LEGO architecture 21033 User manual

21033
Chicago
Illinois, USA

Chicago
Known as the Windy City, Chicago rises up from the shores
of Lake Michigan to present the perfect image of a modern
American metropolis.
As the ‘Gateway to the West’ and the starting point of the
famous Route 66, Chicago became America’s fastest
growing city as the country expanded westward. It is now
the third largest city in the USA, with 77 distinct districts and
a population of nearly three million people.
History and architecture have always gone hand-in-hand in
Chicago. The Great Fire of 1871 forced the city to completely
reinvent itself and provided the foundation for the vibrant
modern skyline we see today.
[ “It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up
with Chicago. She outgrows his prophecies faster than he
can make them.” ]
Mark Twain
2

3

Located in the heart of the city, the 110-story Willis Tower was
completed in 1974 at a cost of $175 million. The tower was
the first to use the “bundled-tubular” construction principle,
where nine independent sections were joined together to
provide extra stability against Chicago’s high winds. The
Willis Tower has more than 16,000 bronze-tinted windows
and 28 acres (11.3 ha) of black aluminum cladding or “skin”.
The Ledge, the famous glass balcony that extends from the
tower’s observation deck, leaves visitors standing 1,353 ft.
(412 m) in the air.
Willis Tower™
4

5

Cloud Gate
Designed by British artist Anish Kapoor, the 110-ton
(99,790.3 kg) elliptical sculpture is forged from a seamless
series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect
Chicago’s famous skyline and the clouds above. Inspired by
liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind
in the world, measuring 66 ft. (20 m) long by 33 ft. (10 m) high.
© Patrick Pyszka
6

© Walter Mitchell 7

DuSable Bridge
The DuSable Bridge is where the famous Michigan Avenue
crosses the Chicago River and is both a beautiful work of
art and a great civil engineering feat. Completed in 1920,
the Beaux Arts style bridge was designed to resemble the
Alexander III Bridge over the Seine in Paris. The double-deck
bridge with highways on both levels opens up to allow boats
to pass underneath.
8

Standing on a triangular piece of land at the northwest
corner of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River, The
Wrigley Building has been an iconic part of the city’s skyline
for over 95 years. The Wrigley Building consists of two towers,
completed in 1921 and 1924, connected by walkways at
the 3rd and 14th floors. The Wrigley Building’s architecture
combines French Renaissance and Spanish Revival styles,
but adds a unique American twist.
The Wrigley Building is clad in more than 250,000 terra
cotta tiles of more than 500 unique designs. The tiles are
six different colors, ranging from blue-white at the bottom
to creamy white at the top, to enhance a sunlit appearance.
The Wrigley Building™
9

This simple, rectangular International Style structure was
completed in 1973 and is famous for its eye-catching red
color. The 600 ft. (183 m) tall building is also renowned for
using its lights and windows to display messages during
festive and sporting events. A computer program is used to
calculate which windows need to be activated to create the
proper message.
Big Red
Completed in 1970, the distinctive 100-story John Hancock
Center reaches 1,127 ft. (343.5 m) into the city skyline. Named
after an insurance company and original tenant, the tower
is known locally in Chicago as “Big John”. A band of white
lights adorn the top of the building and are visible throughout
Chicago at night. The color of these lights changes to mark
different holidays such as Christmas (red & green), Valentine’s
Day (red & white) and St Patrick’s Day (green).
John Hancock Center
10