(Above) Illustration by Chicago Loop Alliance that imagined what its Couch Plaza Alley would look like on September 12, 2012. The art and music event in an alley on State Street attracted more than 2,000 people, according to the CLA. (Click on image to view larger version.)

February 18, 2014 – Expect more wacky “placemaking” events this year from Chicago Loop Alliance.

At its annual meeting on February 14, the non-profit group, tasked with making the Loop more interesting, announced a “placemaking initiative” which it describes as “an expansive series of innovative public space activations throughout the Loop.”

CLA says it has identified more than 150 underutilized public locations as potential spots for placemaking projects.

One of the alliance’s projects is The Gateway, a public plaza with seating for 50 people in the median of State Street. The CLA says “roving street musicians” will perform again this year when the plaza opens in May.

Another project will set up tables and chairs in the Loop. The tables will rotate, allowing, says the alliance, “a degree of spontaneity, increasing human interaction.”

 More info: Chicago Loop Alliance