Emil Biorn Neighborhood Park

Emil Biorn, a significant figure in Norwegian art and culture, lived on N Albany Ave in Logan Square, Chicago from 1918 to 1935 while contributing a variety of media including sculpture, oil paintings, cartoons, drawings, and musical compositions to the neighborhood.

On the adjacent property there is a parcel of land and the original 1922 garage which was constructed when Biorn lived in the building. In December 2024, this parcel of land was donated by neighbors Phil and Sherri Hehn, with the requirement that it would be developed into a public green space.

Project Goals:

  • Create a serene and accessible green space for community use.

  • Celebrate the artistic and cultural legacy of Emil Biorn and the Norwegian community.

  • Provide a platform for educational, cultural, and recreational activities.

  • Establish a sustainable model for the long-term maintenance and programming of the space.

Courtesy of SmithGroup and Andrea Sforza

Land Development:

  • Cleanup and landscaping of the parcel to establish a green space with seating areas, gardens, and pathways.

  • Installation of interpretive signage to educate visitors about Emil Biorn and the Norwegian community.

Garage Rehabilitation:

  • Structural stabilization of the 1922 garage.

  • Installation of plumbing, electricity, and heating.

  • Conversion into a house museum featuring Emil Biorn’s works and exhibits on Norwegian-American history.

  • Addition of a bathroom to support public activations.

Community Programming:

  • Lectures and workshops on art, history, and gardening.

  • Venue for small-scale family celebrations.

  • Occasional guided tours of the house museum.

Courtesy of SmithGroup and Andrea Sforza

green roof render

Emil Biorn | Artist | Painter | Musician

Emil Biorn is one of those figures who left a modest but traceable imprint on our history. Walking around Logan Square where he lived the final decades of his life and where his art barely remains, his legacy isn’t apparent, but scratch the surface and even now, nearly a century after his death, his actions made an impact and left marks that allow us to reconstruct a bit of the man’s life and allow us to “go to Biorn,” as so many did during his lifetime.

When Biorn died in 1935 he left behind a body of work that continues to surprise with its life and its variety of media, from sculpture, oil paintings, cartoons and drawings to fixtures, sculptures and even musical composition.