Make no little plans

Daniel BurnhamOver the next several months, Chicago is commemorating the centennial of architect Daniel Burnham’s legendary “Plan of Chicago.”

In 1907, 36 years after “The Great Conflagration” (the Chicago fire of 1871), at a time when Chicago had been the fastest-growing city in the history of the world, Burnham and his partner, Edward Bennett, were commissioned to prepare a perspective on how the city might evolve to better handle the needs of its inhabitants. Burnham and Bennett held nothing back, developing a comprehensive vision for the modern city, including detailed proposals for access to the 24-mile lakefront, public parks, civic buildings, as well as fundamental infrastructure such as transportation. Presented in 1909, the plan not only helped shape the city of Chicago, it revolutionized urban design.

Over the previous four decades, Burnham had already played a significant role rebuilding the city after the fire. Also, he had overseen the development of The World’s Columbian Exposition, which was the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Plus, he had built the world’s largest architectural firm, responsible for hundreds of buildings across the country — including the world’s first skyscrapers, as well as many of the largest buildings of the time.

What can we learn from Burnham?

Daniel Burnham was the whole package. He was a big thinker who thrived on doing what had never been done before. He also was the consummate marketer and salesman, understanding how to build consensus and close the deal. And he was a pragmatic manager, with the ability to get a project completed.

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.” - Daniel Burnham

Through November, visitors to Chicago can see several exhibits honoring the Burnham Plan: the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s huge model of downtown Chicago, consisting of more than 1,000 individually made resin buildings, and two temporary pavilions in Millennium Park, designed by world-renowned architects Zaha Hadid and Ben van Berkel.

Comments

[Jeff Young]

Great blog post Mark! I especially like Daniel Burnham's quote -- very inspirational (it's now on my wall).