(WTTW News)

An airport destroyed in the middle of the night by the government. It may sound like the plot of an exotic spy thriller, but it happened in Chicago 20 years ago this week.

It has been a busy season in the world of architecture, from new libraries to new landscapes. Chicago Tribune's Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Blair Kamin joins us to discuss the opening of Northerly Island’s new nature park and the cutting-edge design of the new Chinatown library. He'll also update us on the status of a global search for architects competing to work on the Obama Presidential Center.

The first phase of the new wilderness park on Northerly Island should be open next spring. We take a look at the transformation of Northerly Island over the last year and a half.

We share what you had to say about recent stories when read some of our viewer feedback.

The city and ecologists are close to finishing Chicago's newest park – an ecologically diverse habitat on what was once Meigs Field. We'll talk to two planners involved with Northerly Island's transformation.

Bugs in Illinois

On this edition of Chicago Tonight's Field Trip, Jim Louderman, a researcher from The Field Museum, takes us to Northerly Island to collect a sample of bugs. Watch episode 3 of our web series.

Northerly Island is getting a facelift. Plans are in place to develop the Charter One Pavilion to hold larger concerts during the summer. We look at the proposed changes and what big names you can expect this summer.

Northerly Island Park is set to get an extreme makeover. We tell you what's in the works and when it will be completed.