Poetry Foundation Now Open in Chicago, United States

July 28, 2011 Category: Cultural, Public Buildings

Situated in Chicago, United States, Poetry Foundation Now Open was designed by John Ronan Architects. Sited on a corner in Chicago’s River North neighbourhood, the building blurs the distinction between building and landscape, between indoor and outdoor space. Visitors enter through an eroded corner that reveals a garden space within. This garden is an urban oasis- a respite from the busy and frenetic city. The building’s public spaces- a poetry reading room, gallery and library- (located on the ground floor) are organised around the garden, with most rooms having direct visual access to the landscape.

Offices are housed on the second level. The public spaces unfold ‘like the pages in a book’ little by little, sparking the visitor’s interest to see more as they make their way through the building. Once inside the garden, visitors are met by a double height library space that announces the entrance to the literary environment. On the interior, an exhibition gallery connects the library to the reading room, where poets present their work.

Poetry Foundation Now Open design by John Ronan Architects