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Cultural Awakening of Chicago's Bridgehouses

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Thank you to everyone who came out to the @bridgehousemuseum last week. It was a fantastic turnout!
Ward Miller @preservationchicago and I enjoyed exploring both practical and ambitious visions for the future of Chicago's bridgehouses.
These conversations are helping shape the next steps toward preservation and making these spaces active community assets.
I'm especially grateful to everyone who shared their ideas and offered to help move this work forward. There's a lot of momentum, and I'm excited for what's ahead.
Thanks to Josh Coles, the Museum team, and @friendsofthechicagoriver for hosting such a great event. by @tenderhouseproject

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3 months ago

Looking forward to joining Ward Miller and @preservationchicago this Thursday at the @bridgehousemuseum for a conversation on preserving and reactivating Chicago's historic bridgehouses.
These buildings have long been part of the city's identity, but many remain vacant today. We'll discuss why they matter, what we can learn from the Bridgehouse Museum's successful adaptive reuse, and how these civic landmarks can once again serve their surrounding communities.

If you're in Chicago, spend an evening on the Riverwalk with us and join the conversation!

Thursday, July 23 @ 5:15-6 PM McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, 99 Chicago Riverwalk by @tenderhouseproject

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3 months ago

Our Happy Hour Speaker Series continues Thursday 7/23 with Preserving and Reactivating Chicago’s Bridgehouses for Community.

Chicago’s historic bridges and their tender houses are among the city’s most recognizable civic landmarks, standing as enduring symbols of engineering innovation and the river that shaped Chicago’s growth. Yet many of our bridgehouses remain vacant and underutilized, disconnected from the communities that surround them.

Join Preservation Chicago Executive Director Ward Miller and Tender House Project founder Mejay Gula for a conversation about preserving and reimagining these remarkable bridge operator buildings for future generations. It’s hosted by the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, a prime example of how these buildings can be repurposed for the public good.

This speaker series is free and open to the public. Complimentary beverages will be available and the event occurs on the Bridgehouse Museum plaza at Michigan and Wacker on the Chicago Riverwalk. Seating is limited and will begin at 4:30pm. Join us! by @tenderhouseproject

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3 months ago

Yessss! It feels so real to wear your heart on your sleeve. Thank you, @campfireprintingpress for your love and magic. OurTender House Stewards thank you!! by @tenderhouseproject

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6 months ago

We’re freaking excited to hear that Chicago’s Tender Houses have been named to the 2026 Chicago 7 Most Endangered Buildings list by Preservation Chicago, highlighting the urgent need to protect our city’s architectural history.
These charming gems are more than buildings, they tell the story of the city’s growth, evolution of our rivers, and are a connection to the surrounding neighborhoods. Their inclusion on the endangered list brings crucial attention and support to preserve them for future generations.

Visit their website @preservationchicago to learn more.

#TenderHouse #ChicagoArchitecture #HistoricChicago #TenderHouseProject #ChicagoHistory EndangeredBuildings PreservationChicago by @tenderhouseproject

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7 months ago

Thank you so much for learning about the Chicago River with us last night out of @chicagoathletichotel! 🐟

👟Guide @chelseygrassfield led runners through sites along the river that have been built, rebuilt, or reimagined, showcasing the ways the city and its partners have actively worked to convert the formerly industrial waterfront into public access and a healthier river habitat.

🎤 After the route, we heard from Mejay Gula, architect and founder of @tenderhouseproject, an initiative dedicated to preserving and culturally activating Chicago’s historic bridge houses as civic infrastructure along the Chicago River.

🙏 Thanks to our volunteer team @gorky081295, @gbmcgann, @cynthxchen, and @tahnee_runs_on_donuts.

🍪 Huge thanks to @levainbakery for the delicious post-run cookies!

