As part of SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change—the sixth edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial—this panel brings together Biennial participants and critics for a fast-paced, collective exploration of how architecture can respond to a world in flux. Moderated by Artistic Director Florencia Rodriguez with co-curators Igo Kommers  Wender and Chana Haouzi, the program features architects from across the Biennial’s thematic capsules—Inhabit, Outhabit; Ecologies; The Ordinary-EXTRA; and Melting Solids.

In a dynamic format, each participant will respond to the central question of SHIFT—how does your work address change? Their provocations will spark a larger conversation on housing, ecologies, and the beauty of the everyday, offering insight into how architects are rethinking fundamentals and experimenting with new possibilities for practice. The session closes with reflections from architectural critics, underscoring the vital role of criticism in shaping public discourse and reaffirming architecture’s capacity to imagine better futures.

SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change is the sixth edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial and marks the celebration of its tenth anniversary.

Led by Artistic Director Florencia Rodriguez, SHIFT signals the opportunity and need to change direction—an invitation to think with others and to set new grounds for the interpretation and design of our built environments. This edition explores how architecture engages with the profound cultural, social, and environmental transformations shaping our world today and explores the possibility of envisioning alternate paths forward. Featuring over 100 projects by architects, artists, and designers from 30 countries, SHIFT convenes voices from around the world, in a citywide constellation of exhibitions and public programs. Together, they address urgent questions shaping the spaces we inhabit, such as housing, ecology, and material innovation, to demonstrate architecture’s role in shaping our collective future.

Please note: The first-floor galleries and bookshop are accessible via outdoor lift. Please call ahead to make arrangements. The second-floor galleries and the third-floor ballroom, where events are held, are only accessible by stairs. Please contact us at 312.787.4071 or info@grahamfoundation.org to make arrangements.

For more information on the exhibition, SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change , click here.