The northwest corner staircase.

Every day, I walk to and from my apartment building through Lakeshore East Park. Quite rote activity, just another element in my daily routine. Since the park is on a lower street level than my building (I'm on the upper Wacker/Randolph level), I take the staircases on the western and eastern perimeters to cut through.

The park is really quite pretty, but the staircases are pretty standard. I was walking with a friend this weekend who suggested checking out the stairs in the northwest corner of the park, to which I had never given a second glance, behind a blocky concrete facade. So, I switched out of autopilot and we gave it a shot.

Result:

 

Beauty and shadow and light and weight and air and architecture and staircase-y awesomeness. I need to lie down.

Moral: Routines are average. Break 'em; try something new.

Alternate moral: Always give the stairs in the northwest corner a go.