Wrightwood 659 is a new exhibition space conceived for the presentation of exhibitions on architecture and socially engaged art. It is designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, who has adaptively reused a 1920s apartment building to dramatic effect. Ando planted his signature concrete forms within the reconstructed brick building and opened it to natural light, resulting in an exhilarating mash-up of old and new. Beginning with the triple-height atrium and culminating in an enclosed treetop terrace, Wrightwood 659 succeeds as a contemplative space in which to experience art and architecture in conversation. It is a private, non-commercial initiative envisioned as a new kind of arts space and cultural resource for Chicago.
