Since 1996, the first Monday of October has been reserved for celebrating the practice and artistry of architecture. First established at the International Union of Architects Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, World Architecture Day marks a time to reflect on the potential of architecture; how it affects people, cities and societies.
As part of our commitment to lasting impact, we don’t take this responsibility lightly. We truly believe architecture has the potential to change lives and we’re constantly inspired by the past, present and future of the industry. This year, the International Union of Architects (UIA) — representing the world’s 3.2 million architects — dubbed the theme of World Architecture Day 2020 as “Toward a better urban future.” Panelists on a global webinar will discuss challenges facing today’s cities such as housing, air quality and public spaces. Through coming together to solve these problems, we can enhance the human experience across the world.
World Architecture Day 2019 at the Glencoe Office
Although we take this day for reflection and contribution to the architecture world, we also love getting our team involved in celebrating. Last year, some of our Chicago office competed in the marshmallow challenge to put their architecture skills to the ultimate test. From architects to accountants to property managers, our staff raced to see who could build the tallest tower out of spaghetti and marshmallows. Luckily, the architects proved their expertise, coming in at first place — but accountants followed closely in second place! This year, we’ll be celebrating individually while working from home.
From all of us to our fellow architects, Happy World Architecture Day!
When Optima expanded to Arizona in 2000, we were enthralled by the new frontier and its unique climate. To this day, we continue to be inspired by the desert landscape — and there’s no better place to indulge that passion and find new inspiration than at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. The gardens, which are located just a short drive from Optima Biltmore Towers in Phoenix, and Optima Sonoran Village and Optima Camelview Village in Scottsdale, are also perfect activity for our residents.
The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden
The Desert Botanical Garden
The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is a 140-acre sprawling wonderland of flora and fauna nestled among the red rocks of the Papago Butte. Visitors can see thousands of species of towering cacti, lush trees, alluring succulents and brilliant flowers from not just Arizona, but all over the world. Overall, 50,000+ plants cover five thematic trails, and the garden is proud to care for 485 rare and endangered species among that number.
The garden was first established back in 1939, when a small but passionate group of Arizonians were compelled to act and preserve the beautiful desert environs. Among them was Swedish botanist Gustaf Starck, who rallied others to the cause with a posted sign reading “Save the Desert.” Eight decades later, Desert Botanical Garden has expanded, thanks to the generous investment and care of many. Alongside its impressive collection of plantlife, the garden also offers specialized tours, special events, seasonal exhibits, concerts, family exhibits and two places to dine: Gertrude’s restaurant and the Patio Cafe.
The Desert Botanical Garden has reopened during COVID-19 with increased safety precautions in place. Tickets must be reserved in advance, but the garden’s limited occupancy amidst its sprawling gardenscape makes it the perfect place for socially distanced fun. Whether you’re looking to reconvene with nature or just while away the day in a beautiful setting, the Desert Botanical Garden is the perfect place to find inspiration and relaxation.
With aligning principles, artists and aesthetics, our practice of Modernism and the Bauhaus movements often overlap. Chicago’s Bauhaus movement offered unique contributions to the city’s growth, and continues to inspire. Today, we dive into its past and its present impact.
Troubled Beginnings
During WWII, many artists and instructors involved with the Bauhaus movement were forced to flee Germany (you can read a more in-depth history on our past blog post,100 Years of Bauhaus.) A group of instructors took refuge in the United States, a few taking particular interest in Chicago and the Midwest. Among them was László Moholy-Nagy, who was enlisted by the Chicago Association of Arts and Industries to help open a similar Bauhaus school to attract talent. With Moholy-Nagy’s eccentric leadership, The New Bauhaus was born.
Chicago Landscape #26, 1964, Art Sinsabaugh. Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
An Expansive Practice
Considering its widespread impact on the art world and Chicago, The New Bauhaus was a short-lived school, its formation filled with dramatic disagreements between leadership and changes in locations. Moholy-Nagy and other teachers built an atypical educational experience that produced eccentric, groundbreaking artists; however, the work they produced wasn’t particularly practical or profitable. After his death, the school was absorbed by the Illinois Institute of Technology and transferred to the care of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Despite its turbulent trials, Chicago’s New Bauhaus school influenced many artists and industries, ranging from textiles and furniture to photography and sculpture. Ludwig Hilberseimer, another German immigrant, made notable strides in urban planning. Nathan Lerner and Art Sinsabaugh helped define the visual culture in Chicago. Emmett McBain had a remarkable impact on the representation of Black Americans in advertising. Often overlooked through the lens of history, the women active in Chicago’s Bauhaus movement had impactful careers as well, from Marion Mahony Griffin’s architectural and planning work and Elsa Kula’s colorful, eye-catching work.
