Open House Chicago returns to the Chicago area on Oct.19 and 20. The free, public festival produced by the Chicago Architecture Center offers behind-the-scenes access to architecturally, historically and culturally significant sites throughout the Chicago area. The weekend also includes more than 40 events, programs, demonstrations, talks and art performances.
Adam Rubin, director of public engagement for the CAC, said that this year’s OHC includes more than 170 sites, with a presence in 23 neighborhoods.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity for Chicagoans to learn more about neighborhoods they don’t live in and maybe even more about the neighborhoods they do live in.”
On the CAC’s website for OHC, it’s possible to create an itinerary based on theme. Among the suggested itineraries are “Bank on It,” which explores four Chicago financial institutions; “Theatres to Silver Screens,” which leads participants through six movie palaces, music venues and refined theaters; and “Libation Station” which features five Chicago area watering holes.
Rubin emphasized that the weekend offers endless possibilities.
“It is very much a choose your own adventure experience. The cool thing about Open House Chicago is that no two people experience it the same way,” he said.
Beyond the suggested tours based on themes, the CAC website also organizes OHC sites by neighborhood so that participants can choose which parts of the city they would like to get to know better.
On the West Side, Austin will host six sites this year, including: Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School; Fraternite Notre Dame; Austin Harvest- By the Hand Club for Kids; Austin Community Family Center; St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and BUILD Headquarters.
Rubin singled out Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School on Jackson Boulevard as a fun, modern building. Designed by architect John Ronan, the building’s materials, he pointed out, include a number of Chicago-specific materials, such as the wall of glass brick and a cement-paneled exterior that undulates.
Built in 1923, the Austin Family Community Center on Central Avenue once served the community as a YMCA building. Rubin said that the building has been home to many organizations over years. Today, the building shares space with an SRO and homeless shelter and partners with community organizations to provide social services, recreation and cultural programs to local youth and adults.
“It’s a cool adaptive reuse project,” Rubin said.
BUILD Headquarters on Harrison Street is a community center designed in connection with Landon Bone Baker architects. BUILD, or Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development, is an organization dedicated to gang intervention, violence prevention and youth development.
Meant to be a home for youth in the community, the new BUILD center offers a variety of education and enrichment programs for area youth, including a garden, art areas and sports facilities.
Rubin said that during OHC, BUILD will be a location for a few hands-on activities including a button making station on Saturday, Oct. 19, in which participants can make buttons with personal affirmations.
BUILD will also host a popcorn seasoning station, using herbs grown in the on-site garden.
In addition to offering access to more than 170 sites, the CAC also created guides for each of the 23 neighborhoods that will be featured during OHC.
Rubin said that these guides include local activities, restaurants and businesses that participants can visit while in particular neighborhoods. For the families participating in OHC, the guides also include nearby playgrounds so that they can break up the day with some outdoor activity.
“We want people to explore like a local,” Rubin said. To that end, the CAC made sure to include fun new spots as well as legacy businesses to make sure that participants get a real feel for each neighborhood they visit.
New this year, the CAC is including a photography contest as a part of OHC. Photographers of all experience levels are invited to take their best shots during the OHC weekend and submit their photos of sites they enjoy in four categories: interior, exterior, architectural detail, and black and white.
The CAC curatorial team will choose winning photos to display at the Chicago Architecture Center in a photo exhibition, which opens on Nov. 23. Following the opening of the show, a jury of professional photographers will select one winner and one honorable mention for each category, and winners will take home a complimentary annual membership to the CAC.
At the end of the day, whether you choose to travel across the city or explore one new neighborhood, Rubin said that the purpose of OHC is to build civic pride and awareness.
“We want to encourage people to get involved in their community.”
Before you go
Open House Chicago is a free event. Visitors to Open House Chicago can download the Chicago Architecture Center app to access addresses and hours for all of the sites. Information on the weekend, demonstrations and special tours are also available at the CAC’s website: https://www.architecture.org/open-house-chicago/