Walk one block south on Dearborn, crossing Adams Street. You'll know you reached our next stop -- the Federal Center -- when you see a bright red sculpture.

The 4.6 acre Federal Center, completed in 1974 and designed by famed architect Mies van der Rohe, is composed of a 30 story federal courthouse, a 45 story U.S. government office building, and a single story post office. Note the orderliness and geometric symmetry of Mies’ design. The courthouse facade is square and the office building’s height is twice its width. Additionally, the lines of the granite plaza align with the façade of the buildings.

With the clean lines and organization of the Federal Center, Mies certainly holds to his "Less is More" mantra!

In stark contrast to the grey tones and orderly lines of Mies is Alexander Calder's bright red and curved Flamingo sculpture in the plaza.

Unveiled in 1974, Flamingo stands 53 feet tall and weighs 50 tons. The color -- called "Calder Red" -- was meant to contrast with the plaza's surrounding buildings. This sculpture was the first work ever commissioned by the U.S. General Services Administration -- a federal agency -- as part of a program to allocate a percentage of a project's budget to public art.

For more information on Calder's Flamingo, tap the blue button on this page.

When ready to move to the next stop, tap the "Next" button.