Navy Pier officials in Chicago have announced an international search for a team of designers who will be tasked with revamping the pier’s outdoor public spaces. Officials are hoping the announcement will lure top talent to the project as the pier enters into a much broader makeover process.

The chosen team will be asked to reimagine many outdoor spaces at the world famous pier, including the park on the pier’s west end, the space around the enormous Ferris wheel, the South Dock promenade, and outdoor space on the pier’s east end.

A schedule released to the public Thursday gives hopeful teams of designers, architects, and engineers until October 6 to submit their credentials. Pier officials will cut the field down to 10 teams by October 20 and to five finalists by mid-November.

A public exhibition of the final five designs will take place on February 2 with the winning team named on February 14, 2012.

Navy Pier is hoping a major revamping will lure more visitors arriving on flights to Chicago after 2010’s attendance dropped from a peak of 9 million visitors the previous year.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Flickr: amber.kennedy