This captivating hand-drawn animation by Klaus is displayed on the immense 150 Media Stream wall—a 150 ft x 22 ft array of LED screens in the lobby of 150 North Riverside Plaza. “Welcome to Tribuneville” brings to life sixty of the most inventive designs from the famed 1922 Chicago Tribune Tower architectural competition, along with whimsical details like flying machines, elevated walkways, and monorail tramways. Free and open to the public, the installation will run from June 17 through December 30, 2024, with a series of fall events planned to enhance the experience.

About the Work

The concept for “Welcome to Tribuneville” emerged in 2022 during a conversation between Klaus and Iker Gil, founder and editor-in-chief of MAS Context, as they reflected on the 100-year anniversary of the Tribune Tower Competition. Klaus, feeling these imaginative yet unbuilt designs had faded from public awareness, set out to recreate his favorite entries and envision a Chicago that might have been.

A preliminary version of the work debuted at the November 2022 “Chicago Tribune Tower Competition at 100” event by MAS Context and was later published in 2023 as a cartoon in Arquine magazine (#105). Now, the piece has been significantly expanded for its large-scale installation at 150 Media Stream.

“150 Media Stream has showcased exceptional works by artists from around the globe since its inaugural project in 2017, making it an ideal setting to unveil Klaus’s vision of a reimagined Chicago,” said Gil. “Having collaborated with Klaus on various projects over the years, I’m thrilled to share his work with the Chicago community on such a monumental scale.”

“The iconic 150 North Riverside Plaza location perfectly complements this celebration of Chicago’s architectural legacy,” added Yuge Zhou, video artist and curator of 150 Media Stream. “As a longtime admirer of MAS Context’s thought-provoking programming, I’m delighted to bring Klaus’s stunning animation to the public. His intricate reimagining of history invites viewers to explore a Chicago filled with wonder and creativity, fully enveloped in the immersive environment of the Media Stream.”

About the Tribune Tower International Competition of 1922

In June 1922, the Chicago Tribune launched a groundbreaking international architectural competition, challenging architects to design “the most beautiful office building in the world” for its new headquarters. The competition offered substantial prizes—$50,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third—along with honorariums for selected firms, sparking widespread interest and press coverage.

The competition drew 263 entries from 23 countries, with designs showcased in a traveling exhibition and later published in a commemorative book. Although the winning design by John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood became the iconic Tribune Tower, notable submissions included Eliel Saarinen’s second-place entry, which many believed should have won, and other remarkable designs from prominent architects like Walter Gropius, Adolf Loos, Bruno Taut, and Ludwig Hilberseimer.

These inventive designs ranged from neo-Gothic elegance to whimsical Art Nouveau and modernist functionalism. In “Welcome to Tribuneville,” Klaus invites us to imagine an alternate Chicago skyline where each of these visionary buildings came to life, asking, “What if all the entries to the 1922 Tribune Tower Competition had been built?”

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.