Chicago, Illinois

Chicago doesn't ask for your attention — it commands it. The lakefront, the Loop, the neighborhoods that stretch endlessly westward — this is a city with a grid so confident it feels inevitable. And Lake Michigan, pressing against the city's eastern edge like a freshwater sea, gives Chicago a geography unlike any other American city.

This laser-cut map captures Chicago in stunning layered detail — five layers of hand-sanded Baltic birch plywood, with three graduated shades of hand-painted blue representing the changing depths of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. The shallow nearshore waters, the deeper lake, and the river channels threading through downtown are each rendered in their own hue, making the water as much a part of the art as the city itself.

Available framed and ready to hang, or as a Mini Map for a more compact display.

Need a different size or a custom area? We make these by hand and can work with you on something that fits your space perfectly. Reach out before ordering.