UIC Urban Forum: Chicago Futures

When the UIC Department of Urban Planning and Policy was founded in 1973, Chicago was a very different city. Manufacturing accounted for almost one-third of all jobs held by city residents. The Sears Tower, the tallest building in the world for the next 25 years, was completed and occupied by the headquarters of a retailer operating federated department stores across the country. The Chicago 21 Plan proposed new residential developments in the Loop to stem white flight and the hemorrhaging of businesses to manicured suburban office parks. Stevie Wonder released “Living for the City” and “Higher Ground.”

What will the next 50 years bring, and how will Chicago confront the challenges of climate change, growing income inequality and health disparities? How will a multicultural, globally connected and polarized city with a rich legacy of city planning and architectural vernacular embrace future uncertainty? How will its population and built environment shape and be shaped by employment trends, migration patterns and environmental threats? Which neighborhoods will experience growth and which will decline?

The UIC Urban Forum has a history of deliberating important questions facing today’s cities.  Join us for the 2024 event where leaders from the city’s planning, policy, nonprofit and arts communities will share bold visions for Chicago’s future.