Plan underway to transform Chicago's Pedway into tourist attraction
Officials in the city of Chicago are exploring a proposed plan to transform a network of underground tunnels into a tourist attraction, granting a non-profit permission to create more detailed plans for the project.
Running beneath the city’s central business district, the Pedway connects more than 50 buildings and offers a convenient way to navigate downtown Chicago, but has been criticised for being difficult to navigate.
The non-profit Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) has commissioned a study to come up with innovative new ways to improve the Pedway, including simple tasks such as improving signage and access to the pedestrian route, and more detailed plans to turn the space into a tourist attraction in its own right.
Several companies have been involved in the proposed plans, including British consultancy firm BuroHappold Engineering, US architects DavisBrodyBond, London-based Billings Jackson Design and Bristol-based design agency City ID.
Among the plans, a subterranean library – highlighted by an overground sculpture of a giant book – has been touted, as have things such as farmer’s markets, underground galleries and pop-up installations.
Still in the developmental phase, a project budget has not been set for the Pedway project. Improvements will help better connect important downtown locations such as the Thompson Center and City Hall, and could be funded in a number of yet-to-be decided ways. These include a local property tax and funding from the county or federal government.
Individual businesses who own property above certain areas of the Pedway could also make improvements below ground related to their brand – for example the Chicago Cultural Center could create a natural extension to its facility by opening an underground art gallery within the network to match its topside offering.
If the plans are realised the Pedway could go the way of similar projects such as New York’s High Line – a converted disused railway line turned into an overground park – or Sydney’s Goods Line, an urban corridor running from the city’s ultimo neighbourhood to the iconic Darling Harbour.
Chicago Pedway Visitor attractions galleries chicago architecture design art culture Environmental Law and Policy Center DavisBrodyBond


Obamas unveil design for presidential museum and library on Chicago's South Side
New chapter for Chicago’s Cultural Mile as American Writers Museum prepares for opening
Gensler launch $500m revamp of Chicago's Willis Tower to create 'must-visit' attraction
Long-awaited Chicago Riverwalk brings leisure to the heart of the city


OMA complete latest expansion for Milan's Fondazione Prada

Crystal Palace edges closer to stadium revamp after council votes to approve design plan

Design unveiled for cinema centre in Seoul's movie district

Six Senses Fiji opens with nature-focused Spa Village

Spurs: new images and plastic-reducing measures unveiled for future stadium

One&Only to debut Urban Resorts in Dubai with ‘spa that never sleeps’

Sweden’s boutique hotel The Lamp to add design-focused spa

Carlo Ratti explores the effects of climate change at Milan Pavilion

Rossana Hu: Separation of interior design and architecture is a mistake

Reiulf Ramstad reveals design for French landscape hotel and spa with 'Nordic temperament'

Salone del Mobile and Design Week kick off in Milan with 300,000 visitors expected

Green light for HawkinsBrown's mixed-use masterplan for historic mill

New renderings for Moomin Park as opening date set for Japanese nature attraction

ACE Hotels announce Kengo Kuma will design its first property in Japan

Maria Sharapova and Dan Meis join forces to design boutique sport and fitness facilities

U2’s iconic Claw stage to become permanent fixture at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

FC Barcelona make breakthrough in bid to build new stadium and 'Barça' district

CannonDesign's Baltimore basketball arena 'embraces movement' through design

China clamping down on unsustainable theme park boom

Winning design revealed for Montreal contemporary art museum expansion

MVRDV win competition for landmark public installation in Den Helder with 'infinite loop' design

FC Nantes reveals proposed design for striking new stadium

Bjarke Ingels Group reveal zigzagging hotel with ski roof for Audemars Piguet visitor attraction

W Hotels opens first Central American property with colourful W Panama

Swansea council strikes deal for 'state-of-the-art' waterfront arena with vast digital façade

FXCollaborative selected to transform landmark New York church into vibrant home of Children's Museum of Manhattan

Want to recreate an airport in your nightclub? Entire contents of Heathrow's Terminal 1 to go under the hammer

Heritage masterplan for Edinburgh sets out sustainable tourism model for World Heritage Site

The show must go on: BRC masterminds new PT Barnum Museum in Connecticut
