Chicago's example: Millennium Park

Whether Chicago is painfully humid or brutally cold, no matter if it is noon or sunset, Millennium Park attracts people.

Although Millennium Park is about a third the size of Seattle Center, Seattle officials look to it as a model because daylong, year-round activity will be a measure of success for any Center redesign.

"Millennium Park's multiple uses have contributed to the park's success. It's not just one thing," says Timothy J. Gilfoyle, an American history professor at Loyola University Chicago who authored a book about the park, which opened in 2004.

A Frank Gehry-designed outdoor amphitheater draws crowds for concerts and symphony performances on warm summer evenings. During the day, picnickers and sunbathers spread out on the huge expanse of grass that faces the stage. Anchoring the same part of the park, an indoor venue that hosts several local music and dance companies keeps the area busy in the winter.

Two 50-foot towers featuring LED facial images spout water in summer and remain an interesting art piece when the water is shut off in winter. In another part of the park, an ice-skating rink in winter morphs into a plaza with outdoor dining in summer.

Chicagoans have flocked to the park's "Cloud Gate," a bean-shaped sculpture quickly gaining iconic status. Its polished stainless steel panels return warped reflections of visitors and the cityscape, much like a hall of mirrors. The view changes depending on the light and the seasons.

This story, published March 9, 2008 was corrected on March 15. Millennium Park in Chicago opened in July 2004. The original version of this story reported an erroneous opening date.