On the Outside Looking In

by Ally Evander, Allied Member, ASID

I have always loved the artwork of Edward Hopper. His painting Nighthawks is on display at the Chicago Institute of Art. The iconic American painting puts the viewer in a role of looking in on the unaware characters from the outside.
As I walked through the city, I was intrigued by the exterior of the Hotel Monaco. All of the windows facing the street have a window seat, complete with decorative pillows and flowy draperies. It almost invites you to look in as you walk by and piques your curiousity about what the rest of the interior looks like.