Join us for a lively conversation between architect Carol Ross Barney and editor-in- chief William Menking, The Architect’s Newspaper.  Learn the behind-the-scenes stories of the development of the Chicago Riverwalk. 15 years and two mayoral administrations in the making, Ross Barney will discuss the Riverwalk's transformation and the importance of urban density as a key to a sustainable future in the cities in which people live and play.

The Chicago Riverwalk, a one-and-a-half-mile-long civic space between Lake Michigan and the confluence of the north and south branches of the Chicago River utilized derelict infrastructure to reconnect the daily experience of the city with the dynamic and changing life of the river.  Conceived as a series of rooms, the Riverwalk acts as a thread tying the city fabric to the water’s edge.

What might have been unimaginable years ago, has been achieved; an activated riverfront in the heart of a booming urban core.  This reinvention of urban life is at the heart of a new economic chapter for Chicago. Prime real estate with sweeping views and connectivity now tout an invaluable civic amenity.