Architectural Review — “The Flying Twist”
The August issue of British publication Architectural Review focuses on WMS Boathouse at Clark Park in a major profile.
“Studio Gang and their figurehead, Jeanne Gang, have been engaged in environmental advocacy focused on the Chicago River for several years, and they along with their sometime collaborators at the Natural Resources Defense Council see increased recreational use of the river as a means to inculcate public sensitivity to water quality issues. Their efforts, which culminated in Gang’s 2011 book Reverse Effect, is said to have influenced the Emanuel administration’s decision to prioritise the river.
What is called the WMS Boathouse is in fact two adjacent structures that are similar in scale and material but differ in programme. One is a single-level boat storage and rental facility, while the other is a fully conditioned, two-storey indoor sports building containing fitness equipment, locker rooms and public lounge space. In addition to acting as a storage shed and training centre for many of the city’s crews, the complex also serves as headquarters for the Chicago Rowing Foundation, a group whose remit complements the Emanuel administration’s efforts.”
