One Two Pru Palooza Recap

If you’ve ever gazed at Chicago’s impressive skyline with awe–which all of us have, let’s face it–you’ll recognize the iconic Two Pru building. Its characteristic pyramid-like top is finished with a dramatic spire, giving it the look of the world’s most massive sharpened pencil. However, less visible from the skyline is Two Pru’s partner, the storied One Pru building. Built in 1955, One Pru was a symbol of modernization, built as the city was trying to overhaul the Loop. 

Together, the two buildings are the Prudential Plaza buildings, linked by an aerial walkway. They share an amazing public plaza, complete with greenery, a fountain, and an area to sit, eat, and socialize. One Pru and Two Pru are home to a variety of tenants, including architects, design firms, engineers, and more. There’s a lively community amongst the tenants, as One Two Pru hosts activations, events, and moments for connection. 

Pru-Palooza: Party on the Plaza!

Last week, we were hired to help put on Pru-Palooza, One Two Pru’s summer block party in their plaza, as well as a lead up to Lollapalooza itself. We drove up in the Mural on Wheels and set up our screen printing workshop in the plaza. There was also a live DJ, plenty of food trucks, ice cream sandwiches, and a mechanical shark! 

Every tenant in the Prudential buildings was invited to come down and participate in the festivities. We had two screens ready with different designs to choose from. One is our IPMM Art is Power design, while the other was an event-specific Pru-Palooza screen featuring both buildings. 

We had planned to print 50 t-shirts between 11am-2pm. However, folks were lining up! And they just kept coming. We ended up printing about 50 shirts and 100 prints on art paper. It was a super fun event, full of energetic people interested in learning about the screen printing process. 

It was also super fun to see co-workers printing shirts or prints together, and having fun along the way. One Two Pru has clearly fostered a community with its well-designed space and thoughtful activations. We’re so happy to have been a part of such a fun and engaged event. 

Consider Mural on Wheels for Your Next Work Event

If you have a corporate event coming up, consider hosting a Mural on Wheels Screen Printing Workshop. We’ll arrive at your space in the MOW and can set up our screen printing equipment inside or outside. The IPMM team, plus a real screen printing artist working in the Chicago area, will teach you and your team how to pull a screen print. 

You can print onto t-shirts or art print paper, and there’s plenty of options for designs, as well as the option to create your own like One Two Pru did. We’ll bring different color options for folks to choose from as well. 

A Mural On Wheels event will bring your team closer, get them excited and engaged, and demonstrate that your company is committed to giving back. Every dollar from each MOW workshop goes right back into our school programming, making arts education accessible for all!