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.
Theaters have been important in Chicago for many years. The Auditorium Building is more than 125 years old! We'll go on a short walking tour (weather permitting), learn about how function and aesthetic work together, then design our own theaters out of…
Join us in the CAF Store from 11am to 3pm for an exclusive event with Motawi Tileworks. You'll enjoy special discounts and a presentation from the company’s founder.
Learn about the complex restoration and revitalization work underway at Lathrop Homes, a historic Chicago Housing Authority site located between the Bucktown and Roscoe Village neighborhoods on Chicago’s North Side.
Building a skyscraper today also means preparing for possible threats: earthquakes, strong winds, environmental deterioration and terrorist plots, to name a few. Four experts address these critical issues for tall buildings of the future.
Trucks on a construction site have a lot of jobs! They push and pull, lift and twist, and scoop and pour. We'll trace shapes to create trucks, test out tools and build with blocks. Drop in between 9am and 12pm for readings of "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction…
What does urban living look like in the future? Join CAF and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) as we host a discussion with policy and design experts about the way our city and suburbs might change to become more livable in the coming…
Watch Buckingham Fountain spring to life at ComEd’s annual "Switch on Summer" event! Listen to live music and take part in free family activities from 4-7pm and admire the fountain when it gets turned on at 6pm.
Join us and take in the mystical world of Aladdin! We’ll start with a presentation from a member of the Aladdin production team who will discuss sets, costumes and more. After the presentation, enjoy the Cadillac Palace Suite for a reception before…
The new book "Chicago: Classic Photographs" showcases 100 images of the city taken over the past century by revered photographers. Enjoy a tour through the collection and a book signing with editors Richard Cahan and Michael Williams.
We partnered with ArcLight Cinemas Chicago to bring you an exclusive monthly film series that explores how filmmakers use our city and its architecture to tell extraordinary stories. The selected films will be screened and followed by a discussion and…
Join CAF for a curated trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. We'll visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (including a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house) and the Thorncrown Chapel. Lodging will be at the trendy 21c Museum Hotel. Travelers may add an…
Join us from 12-3pm in our ArcelorMittal Design Studio to work with architects, designers and professional mentors from the Chicago area. These hands-on studios help develop basic architecture and design skills while solving real-world challenges.
Chicago has a tremendous legacy of landscape design. In this four-part educational series, historian Julia Bachrach leads discussions on the evolution of landscape architecture in Chicago and takes us on a half-day tour to influential sites.
Once a landscape of butchers and purveyors, Fulton Market is suddenly Chicago’s hottest district for development. Major undertakings by developer Sterling Bay are bringing new dynamism to the area. Join us to review the design of two key projects.
The 2017 Chicago Architecture Foundation Gala, No Small Plans, will take place on Thursday, April 6, at Morgan MFG in the West Loop. Proceeds will benefit CAF's education initiatives for Chicago students. Cocktail attire suggested.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes have homes. Come build a home that is just right for your favorite animal! We’ll make a mini-diorama and create an animal out of clay. Drop in any time between 9am and 12pm for multiple readings of "Home" by Carson…
Obsolete public structures can be found in every Chicago neighborhood. Increasingly, however, these spaces are not being demolished. Architects are assisting in their preservation by re-defining the buildings through creative reuse.
Explore social impact design from 12-3pm with guest architect Ashley Rodriguez, associate at Demonica Kemper Architects. We’ll see examples of her work, go on a walking tour in the Loop and use sketching and bubble diagrams to develop our own designs…
Sixty years ago Frank Lloyd Wright envisioned a mile high tower for Chicago. Finally, we have entered the era of the mega-tall skyscraper (2,000+ feet). How high can buildings possibly go? Our expert speakers tackle this and more.
The Public Trust Doctrine introduced Chicagoans to the notion of an open, public lakefront. While many agree with the doctrine, the past century has been filled with battles over the land. Our panel discusses our lakefront’s past and future.