From architecture and urban design to painting and sculpture, the legacy of the Bauhaus is evident throughout Chicago. And ultimately, its relationship with Modernism naturally means it’s also reflected in our own buildings and sense of design.
Artwork at Optima is a huge part of our love of design, and what makes our spaces special at every turn. Recently, we sat down with Ellison Keomaka, an artist whose work appears throughout some of our Arizona properties, to discuss his process, his sources of inspiration and his relationship with Optima.
Tell us a bit about your background. Where does your passion for art stem from? How did you first get started as an artist?
I believe everyone is creative in their own way, and mine happens to be visual arts. I’ve had many interests and endeavors over the years, but I always enjoyed doing my own thing and set out pretty young to start my artistic career. I started off drawing vehicles, eventually navigating away from that and into comic-style artwork. Every piece paves the way for new ideas in the next creation. My style has changed quite a bit over the years and evolved with my experiences in life.
B.E.V. by Ellison Keomaka
What are your preferred mediums? How do 2-D and 3-D spaces interact within your pieces?
I used to be very into realism, and I used a lot of airbrush and classic techniques. As an artist, I wanted to use more of the material found in the world around me. From soil found in distant countries to fabrics found at a craft store, I’m always searching for the next textural combination that makes something interesting. It’s fun to see these materials, textures and artifacts and make them come together in a 2-D space.
An example would be my use of vintage magazines and articles. In one of the Optima paintings, — Present Future Past — there are magazine articles from 1938, a dishtowel, watchband and wooden cutouts pressed into the piece.
How does color play a part in your work?
In my earlier works, there were more dark colors. As I developed my style, I recognized the value of color in changing human emotion. When you look at specific colors or shapes, they cause you to feel something or spark inspiration. All of that makes color an infinite playground for an artist to create.
How did you get involved with Optima?
Around 2016, I was eating lunch across from Optima Kierland while it was under construction — and it just looked so wildly different from anything else in Phoenix. I enjoy architecture, and Optima’s aesthetic caught my eye. Fast forward, and I ended up moving in there. They were looking for resident events, and I offered to do an art show; I hosted three across Optima Sonoran Village and Optima Kierland Apartments. The Optima team saw my work, and we started having conversations about commissioning pieces for 7180 Optima Kierland.
I was fortunate to have full creative reign on the layouts of each piece, which allowed me to take creative risks and challenge myself. I would consider the Optima series of paintings to be my best body of work to represent myself because each one is unique and tailor-made to fit in those spaces.
Present Future Past by Ellison Keomaka
Give us some details on a favorite piece of yours at Optima. What was the inspiration behind that particular piece? How does it fit into the space at Optima?
Suppose I had to pick a favorite piece —which is always a challenge — I resonate most with Present Future Past. It has a real impact on the viewer with the contrast between the bright blue on the bottom and the upper half’s antique design. While the fluorescent pink line emits excitement of the future, the top presents a juxtaposition of a rugged, forgotten past. This painting aims to inspire us to be present, calm and grateful for occupying this time and space.
Keomaka’s color-filled, vibrant artwork mirrors the same inspired emotions that we search for in our built environment. As with all of the artwork that adorns our walls, his work tells a series of unique stories that speak to everyone who passes through our spaces. Optima certainly wouldn’t be the same without them.
Much like the city’s history, our love for Chicago runs deep. We’re honored to build communities in a place that houses such a storied architectural history— from being the site of the world’s first skyscraper to being the stomping grounds of so many pioneering figures in our field (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Louis Sullivan, to name just a few). But we would be remiss to pay homage to Chicago’s architectural roots without talking about Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago.
The 1909 Plan of Chicago (also known as The Burnham Plan) was co-authored by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett as a fresh, inventive response to beautify Chicago and improve the efficiency of its commerce. Daniel Burnham was chosen for the project as an already-known architect whose resume included managing the construction of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and creating city plans for Washington D.C., San Francisco and Cleveland. Equipped with these past experiences, Burnham dove into research to discover how large-scale international cities tackled swift growth and infrastructure to increase their economy and mobility.
To address the economic, transportation and social needs of Chicagoans during a time of rapid expansion, the Plan of Chicago was broken into six categories: improvement of the lakefront, a regional highway system, improvement of railway terminals, new outer parks, systematic arrangement of streets and civic and cultural centers.
The 1909 Plan of Chicago, by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett. Plate CCCI Plan of Existing and Proposed Parks and Boulevards
Despite the plan being slow to implement at first, the impact of Burnham’s vision for each category is throughout the city we know and love today. Chicago is now home to an impressive string of greenspaces along the lakefront and beyond (often referred to as “Chicago’s Emerald Necklace”), which includes iconic fixtures such as Millennium and Grant Park and Northerly Island. Chicago’s transit was indeed transformed, from highways to railways, and streets were introduced or expanded per Burnham’s recommendations: Ogden Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Roosevelt Road, Wacker Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive. We also have Burnham’s intent to introduce cultural centers to the heart of Chicago’s downtown to thank for the Art Institute and Field Museum.
