Crown Hall Bash a Smashing Success
Chicago, IL — May 25, 2005 —
More than 120 IIT trustees, donors and invited guests waited with anticipation on May 17 to witness the ceremonial kick-off to the renovation of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's architectural masterpiece, S.R. Crown Hall.
Mies' grandson, architect Dirk Lohan, along with his 10 year-old son Carsten, wielded sledge hammers to smash the first three panes before the guests, newspaper photographers and local television news cameras.
Lohan won the privilege of smashing the first pane of glass as the high bidder of $2705 in a recent eBay auction that garnered national media attention.
Before the shattering of glass and the official draping to cover the curtain wall of Crown Hall was lowered over the south porch of the building, President Lew Collens and other dignitaries applauded the support for the renovation.
Following his welcoming remarks, Collens introduced Donna Robertson, dean of the school of Architecture. She detailed the steps involved to complete the renovation before students return for the fall term in August, 2005. Virginia Bobins, vice chair of the Mies van der Rohe Society, thanked the guests for their support of the project and invited all to return for the grand unveiling in August.
Guests at the Smash Bash also had the opportunity to have their picture taken with a life-sized cutout of Mies van der Rohe.
Both major Chicago newspapers covered the event. The May 18 Chicago Tribune ran an article by architecture critic Blair Kamin on the success of the Smash Bash, and the history and future of Crown Hall. The May 18 Chicago Sun-Times published an article on the Smash Bash and a short history of Mies' work.
Four major Chicago television stations sent crews to document the Smash Bash and aired stories on their late evening newscasts: CBS 2, NBC 5, ABC 7 and Fox News Chicago. The event was also documented on film by MacArthur Genius Grant-winning artist Inigo Manglano-Ovalle.
About Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, is a private, technology-focused, research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, science, architecture, business, design, human sciences, applied technology, and law. One of 16 institutions that comprise the Association of Independent Technological Universities (AITU), Illinois Tech offers exceptional preparation for professions that require technological sophistication, an innovative mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
