Nate + Anne

This weekend, over 200 buildings in Chicago open their doors to the public.  The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago is a great way to explore some awesome architecture from the inside!  Below are four itineraries Nate + Anne put together in case you want suggestions.  Even without a plan, check out any participating building as you walk by!

Option 1 – Old Town, near Hotel Lincoln and A New Leaf

• The Moody Church – 1630 North Clark Street.  Located a couple blocks from Hotel Lincoln, this church has a giant sanctuary in the Romanesque/Byzantine style.  Head towards the lake to get to the next site–
• Museum of Surgical Science – 1524 North Lake Shore Drive.  In an old mansion built in the chateau/French style is a museum dedicated to surgical procedures.  Why?  Who knows–but this building is also up for sale!  Head back away from the lake on Burton Place to the next site —
• Graham Foundation (Madlener House) – 4 West Burton Place.  Built in the Prairie-style made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright, check out this mansion with a foundation dedicated to the advancement of the fine arts.  Especially worth seeing: a huge library of architecture, design, and arts publications.  From here, either head further west (to see an art gallery) or south (to see another church) —
• Sedgwick Studio – 1544 North Sedgwick Street.  A small art workspace occupies a former electrical substation for the El.  Industrial and artistic!
• First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – 1301 North LaSalle Street.  This Modernist church stands where the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church was convened.  It is a great change from the usual busy church architecture.

Option 2 – the Chicago Loop and Chicago architectural highlights

• Start at the Chicago Architecture Foundation in the old Railway Exchange Building.  224 South Michigan Avenue.  Since CAF organizes all the Open House sites, they should have plenty of information!  Suite 1000 houses Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), one of the most famous Chicago architecture firms.  They are open to the public on Saturday, so go check out their space, their drawings, and how they use this beautiful old building!  Head two blocks south on Michigan Avenue to the next site —
• Fine Arts Building – 310 South Michigan Avenue.  One of Anne and Nate’s favorite buildings.  Music stores, practice rooms, and an elevator with an operator!  Just take a ride and watch the operator do his/her magic.  Head back north and into the Loop for the next site —
• Marquette Building – 140 South Dearnborn Street, Suite 500.  Suite 500 houses Holabird & Root, another famous architecture firm in Chicago.  This site is most interesting for just checking out one of the first “sky scrapers” built in Chicago.  An architectural wonder when it was first built, it has some cool ornate designs inside.  Keep heading north to the next site —
• Chicago Temple (First United Methodist Church) – 77 West Washington Street.  Perhaps one of the most popular OHC sites, this one is worth the hype.  The church has a small worship space at the top of a skinny tower.  So cool!  Back towards the lake for the next site —
• Broadway in Chicago’s Oriental Theatre – 24 West Randolph Street.  See back stage at this old motion picture palace theatre!  Built in 1926, this is a rare look behind the scenes!  Continue towards the lake to the next site —
• Chicago Motor Club – 68 East Wacker Place.  The perfect Art Deco skyscraper, this is now a Hampton Inn.  Check out how the Hampton Inn decor matches the historic building!  Judgment is encouraged–although there is an amazing map of US interstates.  Head further towards the lake for either the Chicago Cultural Center (celebrating the first Chicago Architecture Biennial – 78 East Washington Street – this weekend) or Aqua (Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel – 221 North Columbus Drive – tallest building designed by a female architect).

Option 3 – North Lincoln Park.  If you want to stay north of A New Leaf, this option has some neat buildings to look into!

• National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini – 2520 North Lakeview Avenue.  This small chapel has many gold mosaics, marble, frescos, and stained glass.  Built in the 1950s, the x-shaped sanctuary is an interesting design.  Head north to the next site —
• Elks National Memorial – 2750 North Lakeview Avenue.  What are the Elks?  What sort of memorial would they have?  What about honoring the sacrifices during World War I?  This 1924 building is definitely worth checking out!  Head west to the next site —
• Second Church of Christ, Scientist – 2700 North Pine Grove Avenue.  Designed to be Beaux-Arts and imitate the Merchant Tailors building from the 1893 World Fair, this building gives some idea of what the World’s Fair would have looked like.  Head a little north to the next site —
• Brewster Apartments – 2800 North Pine Grove Avenue.  Another manually-operated caged elevator!  Take a ride in this elevator to check out an indoor atrium with glass walkways at the top.  1893 technology at its finest!