'

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is one of those buildings that just looks good from all sides and angles — graced with perfect siting, courtesy of Daniel Burnham, and a great Greek Revival design by the hand of architect Charles Atwood.The south side of the building is the winning view, of course, with that portico and the Columbia basin shimmering in front of it.But the museum's primary elevation along 57th Street is the one everyone sees. It's an impressive neo-classical expanse…
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A beluga whale has died at the Shedd Aquarium after being transferred there from the shuttered Marineland aquarium in Ontario, Canada.It was the third from Marineland to die at the Shedd, and the fourth from Marineland overall. Osiris, a 26-year-old female beluga of "clinical concern," died Monday, the Shedd announced in a blog post. Her condition had been closely monitored since she arrived at the Shedd in late July, and she had periods of nutritional and social progress, the Shedd said.…
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An endangered Englewood mansion built by the Victorian era man-about-town and gambler James "Big Jim" O'Leary — his mother and her cow were blamed for starting the Great Chicago Fire — should be granted preliminary landmark status, the city's two leading preservation groups said Monday.Landmarks Illinois and Preservation Chicago told the Commission on Chicago Landmarks' Program Committee that the designation is needed to protect the vacant 125-year-old O'Leary Mansion, 726 W. Garfield Blvd.,…
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The worst defeat so far in coach Ben Johnson’s time with the Bears was unquestionably the second game of last season, when he returned to Ford Field in Detroit — his former home turf as the Lions’ offensive coordinator — and left with a 52-21 loss.The second-worst might have been the second game of this season on Sunday — and that was before quarterback Caleb Williams pulled his hamstring midway through the fourth quarter of a sloppy, soggy 9-3 loss to the Vikings.After talking openly about…