Sept. 12, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026
Free admission • Chicago Cultural Center & citywide

Experience the future of architecture at the 10th annual Chicago Architecture Biennial.

This ground-breaking event, held biannually in Chicago, is the largest architecture and design exhibition in North America. All events and exhibits are free and open to the public.

This edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial will feature projects by contributors from around the globe. Many of these free exhibits and events can be found at the Chicago Cultural Center, with a selection of off-site projects, related exhibitions, and programming in neighborhoods all across the city.

Chicago Architecture Biennial; Barkow Leibinger, Cardboard Merzbau Chicago Cultural Center; photo by Tom Harris

Chicago Architecture Biennial 2025/2026

The latest Chicago Architecture Biennial, celebrating its 10th edition, will center around the theme of Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change. Florencia Rodriguez will drive the event’s artistic vision as the Biennial’s first Latina Artistic Director.

This year’s Biennial will examine the cultural forces that impact design and the built environment, such as the need to rethink collective housing and the impact that migration has on our cities. The exhibitions, installations, and events will be staged at the Chicago Cultural Center and a constellation of community sites throughout the city.

Check back for the full 2025/2025 schedule and list of exhibits for the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Explore more: Check out more can’t-miss architecture events in Chicago throughout the year.

Chicago Architecture Biennial, The Black Girlhood Altar by a Long Walk Home at the Chicago Cultural Center; photo by Tom Harris

About the Chicago Architecture Biennial

The Chicago Architecture Biennial is a city-wide architecture exhibition that showcases the latest ideas in design and architecture from across the globe. The inaugural edition was held in 2015/2016.

Held in Chicago every two years, the Biennial is one of the most accessible public architecture events in the world. The exhibitions and public programs have engaged over 2.2 million visitors through over 400 original projects created by architects, artists, and designers from nearly 50 countries.

The diverse types of Biennial programs can include:

  • Exhibitions
  • Pop-ups
  • Site activations
  • Public lectures and talks
  • Workshops or conferences
  • Youth educational activities
  • Community festivals
  • Performance/film/video/media screenings
  • Tours
  • Open houses at a place of architectural significance

The main Biennial exhibitions are centered around the historic Chicago Cultural Center. There are also more than 100 partner sites and organizations across downtown and the city’s neighborhoods that serve as host venues and produce independent exhibitions and public programming.

Check the Chicago Architecture Biennial website for more information and exhibit details.