Since opening in 1916, the Navy Pier has probably undergone more transformations than any other Chicago, IL, landmark. Originally designed by Charles Sumner Frost, the pier has been home to recreation and retail offerings, passenger and freight traffic and the University of Illinois. And don't forget service to the military during World War I and World War II. Whatever its use, the vision for Navy Pier has remained constant. Chicago city officials have viewed the pier as an important element in the city's recreation portfolio.

The most recent transformation for the pier reached completion in 1995, when a revitalized Navy Pier was rededicated-a thriving combination of recreation, entertainment and convention offerings. Connected to Chicago's lakefront park system, Navy Pier today bustles with activity throughout the day and well into the night. In fact, since its rededication in 1992, the pier has become the second ranked tourist attraction in Illinois.

Behind the energy of the pier is the design team of VOA Associates of Chicago, and BTA of Cambridge, MA. The team was selected for the project following a national design competition, and worked to create a vibrant, multi-use venue that would serve a variety of users. Their charge was to create an active public amenity where the revenue-generating potential of the development, while critical, was really secondary to the development's recreation and entertainment focus.

"Navy Pier has been referred to as a 'common man's boat'," states Rick Fawell, VOA Design principal. "At 3,000 feet in length, the pier takes visitors out onto Lake Michigan, so views back to the city are similar to those from a boat out on the water."

Fawell notes that the design team's intent was to use the pier's architecture as a backdrop for activity.

"Our goal was not to create an architectural monument. We paid attention to scale, design details and materials to, in effect, create a city block. You could say the architecture is a theatrical backdrop to the activity that takes place. The design is very pedestrian-friendly and accommodates a variety of experiences."

The design included a new infrastructure for the pier. The original Head House and the structures east of the terminal building were restored, and the existing freight sheds were demolished to make way for new convention and entertainment facilities. New masonry stair towers were placed at regular intervals down the length of the South Dock to give pedestrians a sense of urban scale, and to reduce the mass of the development.

Visitors enter the pier through the 19-acre Gateway park, which features a computerized public fountain that encourages public interaction. Upon entering the development, visitors progress past the Family Pavilion, a series of boutique shops, restaurants and a 440-seat IMAX Theater, a 60,000-square-foot Children's Museum and an indoor garden that overlooks a park complete with a ferris wheel, carousel and a 1,500-seat outdoor theater. The last piece is the Festival Hall, a convention and conference facility, that sits on the end of the pier.

Tying together the restaurants, shops, theaters and other features is "Dock St.," an outdoor promenade that runs the length of the pier. Features include cart markets, performing and fishing pavilions, trolley shelters, cafés and a beer garden.

The lake side of the South Dock features trolley shelters that also serve as shelters for those waiting to board sightseeing and dinner-cruise boats that leave from the pier. The structural steel shelters with teal-colored metal roofs blend neatly with the architecture of the buildings beyond.

Fawell states that design details and many materials used on the project have historic references, though some have been modernized. Street lamps, as an example, are similar in style to those that might have been used years ago, though updated to accommodate banners that are used to announce a variety of events.

While a day on the pier can be very busy, places for quiet and rest are also available. A series of Weatherend semicircular settees, located by a pool and at other locations, offer places for quiet reflection or to enjoy refreshment. Landscaping introduces places for rest and brings the greenery found at the entrance of the pier into the development.

The positive response to the revitalized pier is evidenced by its evolution to a year-round venue. Fawell notes that the first winter following the rededication, many businesses were shut down. The following year, business owners asked and were allowed to remain open throughout the year in response to the high level of traffic experienced on the pier.

The revitalized Navy Pier proudly takes its place in Chicago's portfolio of public amenities-a special place that residents and visitors are sure to treasure for years to come.

Related Articles » Eco Design: Going, Going, Gone » The successful renovation of the McLamore Center for children » A crumbling Apartment Complex Becomes a vibrant community. » Natural light and beautiful views distinguish ne home for Brann Blau. » Industrial elegance distinguishes new home of Manhattan creative group » Portfolio Diversification » Home Is Where the Heart Is » Eco Design: Hitting Matters » Redefining Residential Design » Chicago Style