Chicago Architecture Center

{{Short description|American nonprofit cultural organization}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 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_date = {{start date|1966}}

| founder =

| location = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| key_people =

| area_served =

| focus = Education, Architecture, Design

| method =

| revenue =

| expenses =

| endowment =

| num_volunteers = 1,000

| num_employees =

| num_members = 11,000

| owner =

| Non-profit_slogan =

| homepage = http://architecture.org/

| footnotes =

}}

File:Chicago_Model_at_Chicago_Architecture_Foundation.jpg

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 inspire people to discover why design matters. 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.{{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}} CAC includes conference and exhibition space, including a scale model of downtown Chicago.{{cite web|url=http://caf.architecture.org/tours|title=CAF Tours|accessdate=2010-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325144037/http://caf.architecture.org/tours|archive-date=2010-03-25|url-status=dead}}

==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.{{cite book|last1=Ochsner|first1=Jeffrey Karl|title=H. H. Richardson: Complete Architectural Works|date=1984|publisher=MIT Press|pages=134|isbn=9780262650151|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gBDXfLHsnc4C&q=Chicago+School+of+Architecture+Foundation+glessner&pg=PA385}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.aaonetwork.org/about-us/history |title=History |website=Association of Architecture Organizations |language=en |access-date=2018-09-13}} 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.{{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 |accessdate=2010-09-07|work=Chicago Tribune}} 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.{{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=2018-09-11 |language=en-US}}{{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=2018-09-12}}