Chicago - "Me, Myself and Infrastructure: Private Lives and Public Works in America," opens August 8 and will run through November 16, 2007 at the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF). The exhibition is free and open daily at CAF, 224 S. Michigan Ave. (across from the Art Institute).
A consumer's-eye view of the technology networks that keep society connected and that define modern life, Me, Myself and Infrastructure brings civil engineering close to home by encouraging people to take a fresh look at their everyday environments. This innovative exhibition features the road that leads to Naperville, a New York coffee shop, an intersection in Atlanta, an office cubicle in Silicon Valley, and a big-box store located ‘Anywhere, USA.' Visitors will learn how their behavior determines the sustainability of their cities and the quality of their lives.
"Me, Myself and Infrastructure asks questions about the infrastructure that most of us take for granted," says Gregory Dreicer, vice president of exhibitions and programs. "I conceived this project to demonstrate that the networks that make up the built environment are inseparable from our social and cultural networks."
The exhibition tells the story of a thirsty, car-crazy nation. Rather than simply highlighting the tallest and biggest structures that mark some of engineering's greatest achievements, Me, Myself and Infrastructure examines how people often react to the tallest and the biggest-often with a "not in my back yard" attitude. Visitors will be challenged to look at infrastructure as much more than just beams, pipes and roadways.
Through the exhibition and related public programs, Me, Myself and Infrastructure asks A&D professionals questions as it challenges them to explore the systems that support their lives-and their beliefs about the world. The exhibit's series of installations investigate questions such as: How much water is used to manufacture a computer microchip? When we throw trash away, why is it preserved forever?
The exhibition appears thanks to the generous support of the American Society of Civil Engineers. For more information, call (312) 922-3432 or visit www.architecture.org.
About the Chicago Architecture Foundation
The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public interest and education in architecture and related design. CAF pursues this mission through a comprehensive program of tours, exhibits, special events, and lectures. Home to a new permanent exhibition: YOU ARE HERE, CAF is located in the Santa Fe Building at 224 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL. For further information, visit www.architecture.org or call (312) 922-3432.