Image from Guild Row (via Open House Chicago), by Anna Munzesheimer
Every year, for one weekend only, Chicago opens its doors to the public to explore some of the most interesting buildings in the city. Open House Chicago is coordinated by Chicago Architecture Center and is supported by many private and public donors. It’s such a fun idea, and I don’t think I’m biased even though I’m an architect.
Firehouse Chicago, photo by moi
This year, my wife and I went to Guild Row on Saturday and Firehouse Chicago and St Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church on Sunday. Guild Row is a co-working space, including a coffee shop, a bar, woodworking shop, and game room. It also has a pretty substantial social calendar. There seem to be lots of events going on, and the entire place is even available to rent. We had a fun tour with the architect - learning of a slanted motif throughout the space and that the building used to be a dental tool factory. The new and old weave together well. The motif comes from the fact that the street is a hill, entering the space half a level above the main floor. Albeit, the abstracted motif does not always show up, it’s a nice nod to the site itself.
Firehouse Chicago was a (you guessed it) firehouse in the Edgewater neighborhood until it was decommissioned in 2008. It’s now a venue rental space, with an amazing amount of details still intact, including the tin roof, the pole from 2nd to 1st floor, the wooden carriage doors, the ceramic tile on the ground floor, and much more! Though I am a bit confused about the seeming Airbnb unit on the 2nd floor, it’s a lovely space and a great example of adaptive reuse.
St Gregory, the Great Roman Catholic Church, photo by moi
Lastly, we made it to St Gregory. A beautiful church tucked away in the quiet neighborhood of Andersonville. The parish was originally created by the local Luxembourgers in the area. The current building is in the Catholic Revival style. The arched side openings in the sanctuary hall are well-proportioned, and the craftsmanship of the wooden alter is a sight to see. But, I think the real gem of the place is the painted ceiling and trusses. Just look at that beaut! In all, it was a great visit, and, after, we explored downtown Andersonville.
Hopefully both these sites are on the list for next year, so more people can check them out. And hopefully, more cities do this too. It’s a great way to explore your own backyard.