Open House Chicago 2014
I’ve been so busy editing photos from this weekend’s Open House Chicago, that I handed over my blog to Amy; my wife, assistant, and adventure buddy to recap out explorations…
Open House Chicago, expertly coordinated by the Chicago Architectural Foundation, is an opportunity for the public to receive behind-the-scenes access to some of Chicago’s most iconic buildings. The neighborhoods included stretch as far north as Rogers Park and as far south as Pullman. With over 150 hidden gems and architectural treasures to explore, one must layout a pretty strategic plan as to not get overwhelmed.
We chose to focus our efforts downtown with our main goal being new skyline vantage points. (sidebar: Nick has been working tirelessly on a massive undertaking called #ChicagoLandmarks. The goal is to capture over 7,000 individually unique images of Chicago and merge them into one final image. He’s 3 years in and he’s about halfway there. You can learn more about the project here.)
The Open House Chicago website was extremely helpful and easy to navigate as we planned our stops. Although we did discuss how a ‘select-your-stops’ custom generated map would be an amazing feature to work on for next year. I digress…
It was a grey, wet start on Saturday morning, but we were determined to stay the course. We started our day at Nuveen Investments located at 333 W. Wacker Drive. Located at the fork of the Chicago River, the vantage point offers some unique views of the city. Most notable is the perfect view for the new developments popping up at Wolf Point and 444 W. Lake. Pictured here is structural core of the first of three (potential) buildings to rise at Wolf Point.
Next, we headed across the river to 330 N. Wabash (formerly IBM Plaza) designed by the legendary Mies van der Rohe. This address is now home to Thornton Tomasetti and Perkins and Will, among others. We chose to visit the offices of Thornton Tomasetti, an international leader in structural engineering. The space is impressively designed meeting LEED-Gold certification. The views from the 15th floor looking down over the Chicago River are intimate and cozy. The timing couldn’t have been better, as we looked out to the explore the view, the bridges began to lift to allow sail boats through the cannel, notably marking the official end of the season.
Our next stop wasn’t on our original list, but after living in Chicago for over 11 years and passing this building SO many times, I made my case that we should stop inside the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist. Located at the intersection of Wacker and Wabash, the site is uniquely six-sided. Upon entering we really had no idea what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised. The church auditorium is impressively large. The space mimics the layout of a Greek amphitheater but is decked out in colored fabrics synonymous with the 1960’s – avocado green carpet and harvest gold upholstry. It’s worth noting that these original coverings are in remarkably good condition. The massive organ can not go unnoticed…all 3,316 pipes create quite the centerpiece for the room.
Before we continued further south on Michigan Avenue, we made a quick stop to check out the Sky-Line Club at 307 N. Michigan Ave. It’s what you’d expect from a hundred year old interior. A lot of dark wood and old oriental rugs. If those walls could talk, I’m sure the stories could fill volumes. Most impressive is the modern terrace that provides 360 degree views of the city.
Moving on, we headed south to check out a cluster of stops along Michigan Avenue starting at Cliff Dwellers, 220 S. Michigan Ave. This is one of the most historic private clubs in the city and the views are second to none. The panoramic windows ensure the view is never lost, even in the dead of winter. We were fortunate the weather had cleared a bit by then and we were able to enjoy the outdoor terrace. It offers complete, unobstructed views of Millennium Park clear down to Museum Campus. Very impressive views that you don’t see every day. The vantage point makes you appreciate just how much green space there is in what can sometimes feel like a concrete urban jungle.
A few more steps south and we were at 224 S. Michigan. Home of the Chicago Architetural Foundation, as well as a few notable architecture firms; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, VOA Associates, and Goettsch Partners. Something very unique about this space is the open atrium that stretches from the ground floor, clear to the top of the building. It is shared by all tenants and offers a tremendous amount of natural light into the space. We learned that way back when, Daniel Burnham’s office occupied the top floor. It was from this very location where he worked on some of his most legendary projects, including the city plans for Chicago.
Our last stop of the day took us over to the Financial District – 190 S. LaSalle. Known by no other name than it’s address this building greets you with an impressively cavernous lobby. The vaulted ceilings make you feel teeny, tiny and give you great appreciation for the construction alone. Up the elevator we went to the 40th floor where we were met by a round neon sign, simply labeled, “The Library”. Inside is an impressive sight. Continuing the vaulted trend from the lobby, this captivating space envelopes you in law books from a past era. The little cubbies full of books evoke a comfortable, safe feeling. Juxtaposed against the floor to ceiling windows with impressive skyline views, offering an escape from the monotony of black and white text. I couldn’t help but open a book from 1975 and smell the pages. There is something so uniquely specific about the smell of old books. Meanwhile, Nick was capturing the details of this unique interior space.
By this time, we were beat. We managed to hit almost every stop on our list and even a couple we didn’t expect. However, Nick was bound and determined to visit the MDA Apartments rooftop, and as they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way. With the backdrop of optimistically blue skies, he ventured there on Sunday morning. To his delight, the views were overwhelming impressive.
Our first #OHC2014 experience was a successful scratch of the architectural surface. Next year, we have great plans to broaden our scope and explore neighborhoods less familiar to us.
Want to see more photos? Here you go!
