Burnham Plan Centennial celebrations in Chicago celebrate the bold plans and big dreams originally created for the city. The Burnham Pavilion by Zaha Hadid Architects triggers the visitors’ curiosity and encourages them to consider the future of Chicago. The design merges new formal concepts with the memory of Daniel Burnham’s bold, historic urban planning.  

The pavilion is composed of an intricate curved aluminium structure, with each element shaped and welded in order to create its unique fluid form. Fabric skins have been tightly zipped around the metal frame to create the curvilinear shape. The interior skin also serves as the screen for a video installation that explores Chicago’s past and future.