In addition to shaping the city we know and love, the Plan of Chicago had a profound impact on city planning internationally from there on out. As a Modernist real estate design firm with deep ties to Chicago, we think of Daniel Burnham and his impact each time we traverse through this wonderful city, so influenced by his iconic vision.
Modernism is one of our cornerstones at Optima; it informs everything from our designs to our methodologies. And though the movement is often talked about in reference to architecture, art, sculpture and interior design, Modernism also had a significant impact on graphic art. Today, we’ll dive into Modernist graphic design and its impact on visual communications.
Changes in Vienna
By the end of the 19th century, artists were growing tired of traditional, conservative forms of art. In Vienna, a group of artists led by Gustav Klimtdubbed themselves the Vienna Secession and broke away from the artistic institutions in Austria’s capital at the time. The group explored uncharted territory in form, composition and expression, sparking similar experimentations in other nearby countries such as France and Germany. Rich paint strokes and realism translated into flat color and stylistic typography, expressions that would pave the way for graphic art.
Army recruiting poster, designed by James Montgomery Flagg, 1917. Image in public domain.
The World at War
When World War I began, graphic design was already used for commercial, corporate and aesthetic purposes. Its new role would be political, used in posters and propaganda during the war. Advancements in mass color printing allowed for efficient production of messages to raise funds, encourage enlistment and boost morale. The turmoil and challenges faced in both World Wars would ultimately inspire the first wave of true Modernism within graphic design.
Poster designed by Herbert Bayer, 1930. Credit: kitchener.lord on Flickr Creative Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed
Modern Experiments
Across Europe and in America, graphic designers took inspiration from broader artistic movements such as Cubism, Futurism, De Stijil and Surrealism. In Germany, the Bauhaus movement also had a significant impact on graphic design; thick lines, primary colors and disrupting white space were just as striking in 2-D format as they were in architecture or sculpture. Eventually, Modernist design was defined by abstract expression, bold type and primary colors and shapes. These designers approached the work objectively, emphasizing the rational over the expressive (and emphasizing the classic Modernist belief that form follows function).
As the Nazis rose to power in the 1930s, Modernist experiments in all practices were denounced, and many artists, architects and designers immigrated to the United States. Although Modernist design was disrupted in its growth, it remains one of the most impactful movements in the history of graphic design. Even our own website has elements of Modernist designs with asymmetry, primary colors and bold typography. Every facet of Modernism inspires what we do, from architecture and sculpture, to the graphic arts.
At Optima, we don’t just build homes, we build communities — that’s because fostering a sense of connection is an integral part of our process, and an integral part of the resident experience. We aim to create spaces where people can meet, play and entertain, whether that’s with other residents of the building or with their friends and family (or a mix of both). And that’s why at our Chicago community, Optima Signature, we added bocce ball courts to one of our four dedicated amenity floors. The highly social and engaging sport not only provides our residents with competitive fun, but it’s an occasion to connect over, too.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the U.S. has seen an explosion of “social bocce” playing across the country. Those seeking exciting new ways to spend time with family and friends have flocked to the casual sport now being played at restaurants, bars and park districts all over. But perhaps what attracts people to the sport even more is its accessibility. Bocce ball is an incredibly beginner-friendly game, and bocce courts are also easy to maintain for the sites that host them.
Bocce is played on courts made of soil or asphalt, typically up to 90 feet long and between 8 and 13 feet wide. Games are played between two opposing players or teams of 2-4, where players “bowl” bocce balls down the court and attempt to get their ball closest to the “jack.” Bocce balls are hefty, spherical balls made from wood, metal, baked clay or plastic. Players/teams receive one point for each ball that is closest to the jack, with most games ending around 7-13 points scored. Considering the space needed while playing, it’s also a great game for social distancing.
The bocce ball court at Optima Signature occupies an open, inviting space between other amenities on the seventh and eighth floors. These dedicated amenity floors, designed to be a gathering space for residents, include features like a putting green, golf simulator, WELLBEATS cycling studio, indoor basketball court and an open lounge area with Egg chairs, perfect for spectators of the game. Bocce ball is a natural fit in the mix, cultivating a lively environment where residents can come together over fun, shared activities.
We believe that building community extends beyond architecture and design. Community is a crucial component to how we design our properties — ensuring that residents and neighbors alike feel more connected through what we do. In support of this, we created the Optima Connect program, which encourages truly holistic community connections.
