About the program
Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) presents a dynamic, inquiry-based walking workshop designed to sharpen your observation skills and deepen your understanding of the built environment. How to “Read” a Building invites adult learners to approach architecture as a text, one that reveals its story through design, material, and historical context.
Through close examination of three architecturally significant buildings—111 E. Wacker Dr., the Carbide & Carbon Building, and the Chicago Cultural Center—participants will learn to “read” structures using interpretation and visual analysis. Led by CAC educators, this educational workshop-style tour encourages active participation, discussion, and discovery.
Perfect for lifelong learners, architecture enthusiasts, and curious minds, this program offers practical tools to interpret the world around us more thoughtfully. Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are strongly recommended.
This special offering is presented in partnership with the 2025/26 Chicago Architecture Biennial.
The CAC firmly believes that everyone should have the opportunity to discover why design matters. Should the registration fee be a barrier to your participation in this program, we invite you to please contact CACLearning@architecture.org to apply for a partial or full scholarship.