Join us for our FREE, hands-on summer camps where 6th-8th grade students are introduced to architecture and design. Camps are one week long.
We Build!
Upcoming Programs
Registration is now full. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about future We Build! sessions.
Designing Access
Our Fall 2025 We Build! session invites youth to explore how buildings can break down barriers by investigating the elements and evolution of accessible architectural design. Participants will visit sites to observe accessible design in action, dialogue with professionals in the field of architecture and develop foundational drafting skills that they will then use to design and present a public space that intentionally centers accessibility for all.
We encourage students to attend all sessions to get the most insight from the program.
Grades: 6-8
Program dates:
- Sunday, September 7
- Sunday, September 14
- Sunday, September 21
- Sunday, September 28
- Sunday, October 5
- Sunday, October 12
Program time for all dates is 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About We Build!
We Build! is an equity-driven architecture program designed to introduce Chicago area middle school students to the world of design and the built environment. Through hands-on projects, place-based learning and culturally responsive instruction, students explore architecture as a tool for community change and creative expression. By centering equity and access, We Build! empowers students of all identities to see themselves as future designers, leaders and problem-solvers.
Support
If you find our programs valuable, please consider donating to the CAC to help cover some or all of a program fee.
CAC's We Build! is a part of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Youth Learning Programs.
Keynote speaker
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Speakers:
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Movements to Monuments
As the CAC celebrates its 60th anniversary, join us at the National Public Housing Museum to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chicago Freedom Movement in this week-long camp.
Through hands-on activities, engaging field trips, and meaningful dialogue with professional guest speakers, campers will explore not only the background and impact of this important historical movement, but also how we can use design to honor the past.
Campers will use what they learn to design, construct a model of and present a monument that memorializes the effort to secure equal housing rights for all.
Program Details
- Grades: 6-8
- Location: National Public Housing Museum, 919 S. Ada St., Chicago, IL 60607
- Dates: July 20-24
- Days: Monday through Friday
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
REGISTER NOW
Email caclearning@architecture.org if you have any questions.
Building for Health
Discover how the built environment impacts human health and how our surroundings can affect our physical and mental well-being in this week-long camp.
Through hands-on activities, field trips, and meaningful dialogue with professional guest speakers, campers will explore how urban planning and design can be used to support health and wellness.
They will work together to design a neighborhood that intentionally prioritizes residents’ health and, at the end of the week, present their work at a final showcase.
Program Details
- Grades: 6-8
- Location: Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
- Dates: August 3-7
- Days: Monday through Friday
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration for this session is full. To be added to the waitlist, please email caclearning@architecture.org.
About We Build!
We Build! is an equity-driven architecture program designed to introduce Chicago area middle school students to the world of design and the built environment. Through hands-on projects, place-based learning and culturally responsive instruction, students explore architecture as a tool for community change and creative expression. By centering equity and access, We Build! empowers students of all identities to see themselves as future designers, leaders and problem-solvers.
Support
If you find our programs valuable, please consider donating to the CAC to help cover some or all of a program fee.
