Chicago's Big Stainless Steel Bean






London-based Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor designed this sculptor for the opening of Chicago’s Millennium Park in 2004. Officially named Cloud Gate but always fondly referred to as simply The Bean, it has become a landmark for the Windy City and is one of its most photographed public arts. Weighting a whopping 110 tons, The Bean was constructed from stainless steel plates wrapped around a fortified steel frame that’s hollow on the inside and has a concave base that visitors can walk under. Upon completion, the surface was polished to give it a sleek, shiny appearance – a clean, seamless mirror that reflects the towering skyscrapers the city is famous for.

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