A prolific architect, trailblazing city planner, and civic and cultural leader, Daniel Burnham has been described by contemporaries and biographers as both a pragmatic realist and a visionary idealist. CAC docent Marcia Matavulj dives into this apparent contradiction by exploring Burnham’s architectural practice during Chicago’s fast-moving progression from short buildings with load-bearing walls to steel-framed skyscrapers never seen before. This presentation also explores the impact of the World’s Columbian Exposition on Burnham’s career and life—how it affected his approach to architecture and set him on a path toward urban planning.