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.
What buildings in Chicago are most endangered this year? Find out at the unveiling of the 20th annual “Chicago 7,” a list from Preservation Chicago that identifies significant structures and public spaces preservationists hope to protect from the…
In order to withstand the Windy City's namesake weather, some of Chicago’s tallest buildings are designed to sway in the breeze, which can leave residents and workers feeling seasick. Join us for a look at the innovative ways structural engineers minimize…
Join us after work for a summer evening of drinks and discovery at the Chicago Architecture Center.
Many of today’s commercial buildings are made of concrete. One of concrete’s crucial components is cement, which releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the environment. Join us as we learn what other alternatives exist to mitigate cement’s…
Join us for a special STEM festival designed just for girls ages 11-16! Girls will build, learn and network with professionals from more than 15 different STEM organizations.
Join us as we explore the buildings of the Chicago Public Library, from its beginning in the 19th century in an unused water tower, to its dazzling 21st century neighborhood branches.
The 1835 Clarke House is Chicago’s oldest standing residence. It is preserved thanks to the stewardship of Bishop Louis Henry Ford and the St. Church of God in Christ. Join us for a conversation about the house and opportunities to broaden the stories…
The Chicago Architecture Center teams up with Music Box Theatre in Lakeview for a special screening of North by Northwest.
Join us for a special program with CAC President and CEO Lynn Osmond. Hear about 2021’s most inspired design, development and preservation efforts as Chicago gradually recovers and recalibrates in the wake of the pandemic. Then, consider what awaits…
The Chicago Architecture Center stands on unceded Native land. As we work to better represent Chicago’s diversity in everything we do, this spring the CAC will begin to incorporate land acknowledgement into all public offerings (tours and programs)…
In the past decade, thousands of houses of worship have closed each year. But when the congregation leaves, what happens to the structures they leave behind? Join our discussion, where we will cover how these buildings are being adapted in new and creative…
The Chicago Architecture Center teams up with Chicago Filmmakers in Edgewater for a special presentation of Halsted Street, U.S.A.
Come explore architecture through watercolors. Join sculpture artist and educator Paul Neumann in a family workshop where art and architecture meet.
Alfred Hitchcock created cinematic sets that deeply impact our experience of his suspenseful films. As Christine Madrid French reveals in her new book, Hitchcock imbued his work with a keen sense of place and architectural style.
Floundering retail. Stunted tourism. Vacant offices. City centers across the globe are facing big challenges borne partly of the pandemic’s ongoing disruptions. Explore how designers, business leaders and city officials are working to keep Chicago moving…
April marks the 200th anniversary of Frederick Law Olmsted’s birth. To celebrate, we're exploring the deeper legacy of this pioneering figure—designer, planner, educator, reformer, advocate, activist, inventor, innovator and enduring influencer.
Midcentury art and architecture are too often studied separately. In the case of Roger Brown and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the cultural influences and societal undercurrents acting on these great Chicago Modernists brought their work closer together.
After meeting in Paris, portraitist George Healy and stained glass artist Louis Millet came to Chicago to start their interior design business. Their artistry won them national acclaim and the attention of Louis Sullivan. This is their story.
Get a special insider’s look at the making of the fourth edition of the AIA Guide to Chicago. Editor Laurie Peterson and AIA Chicago Executive Director Jen Masengarb highlight new additions to our city’s definitive architectural guidebook.
Join Blair Kamin and Lee Bey for the launch of their new book, Who Is The City For?. A vividly illustrated collection of Kamin’s clear-headed, forceful Chicago Tribune columns, the book paints a revealing portrait of Chicago in all its complexities…
Completed in 1972 by Kisho Kurokawa, the Nakagin Capsule Tower is a rare, longstanding example of Metabolist architecture. This documentary directed by Rima Yamazaki examines the meaning of Metabolism and Kurokawa's meticulous methods within the movement…
During the latter part of his career, Louis Sullivan designed eight “Jewel Box” banks, known for their modern facades and their lavishly ornamented interiors resembling jewel boxes. Join us for a midwestern virtual tour of these architectural masterpieces…
Our annual Engineering Fest is back in person this year! Join us for a day of discovery, as children ages 8-14 are invited to build and learn, view two floors of exhibits, meet engineers and explore how architecture and engineering partner to create the…
Join us for a sneak peek of Open House Chicago as we gear up for the free annual festival's return on October 15-16. Hear about what’s new and exciting in this 12th year of the event.
The Chicago Architecture Center will host local authors and CAC docents Molly Page and Ellen Shubart for a meet and greet book signing.