Our project accompanies six sculptures by Louise Bourgeois commemorating Jane Addams. It is located in a lakefront Chicago parksite that interprets a natural prairie habitat. Using minimal means, the signs are our attempt to heighten public awareness of Jane Addams and the power of the lake, the prairie, and the city.

To honor Addams’s achievements and clarify the work of Bourgeois, we designed four didactic signs, resembling open books on posts. Their form, small and enveloping, encourages individual contemplation. And they are durable. Made from sand-cast bronze and steel, they will oxidize over time to mesh with the surroundings.