FIVE REASONS TO ATTEND THE 2020 DOCOMOMO US SYMPOSIUM IN CHICAGO

From the riches of Oak Park to the highest concentration of Mies van der Rohe buildings in the world, few cities can rival variety and depth of architecture that can be seen in Chicago. Whether it's this June or at another point, here are 5 reasons we hope you'll join us there.

1. Go back to where it all began.

It was in 1995 that a group of volunteers gathered during the first Preserving the Recent Past conference to set in motion a Docomomo chapter in the United States. Join us as Docomomo US celebrates its 25th anniversary back where it all began: Chicago, Illinois. As we look back on 25 years of preserving modernism, we hope you will join us for a deep dive of where we've been and what challenges lie in store.

2. Be at the center of it all.

Chicago has always been a place of crossroads, both geographically and for its place in architecture, culture, and technological change. Throughout the modern movement, innovations have blossomed at these intersections. Today, there is not another city in America that rivals the sheer volume, variety, and depth of great modern sites that are found in Chicago.  

3. You asked for papers, and we are delivering.

Many of you requested a Call for Papers for this year’s Symposium – and we listened! With over 80 papers submitted during the call, we have whittled it down and are pleased to present 37 papers during the Symposium on topics ranging from modern dwellings to urbanism, infrastructure, advocacy, and more. Stay tuned for the full schedule, which will be released later this month.

4. The Chicago architecture tour you haven’t been on

Chicago architecture tours are a classic Windy City pastime, but the Symposium is a chance to experience uniquely crafted tours you can’t get anywhere else – led by the people who have, literally, written the book. See Chicago’s overlooked South Side with Lee Bey, tour both Bruce Goff’s Ford House and Mies’ Farnsworth House in one swoop, get an exclusive look at Caldwell Farms, go behind the scenes of private modern homes in Chicago’s suburbs – and the list goes on.

5. Celebrate the Wright way

Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park is included as one of the ten Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Celebrate 25 years of Docomomo US at this recently restored site (which won a 2018 Modernism in America Award) during the opening reception, and complement it with a special discounted tour of Wright's Home and Studio. 

Ready for some deep dish? Register here

See you in Chicago!