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Designed in 1913 and built in 1920, Theater on the Lake’s original use was for a health care facility for underprivileged youth in Chicago. Children could go to “Picnic Island” for free health care; the open air pavilion was designed with the healing powers of fresh air in mind, especially in the time of tuberculosis and the H1N1 flu pandemic of 1918. The facility closed in 1939, until the building was converted into a USO recreation facility after WWII. The Park District converted the building to Theater on the Lake in 1953.
Maintaining the building’s historic character while preparing it for a new use was critical in all design planning. There are several primary features of the building that were preserved and highlighted to maintain the original historic character and fabric. Those materials included the masonry, iron railings, exposed structural steel arched trusses, and the roof tiles.
The complete project scope included enclosing the open air pavilion and rehabilitation of the west wing of the building. Enclosing the pavilion necessitated new glass window wall installation, new roof insulation, removal and replacement of the existing terra cotta roof tiles, new mechanical systems, reinforcing of the existing structural systems to support new loading, new restroom facilities, a new commercial kitchen, new interior egress stairs, new stage and Green Rooms, upgrading of electrical services, a new Fire Suppression Sprinkler system, and the addition of new removeable storage bays to the north end of the building.
Vehicular access to Theater on the Lake was made possible for the first time due to an Army Corps of Engineers project infilling a beach cell to the south of the building. The approach to the building was carefully considered by the design and hospitality team to carefully craft the guest experience from the curb through their event.
A new outdoor terrace, The Skyline Terrace, was added to the south side of the building to take advantage of southern light and views to downtown Chicago. The terrace also serves as a water detention vessel during large storm events.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
The Skyline Terrace is a popular location for weddings and special events.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
The Lakeview Terrace provides covered outdoor event space. The new enclosure window wall system was designed to break down into a rythmn tha echoed the existing features of the building. The expanse of glass reflects early morning sun and the sunrise at dawn.
Photography by Genevieve Lauren
The pavilion can be divided into four separate spaces via new folding partitions hung from the existing steel trusses.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
The Lakefront restaurant is located at the south end of the Pavilion to take advantage of city views and proximity to the vehicular drop off.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
photography by Genevieve Lauren
The bar at the restaurant was located in the middle of the pavilion to keep the perimeter as open as possible. The overhead bar canoppy structure breaks down the vastness of the pavilion to create a more intimate space within the larger pavilion.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
photography by Genevieve Lauren
photography by Genevieve Lauren
The flexibility of space configurations allows for events at many scales, large and small.
photography by Genevieve Lauren
December 7, 2016. Just a few months prior to the start of construction. This photo shows the unique view of downtown and lakefront. There are a scant few buildings in Chicago located east of Lake Shore Drive. This also created many challenges to upgrade the existing utilities. A lack of gas service east of Lake Shore Drive resulted in a rare all-electric commercial Kitchen for example.
photo by Kaufman O'Neil Architecture
Design Section. One of the project goals was to retain the open feeling of the Pavilion while allowing it to be separated. A circulation spine, shown on the right in this section provides access to each special event space and allows for concurrent use of the restaurant, theater, and special events spaces.
The Charitas sculpture was originally located on the west side of the building and later relocated to the south side of the building. To allow for the Skyline Terrace, it was moved further south during the restoration. It was also rotated so that the sculpture faced the building rather than towards downtown as she originally did on the west side of the building.
photo by Kaufman O'Neil Architecture
With it's location on the lakefront, the ground floor concrete slab was designed as a structural slab. Any cuts made in the slab for new plumbing had to be stitched back together to ensure the slab acted as a structural slab again.
In order to carry the additional loading of the moveable partitions as well as lateral loading of the newly enclosed pavilion, the existing rivets in the trusses had to be replaced with higher strength bolts. This was an arduous job for the ironworkers to grind off the existing rivots and then replace them with the new bolts.
A new steel structure was hung from the existing trusses to distribute the additional loads to more columns across the building. Given the proximity to the lake and high water table, new and strengthened foundation work was cost prohibitive.
Original view of the pavilion looking east.
Kaufman O'Neil Architecture on site working out design and lighting concepts.