BUT THE JURY IS STILL OUT: Would YOU swim in the Chicago River? 👙

➡️ Next up: See you Saturday, March 7 for our Running Tour of West Loop Women out of @madstreetbooks for International Women’s Day. Tickets in bio! taken in Chicago Athletic Association Hotel by @tenderhouseproject

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8 months ago

Brrrrrrrave the cold and run with us! @readandrunchicago
I’m excited to be joining Read & Run Chicago on 2/25 for the Running Tour of the Chicago River, where we’ll head out along the river and gather afterward for a Q&A. I’ll be sharing a bit about why I love Bridgehouses and why they matter so much to Chicago’s history and future.
Swipe to see photos from a past Read & Run event a few years ago. It’s always such a great mix of movement, conversation, and community.
If you’re willing to bundle up and embrace the winter air, come run with us. I'll be the one waaaaay in the back.
#ReadAndRunChicago #ChicagoRiver #winterrun by @tenderhouseproject

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8 months ago

✨Meet the speaker: Mejay Gula

This Wednesday, we meet Mejay Gula, AIA, a licensed architect and the founder of the Tender House Project, an initiative dedicated to preserving and culturally activating Chicago’s historic bridgehouses as civic infrastructure along the Chicago River. With more than twenty years of experience in architecture, urban design, and planning, her work advances adaptive reuse and civic design strategies that strengthen community agency and public value.

Mejay also serves as Studio Director of Development, Culture, and Engagement at Site Design Group in Chicago. She is a frequent lecturer on civic design and cultural stewardship and serves on the boards of the Chicago Architectural Club and the McCormick Bridgehouse Museum.

➡️ Ready to meet Mejay? Join us at @chicagoathletichotel this Wednesday, February 25 for:

👟 A 3.5-mile guided route with @chelseygrassfield
📚 50% off The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History thanks to @siupress
🍪 @levainbakery cookies and @fizzyjanesbeverages

Tap the Events link in bio to grab one of last two tickets! taken in Chicago, Illinois by @tenderhouseproject

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8 months ago

Another stop from my research trip - Bridgehouse 101: Gerben Wagenaarbrug, part of the @sweetshotel collection.
This tall, slender bridgehouse rises four stories above the Noordhollandsch Kanaal. Each floor, the foyer, living room, bedroom, and bath stacked vertically into a puzzled tower. From cyclists on the LF7 route, to fishermen on lunch break, and cars screeching under the moonlight, every window framed daily life.
The top floor offered the best view in the city that gave me grace to sing and dance all night.

#TenderHouseProject #Bridgehouse101 #Sweetshotel #AdaptiveReuse #DesignResearch by @tenderhouseproject

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a year ago

Spent the night in one of Amsterdam’s bridgehouses Bridgehouse 202, Kortjewantsbrug part of the @sweetshotel
collection.

This stop was part of a research trip exploring culturally activated bridgehouses across Europe, and this one was unforgettable. With 360° windows overlooking the Nieuwe Herengracht and Oosterdok. a magical perspective of the city surrounded by water, light, and movement.

There’s something so inspiring about how these small, utilitarian structures have been reimagined into places of history and creativity. A reminder of how design can give new life and meaning to the spaces that root us or welcome us to a city.

#TenderHouseProject #SweetsHotel #Amsterdam #Bridgehouse202 #Kortjewantsbrug #AdaptiveReuse #CulturalResearch #urbanpreservation by @tenderhouseproject

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a year ago

Thank you @iitarchitecture @illinoistech 3rd yr studio for joining the fun! It was a pleasure to meet you and game plan our bridgehouses. taken in College of Architecture, IIT by @tenderhouseproject

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4 years ago

I've been a huge fan of Ron Gordon's work for over 20 years. His stunning photographs of Chicago's architecture capture an essence of place and people amidst a rapidly changing city. A few years back, I was introduced to his portraits of Chicago bridge tenders. These have been the only photographs of tenders I could find in my research. When I reached out to him, I was amazed to find that he had a larger collection in this series, each capturing different bridge tenders and the working interiors of Chicago's beautiful bridge houses. It is an honor to feature this work. Come visit the current exhibition at the Design Museum of Chicago, which will be up until April 2nd.

Selected Photographs:
- Leon Harvey - 106th Street Bridgehouse
- Cal Bennett - 95th Street Bridgehouse
- Ed Kadela - North Dearborn Bridgehouse

Bridge Tender Series, 1987

"In 1987, while working on Changing Chicago: A Photo Documentary, my area of focus was the Chicago waterways. The Dearborn bridge house caught my attention. I wanted to see the bridge tenders’ view through the bridge house windows. The people working there were very proud of what they did and eager to be photographed at work.
This was the first in my series of the bridge tender photographs."

Ron Gordon
November, 2022

#rongordonphotography
@designmuseumchi @chicago.dot @rongordonphoto taken in Design Museum of Chicago by @tenderhouseproject

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4 years ago