A new address.
Championing members since 1869.

AIA Chicago is embarking on a new chapter.

In mid-2027, we are moving to the historic Monroe Building.

More than a century ago in 1912, the Monroe Building, a Romanesque-inspired 16-story, steel frame building clad in a combination of terracotta and granite, took its place among Chicago’s elite office properties.

Architect Martin Roche, FAIA, partner at the firm Holabird & Roche, designed the Monroe Building to harmonize with the firm’s earlier neogothic University Club, located to the north across Monroe Street. The Monroe Building’s banded multi-toned terra cotta exterior, with its decorative pilasters and overhangs, enhance the building's rich façade. The gabled roof and dormers of green Spanish tiles complete the Monroe Building’s unique exterior.Together the Monroe and University Club buildings created a striking gateway from Michigan Avenue into the Loop.

The Monroe Building's dramatic lobby featured one of the largest commercial installations in the country of tile work by acclaimed Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, then one of the largest woman-owned businesses in the country. Premier tenants, including Holabird & Roche, gravitated to the building with a stream of artists and architects — among them Frank Lloyd Wright— taking loft space under the gables.

Now, it's AIA Chicago's time to call this building home.

Since our chapter's founding in 1869, AIA Chicago has called many addresses home across this city we love, a reflection of an organization that has grown and evolved alongside Chicago's architecture for over 150 years.

Our new office continues that tradition, placing our chapter in a space that meets the changing needs of our 3,500 members. As we begin design and construction toward a mid-2027 move-in, we're inviting our membership to be part of the process, and part of designing a space that reflects where our profession is headed.

Photo: Chicago Architectural Photographing Company (1885-1973)

Where we've been

How you can get involved

Architecture Firms

AIA Chicago invites membership to submit a response to our RFQ to provide design services for the new home of our Chapter. All submissions will be reviewed to develop a short list for an invitation to submit a fee proposal. Shortlisted firms will be allowed to submit clarifying questions to assist in developing their proposals for final consideration. Please note: Firms with individuals sitting on the 2026 AIA Chicago Board of Directors or AIA Chicago Foundation Board of Trustees are ineligible to submit.

RFQ Form

Affiliate Companies

AIA Chicago invites a variety of Affiliate companies, including but not limited to: furniture vendors, building material suppliers, lighting and fixture manufacturers, technology and AV providers, flooring and finishes companies, art and signage vendors, and design, engineering, and construction consultants, to partner with us in outfitting the new home of our Chapter through in-kind product and material donations. Please contact Kirstin Osgood, Director of Development, Sales, and Membership at AIA Chicago, for more information.

Contact Us

Project Timeline

Phase 1 - Request for Qualifications

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | Announcement and RFQ form released

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM | RFQ form due

Monday, October 26, 2026 | Shortlisted firms notified

Phase 2 - Request for Proposals

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | Mandatory site visit for shortlisted firms

Monday, November 2, 2026 | Proposal Letter of Intent and questions due

Friday, November 6, 2026 | Responses returned to all shortlisted firms; Publish architecture firm shortlist to AIA Chicago membership

Friday, November 20, 2026 at 5:00 PM | RFP due to AIA Chicago

Monday, November 30, 2026 | Shortlisted firms notified for final interviews

Friday, December 11, 2026 | Firm final interviews

Phase 3 - Project Launch

Wednesday, December 16, 2026 | Notice of award to firm

Thursday, December 17, 2026 | Announcement to AIA Chicago membership at Annual Meeting

Monday, January 4, 2027 | Target project design phase start date

Spring - Summer 2027 | Design and construction

*timeline subject to change

General Questions

After nearly 20 years at 35 East Wacker Drive, our lease comes to an end in February 2027 — and the Board saw this as a meaningful opportunity rather than just a logistical deadline. After carefully weighing a lease extension against a broader search, the Board decided that finding a new home was the wisest use of the Chapter's resources and the best way to reflect how we serve our members, run our organization, and support our staff today. This move is a chance to build a space that truly matches where AIA Chicago is headed.

Choosing our new home was about far more than square footage — the Board set out to find a space that truly represents our members and puts Chapter resources to their best use. Top priorities included:

An architecturally significant building in a prominent location — one that celebrates Chicago's design legacy and strengthens our voice as advocates for the profession.
Close proximity to member firms and easy access to public transportation.
Simple, secure access for members visiting the space.

This search also gave us the chance to rethink how we use our space entirely. With digital tools and virtual meetings now central to how we connect, our new office can be designed around what members need most: flexible event space for diverse programming, more room for in-person learning and social gathering, and quality workspace for our incredible staff.

The selection process starts with a short interest form (RFQ) so the Working Group made up of the Executive Director, Chapter President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer can review basic qualifications. From there, the Working Group will shortlist firms and share the list with Chapter membership.

Shortlisted firms will get a chance to tour the new tenant space and ask questions before submitting a formal fee proposal. The Working Group will review proposals, hold interviews if needed, and bring a final recommendation to the Chapter Board for approval.

The design process itself will involve the Working Group, Chapter staff, select Board representatives, and key Chapter user groups.

News

10/07 / AIA Chicago Announces mid-2027 Move

Inquiries

Media
Dan O'Connell
dan@danoconnellmedia.com 617-480-6585

RFQ, RFP Questions
Kelly Moynihan, AIA; 2026 President
president@aiachicago.org

Sponsorship and In Kind Material Donations
Kirstin Osgood, Director of Development, Sales, and Membership
kosgood@aiachicago.org 312-374 1726

General Questions
Jen Masengarb, Assoc. AIA; AIA Chicago Executive Director
jmasengarb@aiachicago.org 312-376-2780

A new address.Championing members since 1869.