Between the Museum and the City

An ambitious collaboration between two Chicago institutions, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the College of Architecture and the Arts at the University of Illinois, gave rise to Between the Museum and the City: Garofalo Architects. Chicago-based architect Douglas Garofalo, a burgeoning talent, was tasked with creating a temporary architectural space to bridge the museum and Chicago. Utilizing the input of cultural theorists, museum workers, educators, urban planners, engineers, city officials, college and high school students, artists, and sponsors, a distinct, abstract form emerged from the design process, complete with seating and space for public use. From May-October 2003, the structure was a gathering place for programs and performances, a weekly farmers' market, and nighttime dinner parties, all of which are documented in Between the City and the Museum; an illustrated book detailing Garofalo's innovative project and accompanying essay.