With Chicago’s COVID positivity rate at about the same potency as three-two beer, you may be thinking about zipping off your Tyvek suit and sniffing around a perfect Autumn weekend in Chicago. If so, we recommend grabbing a pumpkin spice whatever and downloading the app for Open House Chicago 2021 (Apple | Android).
These are our picks for this annual architecture festival. You can click on the addresses to open a map for easy navigation to these locations on your computer or phone or cybernetic implant.
This top ten may not be your top ten. In fact, we hope it’s not. We are all unique individuals and have different tastes. “Celebrate diversity” and all that.
This list was created based on the following criteria:
- Novelty: Is this a new building or new to OHC?
- Accessibility: Is this a place that isn’t normally open to the public?
- History: Is this a place that is historically or culturally significant?
- Beauty: Is this a place that is visually stunning?
In previous years, we’ve been accused of putting too many holy places on our Open House Chicago recommendation lists. Too bad. Chicago’s holy places are part of Chicago’s history, its architecture, and its beauty. If you’re not religious, good for you. Go to a few of these sites and see some pretty art and architecture. You’re not going to catch Jesus cooties from looking at a painting on a wall.
McCormick Place rooftop farm
2301 South Lake Shore Drive
South Loop
First Church of Deliverance
4301 South Wabash Avenue
Bronzeville
Penthouse at Hyde Park
5107 South Blackstone Avenue
Hyde Park
Pui Tak Center
2216 South Wentworth Avenue
Chinatown
Bank of America Tower
110 North Wacker Drive
The Loop
Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows
3121 West Jackson Boulevard
Garfield Park
540 West Madison
540 West Madison Street
West Loop
Quinn Chapel
2401 South Wabash Avenue
South Loop
300 South Riverside Plaza
300 South Riverside Plaza
West Loop
Pullman National Monument visitors center
610 East 111th Street
Pullman
