The Chicago Architecture Foundation is set to open the Chicago Architecture Center Aug. 31. At the 20,000-square-foot center, situated on East Wacker at Michigan Avenue above the dock where the foundation’s architecture cruises depart, docent-led tours and special programs will detail Chicago’s architectural legacy and its role in shaping cities everywhere.
CHICAGO: City of Architecture Gallery, the center’s signature gallery, will connect visitors to Chicago’s place in architectural history through exhibits that explore the city’s neighborhoods and their unique architectural styles, as well as new Chicago projects that redefine modern design.
The Tall: Skyscrapers and Innovation exhibit will feature detailed, supersized scale models of famous skyscrapers from Chicago and across the globe, including a 40-foot model of the world’s tallest building. Groups will learn how architects push boundaries and discover what it takes to build the world’s “megatall” structures.
The Chicago City Model Experience will be a cinematic, interactive encounter that tells the story of the city considered the birthplace of the skyscraper, from its founding and the Great Chicago Fire to the construction of today’s super tall buildings.
The Hands-On Design Studio will offer workshops and personalized design experiences for all ages that can be geared toward teenagers looking to pursue a career in architecture. The Future Cities Gallery will include a variety of rotating exhibits exploring the construction of resilient megacities of the future that will exist in balance with nature.
The Chicago Architecture Foundation also offers architectural tours by boat on the Chicago River, as well as programs, exhibitions, field trips and online tools as part of a dynamic learning journey for all ages.
For more information, email Dan O’Connell with the Chicago Architecture Foundation or visit architecture.org.
Top photo: Rendering of the Chicago Architecture Center
Photo by Chicago Architecture Foundation
