Daytime Talk: Open House Chicago Preview 2018
Join CAC for a sneak peek of Open House Chicago (OHC), our free, annual architecture festival taking place Oct. 13-14. Hear about what’s new and exciting in this eighth year of the event.
Programs & Events at CAC
At 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 CAC.
Program Archive
Programs by Format
Programs by Audience
Girls Build! Fall 2018
This 8-week class invites girls ages 11-14 to understand architecture through the work of Chicago's historic women designers. We'll go on site visits in the city, research iconic figures and develop visual literacy and architecture design skills.
Book Club - Mies van der Rohe: A Critical Biography
Historian and visiting lecturer Paul Steinbrecher will lead this two-part book club (September 17 and 24, 2018) around Franz Schulze’s revised and expanded biography of Modernist pioneer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Members Only: Extended Hours at the CAC - Sept. 28
This event has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a future date.
Members Only: Extended hours at the CAC - Sept. 14
Make your Friday night great! From 5-8pm, CAC Members will get a unique opportunity to have the Center all to themselves! This after-hours event includes access to all the exhibits, including Building Tall and the Chicago City Model Experience.
Members Only: Architecture Essentials - Sept. 13
Chicago is synonymous with architecture and Chicagoans—especially CAC members—love to share their knowledge of architecture with family and friends. Come learn fun architecture facts you can share again and again at this members-only event.
Auxiliary Board River Cruise Fundraiser: Rodeo on the River
Get your Western wear ready and join the CAC Auxiliary Board on their annual river cruise fundraiser benefiting CAC’s Teen Academy programs! Guests will enjoy a sunset cruise with world-class architecture, cocktails, delicious small bites and on-board…
Hip Hop Architecture Camp
Hip Hop Architecture Camp is a one-week intensive experience that challenges youth of underserved populations to explore the cultural implications of architecture in the built environment through the lens of hip hop culture.
Living with Water: Designing for Wetter Weather and Cleaner Rivers
Water is key to a thriving Chicago. Join us for a panel discussion to hear diverse perspectives on how good design can help us better co-exist with water in the future.
SustainableXDesign
CAF has partnered with Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development to host an intensive, 3-week design program for teens in grades 9-12 this summer.
Guest Lecture: Sagrada Familia in the Making
Additional time just added! The Basilica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona is one of the world's great buildings. Hear noted engineer Tristram Carfrae explain how architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece—under construction since 1882—will be completed…
Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Armour Institute
Get a rare glimpse inside the Armour Institute, a towering red brick building on the Illinois Institute of Technology’s campus. Enjoy an exclusive tour of the former classroom and administrative spaces with a developer and an architect before the historic…
Members Only: Reception at 1000M Sales Gallery
Learn about 1000M—a new residential skyscraper designed by acclaimed architect Helmut Jahn—in the building’s state-of-the-art interactive sales gallery. Enjoy champagne and desserts at this exclusive, members-only reception.