Chicago Architecture Foundation Welcomes All To Open House Chicago

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 17, 2012 8:20PM

Photos by Benjy Lipsman

Architecture buffs will have the opportunity to peek inside 150 buildings that aren't normally open to the public as part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Open House Chicago Oct. 13 and 14.

This amazing even is free to attend and no reservations are necessary. Simply choose which 150 buildings you want to see and show up during the programs hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on that Saturday or Sunday.

Sites are spread across the city, from Rogers Park to South Shore, the lakefront to Humboldt Park. There are historic buildings that help trace the city's past, modern marvels, religious institutions; cultural landmarks, and civic buildings. Many of the architecture firms responsible for our city's incredible skyline will open up their offices.

With so many buildings from which to choose, it's going to be tough to narrow down what to see.

Having had a few days to analyze the list of sites, we're leaning toward spending one day downtown and another hopping through the neighborhoods. We'll highlight some of the sites we think we'll check out.

Day 1:
Charnley-Persky House
Chicago Motor Club
35 E. Wacker (Jewelers Building)
Murphy/Jahn (35 E. Wacker)
330 N. Wabash (IBM Building)
Inland Steel Building
Fisher Building
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (224 S. Michigan)

Day 2:
Agudas Achim North Shore Congregation
Crown Hall at IIT
McCormick Tribune Campus Center at IIT
Pui Tak Center
Casa Aztlan
Hector Duarte's Studio and the Gulliver in Wonderland Mural
Corpus Christi Church

Even this plan might be a bit ambitious, as we have no idea what lines will be like and how long travel time will take between sites. We had to keep entire neighborhoods off the list because there are just too many sites spread across so much of the city to see everything. We can only hope that next year, those we left off the list will return so we can visit.