SOM Releases Exploratory Chicago Bears Stadium Plan in Bridgeport

SOM has released renderings of a speculative Chicago Bears stadium on the site of Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport, a concept the firm is quick to label exploratory — not a commissioned design — as the franchise weighs whether to stay in Chicago or decamp to the suburbs or another state, Architects’ Paper reported.

The proposal matters now because it lands in the middle of a live decision. The Bears are actively examining a new complex in Arlington Heights designed by Manica, and Gary, Indiana officials are publicly stumping for the team to move there. A Bridgeport stadium would be the only option on the table that keeps the franchise inside city limits.

A Lattice Bowl on the White Sox Site

The renderings show a large oval bowl wrapped in a continuous lattice façade, sitting where the White Sox have played on 35th Street for over a century. The lattice is functional as well as visual: it modulates light, contributes to structural bracing, and gives the building a distinct silhouette against the skyline. Inside, a fixed roof would let the venue host Final Four games, concerts, and other large events beyond the NFL season, with concourses designed to open toward the surrounding streets on non-game days.

Chicago Bears in Bridgeport? Entwurf für neues Stadion vorgestellt

Site selection leans on existing infrastructure. The location offers parking, CTA and Metra connections, and direct access to the Dan Ryan Expressway, advantages SOM says make it well suited to an NFL stadium without starting from a greenfield condition.

A District, Not Just a Stadium

Across the highway, the plan adds housing and commercial buildings faced in brick on publicly owned land, plus a practice field, tailgating space, and public open space. Widening existing bridges and adding a new pedestrian bridge over the Dan Ryan would link the district to the Illinois Institute of Technology and Bronzeville — a connection SOM says would “support existing businesses, and improve accessibility.”

What if the Chicago Bears took over the White Sox's home turf? Chicago-based architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has unveiled a striking vision for a new domed NFL stadium on the site of Rate Field, the current home of the Chicago White Sox. The proposal goes far… pic.twitter.com/vxCSpSnt88

— https://x.com/archpng/status/2116032851015852465

“Our conceptual vision builds on the idea of the White Sox leaving Bridgeport and seeks to extend the neighborhood’s extraordinary sports legacy, pairing a new home for the Bears with a district that serves the surrounding community 365 days a year.” — SOM, via Architects’ Paper

The housing component is central to the pitch. By placing affordable and market-rate units within walking distance of the stadium and transit, the proposal tries to knit the development into Bridgeport’s existing fabric rather than creating an isolated sports enclave that sits empty most of the year.

The Road That Led Here

The White Sox’s own future on the South Side is unsettled. Longtime owner Jerry Reinsdorf has expressed interest in relocating after the franchise’s lease expires in 2029. In 2024 the team shared a plan for a new professional soccer stadium on the same site, designed by Gensler, and in September it unveiled renderings of a stadium complex designed by AECOM on the West Side next to a railyard. No decision has been made.

SOM Releases Exploratory Chicago Bears Stadium Plan in Bridgeport — Photo: archpaper.com

Meanwhile, community pushback in Bridgeport is mounting against a separate proposal by Amtrak and White Sox co-owner Justin Ishbia to build a new maintenance facility near Rate Field, adding tension to any plan that reimagines the neighborhood around sports.

What Has Not Been Decided

SOM has stated plainly that the proposal is exploratory and not tied to a formal commission from the Bears. The team continues to examine Arlington Heights and other locations, and Gary officials are pressing hard for the move. Whether the Bridgeport scheme advances, the renderings put a concrete answer on the table to the question Chicago has been circling for years: how a major professional team stays in the city while giving something lasting back to the neighborhood around it. Who will answer that question — the Bears, the city, or Bridgeport residents — remains the open one.