Chicago Columbian Exposition

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The Chicago Columbian Exposition was part of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. It was, in large part, designed by Daniel Burnum. It was called the Columbian Exposition because it was the 400 year anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in the Americas. In essence, it was the prototype of what Burnum and his collegues thought a city should be. It was designed to follow Beaux Arts principles of design, namely, European Classical Architecture principles based on symmetry and balance. It became known as the White City for two reasons. For one, because the buildings were made of a white stucco, which, in comparison to the tenements of Chicago (and the rest of the United States for that matter) at that time, seemed illuminated. It was also called the White City because this was the first time street lights were ever used, making the boulevards and buildings walkable at night. It included such buildings as: The Administration Building, desinged by Richard Morris Hunt The Agricultural Building, designed by Charles McKim The Manufacturing Building, designed by George Post The Women's Building, designed by Sophia G. Hayden. The first Ferris Wheel, built by George Ferris.

Following World Fair traditions, the buildings were temporary installations, and as such were eventually demolished. The only building to remain was Daniel Burnum's building, the Palace of Fine Arts.

It gave rise to the “City Beautiful” movement which began in Chicago. Results included grandious buildings and fountains built around Olmstedian parks, shallow pools of water on axis to central buildings, larger park systems, broad boulevards and parkways and after the turn of the century, zoning laws and planned suburbs.

Examples of the City Beautiful movement's works include the City of Chicago, the Colombia University campus, and the Mall in Washington D.C.

Also see: World's Columbian Exposition