A Brief History Of Chicago's Flamingo

Chicago is an incredibly artistic city, and there are a few structures that stand out in particular, especially Alexander Calder’s Flamingo. The Flamingo is the anchor of the rectangular plaza in the Loop, and this plaza of federal buildings was all designed by Mies van der Rohe. This sculpture is made of steel and glass and shares certain design principles with its surrounding architecture. The open design allows all tourists and viewers to walk under the sculpture, and like the Cloud Gate, it’s also considered a prime photo destination if you’re just in Chicago for a quick work trip.

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The Flamingo was created by Alexander Calder and was unveiled in 1974. Standing at 53 feet and weighing 50 tons, it’s not a subtle piece of art. It received its bright color, which is called ‘Calder Red,’ to offset the dark, steel office buildings nearby. This sculpture was commissioned by the US General Services Administration as a flavorful piece to go in front of the Kluczynski Federal Building. This was the first work of art every commissioned by the GSA under the federal ‘Percent for Art’ program that allocates a percentage of the project’s budget to public art.
Alexander Calder was asked to design it because of his well-established, international reputation. In April of 1973, he unveiled the model at the Art Institute of Chicago, and in October of 1974, the sculpture was presented to the public for the first time. Calder’s sculpture is a prominent example of the constructivist movement, which was first popularized in Russia in the 20th century. Constructivism refers to smaller pieces that are joined together to form a piece of art. Calder’s Universe mobile was also unveiled at the Willis Tower at the same time as the Flamingo sculpture. Therefore, October 25, 1974 was called ‘Alexander Calder Day,’ and the day featured a circus parade.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.