Last week I lead a photowalk around the University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park. Such great diversity in architectural styles on this campus.
First up, the brutalist Regenstein Library. While I’m typically not a huge fan of brutalist architecture I actually really like this building. It has such great texture and given the great weather we had, the warm tones of the concrete play nicely of the rich, blue sky.




A short walk north and we’re at one of the campuses newer buildings, the Campus North Residential Commons designed by one of my favorite architects, Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang Architects. The white concrete again plays well off the vivid blue sky. I also love the contrast in its curves and linearity.



Given the material of the building it can sometimes feel a bit brutalist.

One of the next stops was the Booth Harper Center. It has this really great atrium inside. On a sunny day, like we had, you can get some great reflections.

Or just playing with the lines of the columns and ceiling detail make for some nice symmetrical shots.

Just across the street and a bit south is the Rockefeller Chapel. Unfortunately, it was closed but the bell tower has some nice geometric details. Again, good for some symmetry.


Across the plaisance is the Laird Bell Law Quadrangle with more great geometry.


One of my favorite subjects of the day was the sculpture, Construction in Space and in the Third and Fourth Dimensions by Antoine Pevsner, in the reflecting pool outside of this building. You have to walk through some shallow water to get close enough to make your shots but it’s well worth some slightly wet feet. The intense blue of the sky contrasting with the copper-colored sculpture made for a great color combo.



Given the nice light, it also works well in black and white.

Just a short walk west is the Logan Center for the Arts. A nice clean building. Centering the main part of the building in my frame and allowing another portion of the building with its reflections in the corner of my frame made for some interesting geometry. Given this part of the building was in the shade while we were there, and I was shooting into the sun, the blue sky takes on a softer tone.

We made a brief stop in the Harper Reading Room for some shots of its Gothic Architecture.

A final shot of the roofline from another of the university’s gothic buildings in the Quad.

We had a beautiful day to tour around this fantastic campus. Head over to Photography Unfolded and follow along on the blog to see some of the student’s pics soon!