BREAKTHROUGH

• November 19, 2025 – April 19, 2026

• Special Exhibits Gallery, 2nd Floor

• Free

This immersive exhibition creates an experimental living room and learning space for conversations about affordable housing futures, past and present.

BREAKTHROUGH blends historical documentation of ambitious HUD demonstration projects from the 1970s with new prototypes from The Housing Futures Initiative, led by Alexander Eisenschmidt. This work aims to challenge the social, cultural, and economic conventions of housing by rethinking the design, material, and construction of urban living.

Opening Reception
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 5–7 pm
Enjoy drinks, light bites, and conversation about the future of affordable urban living. RSVP today!

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About

BREAKTHROUGH is organized by Alexander Eisenschmidt, a designer, writer, and Professor of architecture at the University of Illinois Chicago. The Housing Future Initiative is led by Alexander Eisenschmidt, with architect Kelly Bair, lawyer Allison Bethel, and planner April Jackson, who all teach at the University of Illinois Chicago.

In Chicago

BREAKTHROUGH is presented as part of the sixth edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Opening September 19, 2025 and on view through February 28, 2026 at locations across Chicago, SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change engages timely global issues through the lens of architecture and design.

Support

Lead support for BREAKTHROUGH and related programming is provided by the Alvin H. Baum Family Fund. Through innovative grants and collaborations, the Fund helps ignite new ideas and promote solutions to ensure healthier, more equitable, and peaceful communities.

Additional support for the Housing Futures Initiative’s demonstration project is provided in part by Alphawood Foundation Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago, and Sterling Structural.