The Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB) has announced its sixth edition, marking the tenth anniversary of the renowned event, to take place from September 12, 2025, to February 28, 2026. The event will be titled CAB 6: Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change and will be directed by Florencia Rodriguez, an esteemed architect, writer, and educator. As the first female Latin American Director to lead CAB, Rodriguez brings a fresh perspective to the Biennial, which is set to continue its tradition as North America's largest exhibition of contemporary architecture, held biennially in Chicago.
For the past decade, CAB has provided a prominent platform for architectural discourse, engaging over 2.2 million visitors with exhibitions and public programs that include over 400 projects by architects, artists, and designers from nearly 50 countries. Hosted primarily at the historic Chicago Cultural Center, CAB also collaborates with numerous institutions across the city, extending its impact through a constellation of satellite exhibitions and events. The 2025 edition will be free and open to the public, welcoming local, national, and international visitors to experience and engage with innovative design concepts.
Rodriguez's approach to CAB 6 emphasizes the theme "Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change," encouraging participants to explore how architecture can respond to contemporary social, environmental, and cultural transformations. With a career spanning academia, editorial work, and international public programming, Rodriguez is known for her innovative contributions to architectural discourse. Her leadership in CAB 6 reflects her dedication to expanding the conversation on design's role in addressing urgent issues such as collective housing, ecological impact, and migration.
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"Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective": Carlo Ratti Announces Theme and Title for 2025 Venice Architecture BiennaleThe 2025 Biennial will also expand its educational outreach with programs like a podcast series, an open call for design ideas, and international collaborations with architecture schools. These initiatives are aimed at broadening the conversation on architecture's role in today's society. Further details on participants and partners will be released in early 2025, alongside additional programming announcements.
Since its inception in 2015, the Chicago Architecture Biennial has become North America's largest showcase of contemporary architecture, showcasing a wide array of international perspectives. Held biennially at the Chicago Cultural Center and partnered sites across the city, CAB has engaged over 2.2 million visitors, presenting more than 400 original projects from nearly 50 countries. Previous editions have included themes like "The Available City" (2021) and "Make New History" (2017), positioning CAB as a platform for bold ideas that consider the intersection of architecture and societal needs.
In other similar news, The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) has appointed Christine Tohmé as the curator for the 18th Istanbul Biennial, which will take place in three phases over three years from 2025 to 2027. Additionally, the Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2024 has officially opened to the public. Hosted at the Museum of Estonian Architecture and across multiple venues in the center of the city, the event is centered around the theme "Resources For a Future." In Jeddah, The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has revealed the theme and title for the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale: And all that is in between, exploring how faith is experienced, expressed, and celebrated through the acts of feeling, thinking, and making.
