SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change

The Chicago Architecture Biennial is now open to the public with its sixth edition, SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change, led by Artistic Director Florencia Rodriguez. Marking the Biennial’s tenth anniversary, SHIFT signals both an opportunity and a need to change direction—an invitation to think collectively and to establish new grounds for interpreting and designing our built environments.

Exploring how architecture engages with the profound cultural, social, and environmental transformations shaping the world today, SHIFT envisions alternate paths forward. Featuring projects by architects, artists, and designers from 30 countries, the edition convenes a constellation of voices across Chicago’s cultural institutions, community landmarks, and unexpected sites, addressing urgent questions around housing, ecology, and material innovation to demonstrate architecture’s role in shaping our collective future.

On November 7, the Biennial expands to 840 N. Michigan Avenue, transforming more than 65,000 square feet of former retail space into an expansive exhibition site featuring over 30 installations. The Biennial unfolds citywide across the Chicago Cultural Center, the Graham Foundation, the Stony Island Arts Bank, and the grounds of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, highlighting architecture’s ability to question conventions and imagine new ways of living together.

Organized around thematic capsules—Ecologies; Fragmented Manifestos; Inhabit, Outhabit; Melting Solids; The Ordinary–EXTRA; and SHIFT—this edition examines architecture’s capacity for renewal, reimagines dwelling and collectivity, and situates design within environmental and social systems. Together, these capsules form the core of the curatorial framework, offering layered and accessible ways to engage with architecture’s evolving role in civic life.

2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial participants
Ecologies—The Bittertang Farm; Blanco, Estudio Jochamowitz Rivera, and Ghezzi Novak; C+ arquitectas (Nerea Calvillo with Toby Chai, Manu Alba Montes, Xingyu Huang and Jasper Nord); La Cabina de la Curiosidad; CLUAA; Juan Du; Estudio Flume; Estudio Planta; Ibañez Kim; Laboratory of Intersectional Ecologies / Alejandro Haiek Coll and Lolo Rebecca Rudolph; LIGA, Space for Architecture; Rozana Montiel; Ivan L. Munuera and TAKK (Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño); Natura Futura; Oshinowo Studio; Parsons & Charlesworth; STOSS Landscape Urbanism + MPdL Studio with Mark Lamster; Studio Urbane Strategien; Sungjang; UNA / UNLESS; and Worofila

Fragmented Manifestos—Stan Allen; Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R); Charles Jencks; MOS and Tony Cokes; Sergio Prego; Anne Tyng; and Amancio Williams

Inhabit, Outhabit—APPARATA; b+ (bplus.xyz); Balparda Brunel Oficina de Arquitectura; BETA office for architecture and the city; Breathe Architecture; Bureau SLA and ZakenMaker; Centro Cooperativista Uruguayo; Skarn Chaiyawat, Rina Shindo, and Witee Wisuthumporn; Mariano Clusellas in partnership with Guillermo Cabrera, Alberto Campolonghi, Sebastián Colle, Cristian O’Connor, and Jorge Pieretti; José Cubilla; E2A / Piet Eckert und Wim Eckert Architekten; FAR frohn&rojas; French 2D; Hardel Le Bihan Architectes; HHF Architects; Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA; Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA); Lütjens Padmanabhan Architekt*innen; MASS Design Group; Max Nuñez Arquitectos; Michael Maltzan Architecture; Oshinowo Studio; Plan Común; PRODUCTORA; Sam Chermayeff Office; SO–IL; TEN; URBANUS (Liu Xiaodu, Meng Yan); and Urko Sánchez Architects

Melting Solids—Abigail Chang; Dominic Kießling; Laboratorio de Arquitectura and José Cubilla; Studio Jacob; and WAI Architecture Think Tank

The Ordinary–EXTRA—11 x 17; adamo-faiden; FORMA; Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork; gru.a; Kwong Von Glinow; Sean Lally; Objects of Common Interest / LOT office for architecture; Cristóbal Palma; and Paradigma Ariadné

SHIFT—322A; alsar-atelier; BairBalliet; Balsa Crosetto Piazzi and Giorgis Ortiz; Besler & Sons; BURR; Jason Campbell / ellProjects; DAVIDSON RAFAILIDIS; Firat Erdim; EXTENTS; Iman Fayyad / project:if; Floating Museum; Ignacio G. Galán, David Gissen, and Architensions (Alessandro Orsini and Nick Roseboro); gt2P; Stewart Hicks; Christopher Hawthorne; Tonika Lewis Johnson and Amanda Williams in Collaboration; Johnston Marklee; Tamara Kostianovsky; LA DALLMAN; LAMA.SP; Luftwerk; Nicolas Dorval-Bory Architectes; On Architecture; R&R STUDIOS; RADDAR; David Ramis; Sayler/Morris; Berndnaut Smilde; Space Popular; Studio Sean Canty; Alfredo Thiermann with Pedro Correa, Ella Neumaier, and Xavier Nueno; Aura Venckunaite; and Oscar Zamora and Michael Koliner

Locations
840 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611
November 7, 2025–January 31, 2026

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602
Through February 26, 2026

Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, 4 West Burton Pl., Chicago, IL 60610
Through February 26, 2026

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60637
Through February 26, 2026

Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago, IL 60649
Through November 30, 2025

The Chicago Architecture Biennial is a non-profit organization dedicated to convening the world to explore innovative ideas and bring people together to collectively imagine and shape the future of design.

To learn more and explore the full list of exhibitions and programs, visit chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org