Optima Connect is a program that offers exclusive benefits and discounts at local businesses. Like our Optimized Service program, the goal of Optima Connect is to provide an added everyday convenience that brings ease, comfort and joy to our residents. The program also serves to bolster local businesses and ramp up support, creating a friendly community ecosystem.
Through Optima Connect at Optima Sonoran Village and Optima Kierland Apartments, residents can enjoy exclusive and luxury benefits such as BOGO tickets at Ballet Arizona, discounted fitness classes and up to 20% off at nearby restaurants — just to name a few. To peruse the full list of Optima Connect benefits available to Optima Sonoran Village residents, visit here.
Supporting community growth and connection amongst our residents and neighbors is something we care deeply about at Optima. As Jamie Springer, Regional Manager in Arizona, explains:
It’s really made us a stronger part of the community. It’s a dual partnership that gives discounts to our residents and helps promote local businesses. We seek Optima Connect partners for events — especially virtual events right now, like mixology and cooking classes — to introduce residents to nearby businesses. We want residents to feel connected to the community outside of our buildings and create a neighborhood feel with places they can walk to.
From the Optima Connect program, to the careful and thoughtful selection process that goes into choosing retail tenants at our properties, we know that our relationship to the spaces around us deepens our sense of belonging.
Our reverence for sculpture and for the cities in which we operate collide to create a deep appreciation for the public art of Chicago. And as we explore the craft in the city we love, we’re doing deep dives into famous public works from downtown to vibrant neighborhood pockets. This week, it’s all about Joan Miro’s Chicago.
History of Miro’s Chicago
This iconic sculpture by iconic artist Joan Miro was first titled The Sun, The Moon and One Star but is known now as Miro’s Chicago. Originally, Miro was commissioned by Brunswick Corporation in 1969 to design a sculpture, but the project halted when Brunswick withdrew funding. In 1979, Chicago’s first female mayor Jane Byrne reinvigorated the project, promising to fund the first half of the project if others would commit to funding the second half. Together, foundations, institutions and individuals rallied to commit that final stretch of funding, and Miro himself reduced the cost of construction by completely donating his design to the city. It’s only appropriate, then, that Miro’s Chicago is an iconic fixture in the city, as it was brought to fruition by collaborative and impassioned locals.
Visiting Miro’s Chicago
The sculpture is tucked modestly away in a narrow plaza between the Cook County Administration Building and the Chicago Temple Building in Chicago’s downtown financial district. The plaza, known as Brunswick Plaza, is directly south of the Daley Center and nearly directly south of another iconic Chicago public art piece, the Chicago Picasso.
Miro’s Chicago, in its modest and peaceful crevice downtown, makes for a serene location for local workers to have lunch outside. The concrete, bronze and ceramic tile façade towers to almost 40 feet tall, and its curving figure has earned the nickname “Miss Chicago.” The large pedestal beneath the sculpture invites passerby to sit and marvel — either at the statue above, or the striking Chicago architecture even farther above. As a piece of public art, it does exactly what we at Optima know and love sculpture for: it elicits an emotional experience from its viewer, while activating the incredible architectural space around it.
As devout fans of Modernism, at Optima we love to experiment with form and function. That’s how Optima Co-Founder David Hovey Sr. got into sculpture. Combining his love of art with his interest in materials, David Hovey Sr. began manipulating steel to create striking sculptural pieces that play complement to Optima’s architectural spaces. Today, we’re examining one of his sculptures: Silver Fern.
Silver Fern in the 7160 tower at Optima Kierland Apartments
Like all original Optima sculptures, Silver Fern is a piece that has many versions, varying in both size and color. But what never changes is the form of the piece: Silver Fern is a uniquely two-dimensional sculpture. Silver Fern’s two-dimensionality allows the sculpture to explore the nature of a flat piece of steel, given depth through other experimental plays. The smooth piece of steel is laser cut with circles and triangles that create depth through shadows and voids. Meanwhile, jagged edges and sharp corners play perfect juxtaposition to the soft, sweeping curve of the steel, further illuminating the material’s multifaceted ways of being.
Silver Fern at 7180 Optima Kierland
The sculpture’s many adaptable forms play perfectly in our various communities. In the 7160 tower at Optima Kierland Apartments, two iterations of Silver Fern pose side-by-side, one in brilliant orange and one in striking yellow, their curves blending together to create an undulating pattern. The sculptures are seen through the front glass curtain wall by anyone walking up through the courtyard, activating the space with energy from the get-go. Meanwhile at 7180 Optima Kierland, a Silver Fern piece swathed in neon green plays bold contrast to Modernist red chairs in the lobby.
Whether we’re experimenting with form, function, size or color — at Optima we love to playfully implement sculpture as yet another component of thoughtful design.
