Photo Flash: First Look at Design for the LUCAS MUSEUM OF NARRATIVE ART in Chicago

The architectural concept for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art explores the relationship between nature and the urban environment. Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe, the design integrates the natural beauty of the park and Lake Michigan with the powerful man-made architecture of Chicago. The design furthers the Museum's mission to be a place of education, culture, and inspiration. Check out the preliminary drawings below!

The Lucas Museum design is both futuristic and timeless. Its continuous, undulating organic surface blurs the line between structure and landscape. As the harbor rises up to the land, it merges with stone surfaces that reach up to the sky and ultimately crescendo into a "floating" disc. The Museum is not an isolated object, but a spatial experience that is defined by the people who occupy it and interact with it. Its organic surface is made of a single material, a stone as primitive as it is futuristic, evoking the great achievements of architectural history. It is a place to discover and explore, to communicate and contemplate. More than a building, it is an urban vista for social interaction, bringing people closer to each other and to nature.?

The tallest points of the Lucas Museum will feature an observation deck with 360-degree views, providing visitors with stunning panoramas of both Chicago and Lake Michigan. Inside, three levels of exhibition space in infinite loops will inspire the imagination to ponder endless possibilities, both in content and design.??

The design for the Lucas Museum mirrors the objective of the artwork inside: It tells a story. The narrative ushers in the future of architectural design, exploring the relationship between man and nature. Its iconic design aspires to join the ranks of Chicago's many cherished landmarks.???

To keep the community up to date, The Lucas Museum website will feature a live web-cam as well as time-lapse photography to showcase the progression of the building's design.

Following a global search, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art seclected Beijing-based MAD Architects as the principal designer for the Lucas Museum site while Chicago-based Studio Gang will design the landscape and create a bridge to connect The Lucas Museum to Northerly Island. VOA Associates, based in Chicago, will serve as the executive architect and lead the implementation of MAD's design.