Open House Chicago 2018

The Chicago Architecture Centers (CAC) annual Open House Chicago is right around the corner!

The festival, now in its eighth year, offers free behind-the-scenes access to a wide array of public and private buildings in Chicago, Oak Park and Evanston. This years event, which will be held on Oct. 13 and 14, has more than 250 sites; some of which are Epstein-designed projects.

Testa Produce Headquarters and Distribution Center (4555 S. Racine Avenue, Back of the Yards). This is one of the greenest industrial facilities of its kind, and the first LEED-NC Platinum Refrigerated Distribution Facility. Testa features numerous Epstein-developed sustainable design and engineering strategies, including incorporating a 238-foot-tall wind turbine that provides power to the facility, and a variety of landscape, solar and water conservation features.

Ignite Glass Studios (401 N. Armour, West Loop). Ignite won a Distinguished Building and Divine Detail Award in 2015 from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Epsteins architects and engineers renovated three 70s-era industrial buildings into a 15,000-square-foot glass blowing studio. It also features classrooms, an art gallery and a one-of-a-kind event space.

Ignite Studios is excited to once again be participating in Open House. As such, they have activities planned for those visiting their site. Participants will be able to witness free glassblowing demonstrations, stop at a food truck featuring Fall treats, and shop a glass pumpkin patch sale and other Fall-themed art.

150 N. Riverside (downtown). For this 54-story commercial high-rise building, Epstein provided civil engineering services to Riverside Investment and Development. The project featured construction over the Amtrak rail lines, reconstruction of the existing river wall and modification to the Lake Street and Randolph Street bridge structures. In 2017, ENR Midwest named it the Project of the Year.

Open House also includes multiple stops within the 200 S. Michigan building, known as the Borg-Warner Building, which Epstein designed in the 50s. Additionally, in Evanston, participants will take a tour of the Industrious co-working space. While Epstein did not design the original space, we are currently in the midst of expanding it.

As in the past, the 2018 Open House will require an RSVP for some sites a smart move seeing as last years festival attracted an estimated 91,000 attendees! These locations there are nine this year can only accommodate a limited number of visitors or have special security needs, according to the Chicago Architecture Center. To view the full list of participating buildings and sites, and information on how to register, please click here.