25 Aug 2015
CHICAGO—The largest architectural festival in Chicago is back for its fifth year! Drawing tens of thousands of people to the city, the Chicago Architecture Foundation's (CAF) Open House Chicago (OHC) event is October 17 and 18, and includes 200 of the city's greatest spaces and places from 20 neighborhoods across the city. This free public event offers participants behind-the-scenes access to many areas that are normally open “by invitation only.” Whether you are an architecture buff, history enthusiast or just looking for a unique weekend festival, OHC is a fun, must-see event for every kind of adventurer.
Showcasing the diversity of Chicago's architecture, sites include uncommonly seen and “restricted access” areas of public buildings, factories, historic mansions, private clubs, sacred spaces, schools, professional offices and cultural institutions, among others.
“Now in its fifth year, OHC continues to be an architectural event that engages the public in experiencing and learning about Chicago's built environment,” said Lynn Osmond, President and CEO of Chicago Architecture Foundation. “CAF is proud to bring to locals and visitors to Chicago, giving them a reason to explore Chicago's culturally rich neighborhoods, and we hear from thousands who participate in this annual event that OHC fosters civic pride in neighborhood landmarks, histories and culture. CAF strives to inspire people to discover why design matters, and OHC is the perfect example of how we work to fulfill that mission.”
In 2014, the fourth OHC event attracted more than 75,000 guests from all 50 states and 91 countries around the world. The economic impact of that event weekend was $6.4million.
Modeled after popular programs in New York, London and Tel Aviv, OHC invites visitors to take self-guided visits throughout the following Chicago neighborhoods:
Bridgeport / Back of the Yards
Evanston
Garfield Park / North Lawndale
Lakeview
South Loop / Prairie Avenue
Open House Chicago 2015—page two
Using a printed event guide or openhousechicago.org, OHC guests can select the sites and neighborhoods they want to explore and create their own self-guided experiences.
OHC 2015 features 200 sites, including:
- Congress Plaza Hotel
- Lyric Opera of Chicago
- Historic Grand Ballroom
- Metropolitan Club at Willis Tower
- Intercontinental Chicago
- Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel
- Kemper Building in Downtown
- Union League Club of Chicago
For a complete list of participating sites, visit www.openhousechicago.org. Get the latest news and fun facts about OHC too by following Chicago Architecture Foundation on Facebook (facebook.com/chiarchitecture) and Twitter (@chiarchitecture). You can also sign up to receive the OHC newsletter for updates on venues and the latest information on special programming.
Access to OHCsites is free and does not require a reservation, but participants are encouraged to sign up to receive event newsletters and last-minute announcements. Sites will accept visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to free access, OHC offers activities in various sites all weekend long, including cultural performances, lectures, workshops and more.
Become a CAF member at architecture.org to receive a “CAF Member Priority Access Pass” which grants you preferred access to OHC sites. Similar to last year's event, there are a select handful of Members-Only Sites. Consider volunteering over the weekend. It's fun, easy and provides special benefits including priority access to all OHC sites!
OHC is a celebration of Chicago's neighborhoods and communities. The community partners helping make OHC 2015 happen are: 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar's Office, 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman's Office, Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, Building Owners and Managers Association
Chicago Loop Alliance, Chicago's North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, City Of Evanston, Design Evanston, Downtown Evanston, Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, Edgewater Historical Society, Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Evanston Community Foundation, Evanston History Center, Foundation for Homan Square, Glessner House Museum, Historic Pullman Foundation, Lakeview,, Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Square / Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, Magnificent Mile Association, Public Media Institute, Pullman State Historic Site, Quad Communities Development Corporation, Ravenswood Community Council, Rogers Park Business Alliance, Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society, South East Chicago Commission, South Shore Chamber, Inc., Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association, West Loop Community Organization.
OHC is made possible through the generous support of presenting sponsor James S. Kemper Foundation; sponsors Art Works, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, ComEd, Choose Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, Divvy; and media sponsors Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, WBEZ and Chicagoist.
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The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people to discover why design matters. As an education leader in design, architecture and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), CAF offers tours, programs, exhibitions, field trips, curricula and online tools that are part of a dynamic learning journey for all ages. Proceeds from CAF's tours and gift shop support this educational mission.
For more information, visit architecture.org or call 312.922.3432.
