The inaugural Princeton/Chicago Architecture Center Fellowship is now open to applicants. The Princeton Urban Imagination Center (PUIC) has collaborated with the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) to create a fellowship program to support new design projects by early-career architects. This opportunity is exclusively for recent graduates of professional architecture degree programs who currently reside and work within the United States and outlying territories.
Early-career architects need resources to develop independent projects, and they need exposure for their work. Architecture and urbanism need new insights that expand the possibilities for our built environment. This fellowship is a platform for addressing urgent topics, aiming to bring new architectural strategies into the public eye.
Call for proposals
Re: Settlement Like other major global cities, Chicago struggles to accommodate the arrival of immigrants. The politics of if, where, and how immigrants are welcomed continues to be fraught. Chicago has always relied on immigration for growth, so the city’s history provides valuable precedents, from settlement houses to Single Room Occupancy hotels, for addressing today’s challenges. This fellowship calls on architects to propose visionary civic architecture that includes programs and facilities for new arrivals. Architecture fellows will each design a speculative project for a specific site in Chicago’s central area. An exhibition of the fellows’ work will be held at the CAC, accompanied by a symposium featuring respondents from Princeton University and Chicago. There will be up to three awardees.
Fellowship structure The fellowship has two parts. The design portion will begin in September 2025 and conclude in January 2026. During this period, architecture fellows will make at least two trips to Chicago for site visits, research, and engagement with local experts, and a third visit for the exhibition opening and symposium. A $5000 stipend will be provided for each fellow, plus additional funds to support design production and travel to Chicago.
The exhibition component will take place in Chicago, where architecture fellows will collaborate with the CAC team on an exhibition showcasing their projects. PUIC will coordinate with the CAC to develop a symposium and ensure the project is well publicized for maximum impact. PUIC will support shipping costs of work to and from Chicago and travel for the fellows.
The deadline for submissions is August 11, 2025 (11:59pm EDT). For application requirements, please visit the PUIC website.
