Chicago Architecture Center

{{Short description|American nonprofit cultural organization}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{coord|41.88792|-87.623668|display=title}} {{Infobox organization | image = Chicago Architecture Center.jpg | caption = Chicago Architecture Center headquarters | name = Chicago Architecture Center | logo = | type = 501(c)(3) charitable organization | founded = {{start date|1966}} | founder = | location = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | key_people = | region_served = | focus = Education, Architecture, Design | method = | revenue = | expenses = | endowment = | num_volunteers = 1,000 | num_employees = | num_members = 11,000 | owner = | website = {{official url}} | footnotes = }}

thumb|280px|''Chicago Model'' in 2014 The '''Chicago Architecture Center''' ('''CAC'''), formerly the Chicago Architecture Foundation, is a nonprofit cultural organization based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, whose mission is to showcase Chicago and ideas from cities worldwide to inspire better living through design. Founded in 1966, its programs include public tours and programs, most notably the docent-led architecture cruise on the Chicago River, and other tours in the Chicago area. The river cruise is ranked in the top ten tours in the U.S. by TripAdvisor users.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lazare |first1=Lewis |title=Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise soars to the top at TripAdvisor.com |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2015/09/17/chicago-architecture-foundation-river-cruise-soars.html |website=Chicago Business Journal}}</ref> CAC includes conference and exhibition space, including a scale model of downtown Chicago.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://caf.architecture.org/tours |title=CAF Tours |access-date=September 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325144037/http://caf.architecture.org/tours |archive-date=March 25, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History== The CAC was founded in 1966 as the Chicago School of Architecture Foundation to save H. H. Richardson's Glessner House, one of Chicago's oldest residences.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ochsner |first1=Jeffrey Karl |title=H. H. Richardson: Complete Architectural Works |date=1984 |publisher=MIT Press |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=gBDXfLHsnc4C&q=Chicago+School+of+Architecture+Foundation+glessner&pg=PA385 134] |isbn=9780262650151 |url=https://archive.org/details/hhrichardsoncomp00ochs/page/134 |url-access=registration}}</ref> In 1971, it began to offer lectures and volunteer-led tours of Chicago to the public. It was renamed the Chicago Architecture Foundation in 1979, and CAF later moved into the Railway Exchange Building on Michigan Avenue in 1992 with an expanded book store and program space.

CAC and the ''American Architectural Foundation'' co-founded the ''Association of Architecture Organizations'' in 2005, a now international membership group that develops the programs and work of public architecture education groups.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aaonetwork.org/about-us/history |title=History |website=Association of Architecture Organizations |language=en |access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref> In 2009, the center opened a new exhibition, ''Chicago Model'', which includes a 3D-printed scale model of the central area of the city and is now on permanent display.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/06/mark-your-calendars-for-next-thursday-the-chicago-architecture-foundation-will-be-opening-a-new-exhibition-chicago-model-ci.html |author=Blair Kamin |date=June 2, 2009 |title=A new model of Chicago's Loop, emerging next week in the CAF's "Chicago Model City" show |access-date=September 7, 2010 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Changing its name to the Chicago Architecture Center, it moved to a newly expanded space in Mies van der Rohe's One Illinois Center at 111 E. Wacker Dr. on the Chicago River in August 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kamin/ct-biz-chicago-architecture-center-kamin-0829-story.html |title=The Chicago Architecture Foundation has a new name and a new home. Skyscraper models are the stars of its engaging riverfront exhibition space. |last=Kamin |first=Blair |work=chicagotribune.com |access-date=September 11, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.architecture.org/learn/resources/buildings-of-chicago/building/111-east-wacker-one-illinois-center/ |title=111 East Wacker (One Illinois Center) |website=Chicago Architecture Center – CAC |language=en |access-date=September 12, 2018}}</ref>

==Tours== {{See also|San Francisco City Guides|Boston By Foot}} The CAC offers approximately 85 different tours of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-04 |title=If you have a Chicago architecture question, Jennifer McElroy has answers - CBS Chicago |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-architecture-questions-history/ |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=May 2026}} All tours are led by trained volunteer docents who go through a 14-week training course before being certified to lead CAC tours.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} Many tours in the Loop include historic buildings such as the Chicago Board of Trade, the Marquette Building, the Monadnock Building, and Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root's Rookery among many others.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} Some modern buildings that are explored include the Sears Tower, John Hancock Center, Mies van der Rohe's Chicago Federal Center and the Trump Tower.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} The CAC also offers tours of parks and public spaces such as Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park and the Chicago Pedway.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} During the summer months, the CAC offers tours of various neighborhoods throughout Chicago in addition to downtown tours.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} The CAC's most popular tour, the CAFC River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady Cruises has departures April–November every year. The CAC offers other tours year-round.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}

==Open House Chicago== The CAC also hosts the largest annual architecture event in the city, Open House Chicago. This free, annual event gives the public access to buildings and spaces around the city that are typically closed to the public. Held over a weekend in October, Open House Chicago attracts tens of thousands of participants from around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 16, 2015 |title=Open House Chicago: Step inside the city's architectural wonders for free |url=https://wgntv.com/news/features/open-house-chicago-step-inside-the-citys-architectural-wonders-for-free/ |access-date=March 17, 2021 |website=WGN-TV |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Education== The CAC offers a robust architecture and design education program and has received several awards for their curricula and textbooks including [https://web.archive.org/web/20140420184938/http://www.architecture.org/schoolyards Schoolyards to Skylines], the [http://www.architecture.org/architecturehandbook Architecture Handbook], and [http://www.discoverdesign.org DiscoverDesign.org]. In 2013, the CAC opened the ArcelorMittal Design Studio, a studio space dedicated to introducing design concepts to individuals of all ages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inside the New Chicago Architecture Foundation Design Studio |url=http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2013/11/25/inside-chicago-architecture-foundations-new-design-studio.php#more |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415191928/http://chicago.curbed.com/2013/11/25/10170478/inside-chicago-architecture-foundations-new-design-studio#more |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |website=Curbed Chicago |date=November 25, 2013}}</ref>

==CAC Store== thumb|280px|CAC Shop The CAC Store, which offers Chicago and architecture-themed products, is located on the first floor of the Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E. Wacker Dr.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago Architecture Foundation}} Category:1966 establishments in Illinois Category:Architecture in Chicago Category:Architecture museums in the United States Category:Architecture organizations based in the United States Category:Cultural institutions and organizations in Chicago Category:Foundations based in the United States Category:History museums in Illinois Category:Industry museums in Illinois Category:Museums in Chicago Category:Organizations established in 1966