Do you love to visit Chicago?  Like Architecture?  If you say yes to both questions, I have a new DesignDestination for you.  

The brand spanking new Chicago Architecture Center located right by the Michigan Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River needs to be on your list to places to visit.  

Yep, the Chicago Architectural Foundation has moved to a new location in the heart of the city—just off Michigan Avenue on the River. 

It’s now very close to its world famous architectural boat tour that the organization launched in 1983. 

Highly visible, the 20,000 square foot center is well on its way to being the hub for all things architectural in the city—well, maybe not Frank Lloyd Wright which is solidly located in Oak Park—but pretty much anything else you might be interested in.  

It is located in a Mies Van der Rohe building. The pioneer of Modernist Architecture designed 111 East Wacker which opened in 1970. 

 I was blown away by the Skyscraper Gallery on the second floor.  The exhibit is called Building Tall and includes 23 skyscraper models. 

The exhibit includes a model of and information about the world’s largest building, the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, including images of what it would look like in other cities.  

Expect to see models, photographs and sketches of famous buildings around the world, and some not built yet.   

The view out the 40 foot windows, include the shockingly transparent Apple store, new on the architectural map along with Wrigley Building, Tribune Building and Trump Tower, seem to intermix with the models at times.  

A smaller display area houses posters reflecting possible answers to the question: How will we live in 2050?

On the first level of the Chicago Architectural Center, visitors will  learn a lot about Chicago.  The 7 minute Chicago Model experience with video backdrop does a fabulous job of sharing the history of the city including the dramatic Chicago fire.  I’ll visit this again.  It is well done and interesting.  

The Gallery also highlights famous Chicago architects, neighborhoods and unique residential architecture.  

I recommend checking out the CAC store.  It retails really good stuff and it is nice to know one is supporting a worthy organization when shopping.  

Since it’s founding in 1966, CAC has grown to be one of the largest cultural organizations in Chicago, reaching 690,000 people through its 85 docent led tours in 2017.  How terrific that they have a new home in the heart of the city.

All this helps to serve the mission of the Foundation:  Raise the city’s collective design IQ. I think it is successful. 

There is an entrance fee of $12 for adults, $8 for students, but if you take one of CAC’s walking or bus tours, admission to the center’s exhibits is included.  You don’t have to buy a ticket to shop in the store. 

Blog posts related to Chicago Architecture: 

River Boat Tour : Take the Architectural Boat Tour 

Chicago River Walk 

Apple Store