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At the Chicago Architecture Center, our programs and events help you think differently about the places we live, work and play. Get behind-the-scenes access to the city's architectural treasures. Practice your design skills while you play with your family. Participate in expert-led discussions about the latest urban design issues. With these offerings and so many more to choose from, we guarantee there’s something inspiring and fun for you at the CAC. 

Recommended Programs

Architect Talk: Ralph Johnson's Chicago

Join us for an evening with Perkins&Will principal and design director Ralph Johnson, recipient of the 2022 AIA Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award. Over a half-century at Perkins&Will, Johnson has produced defining buildings of the era while mentoring…

Price
$15 public, $7 CAC Members
Date
June 7, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Gand Lecture Hall at Chicago Architecture Center

Learn More Register

Price
$15 public, $7 CAC Members
Date
June 7, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Gand Lecture Hall at Chicago Architecture Center

River Cruise Stories You May Not Hear

With over 50 buildings to talk about on the river cruise, CAC docents don't have time to tell every story they know. Join our veteran docents as they share extra stories of the Chicago river, its buildings and people.

Price
$15 Public, Free for CAC members
Date
June 28, 2023
Time
12:00 pm
Meet
Zoom Virtual Event (details to come)

Learn More Register

Price
$15 Public, Free for CAC members
Date
June 28, 2023
Time
12:00 pm
Meet
Zoom Virtual Event (details to come)

Prost! Beer and Architecture in Chicago

Chicago has always been a brewing and beer-drinking city. Join us for a look at Chicago's brewery architecture: industrial breweries, palatial homes of beer barons and, of course, the ever-popular vernacular neighborhood pubs.

Price
$15 public, Free for CAC members
Date
July 26, 2023
Time
12:00 pm
Meet
Zoom Virtual Event (details to come)

Learn More Register

Price
$15 public, Free for CAC members
Date
July 26, 2023
Time
12:00 pm
Meet
Zoom Virtual Event (details to come)

Talking Timber: Will Chicago Embrace Wooden High-Rises?

Is Chicago, home of the Great Fire and stringent building codes, ready to embrace tall timber construction? Find out when our panelists get together to discuss local and regional precedents, structural research, and evolving codes and attitudes.

Price
Free, RSVP
Date
August 9, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Chicago Architecture Center Gand Lecture Hall and Zoom Virtual Event

Learn More Register

Price
Free, RSVP
Date
August 9, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Chicago Architecture Center Gand Lecture Hall and Zoom Virtual Event

Talking Timber: Designing Future Cities in Wood

Join us in picturing a future of cities cast in wood. Our panel of international architects and researchers will unveil transformative development plans, skyscrapers, and cutting-edge innovations harnessing mass timber for sustainable growth.

Price
Free, RSVP
Date
September 19, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Chicago Architecture Center Gand Lecture Hall and Zoom Virtual Event

Learn More Register

Price
Free, RSVP
Date
September 19, 2023
Time
6:00 pm
Meet
Chicago Architecture Center Gand Lecture Hall and Zoom Virtual Event