Chicago’s Buildings Inspire This Architect’s Photography

WHO: Matt Gilbert, an associate architect with Valerio Dewalt Train, whose Instagram documents Chicago architecture. 

WHAT: He gravitates toward neighborhood architecture, such as two-, four- and six-flats, courtyard buildings and bungalows, but he also photographs mixed-use structures, university buildings and the occasional school or library. 

WHY: Gilbert grew up in the suburbs, but the city always captivated him. Tired of being cooped up in his Edgewater apartment during the pandemic, he stepped outside and began to take notice of the buildings in his own neighborhood. 

IN HIS OWN WORDS: “Great and interesting architecture is all around us in every neighborhood, and so many of these buildings have a story to tell. The best compliment I’ve gotten is that I helped someone appreciate a building they see every day in a new way.” 

PHOTOS: MATT GILBERT