Chicagoism: A Public Forum for Architecture

Concept Design – Chicago, Illinois

Chicagoism is a proposal for a new type of public venue—one that bridges architecture, civic engagement, and cultural production in the heart of downtown Chicago. Located just off Michigan Avenue near the Chicago River, the project responds to the city’s urban history and its ongoing architectural discourse.

The design reactivates a gap in the urban fabric with a hybrid building that combines exhibition space, public gathering zones, and flexible venues for events, forums, and workshops. Its location near the historic core of the Loop—where the skyscraper was born—makes it both a literal and symbolic site for architecture mediation.

Chicagoism draws from the formal clarity of the Chicago School while offering open, adaptable interiors. The building’s foyer doubles as a civic threshold, inviting spontaneous interaction and anchoring the institution to the city street.

By positioning itself at the intersection of culture, commerce, and history, Chicagoism becomes a platform for exploring architecture not only as an object but as a social act.

Urban Crossroads—Built for Exchange

Situated just steps from Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River, the project occupies a rare void in one of the city’s most iconic and active districts. Framed by historic towers and constant pedestrian flow, the site offers a moment of pause—an opening for public architecture to re-enter the everyday cityscape.

This location—at the edge of Chicago’s civic and commercial heart—presents a powerful opportunity for dialogue between people, place, and design. Rather than echoing its surroundings, the architecture engages, invites, and redefines how space can be shared in the city.