The Princeton University Urban Imagination Center (PUIC) and the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) today announced the launch of the inaugural Princeton | Chicago Architecture Center Fellowship, the first program of its kind to support early-career architects in developing independent, public-facing projects at a pivotal moment after graduation at the start of their professional practice.
Open exclusively to recent graduates of accredited architecture programs in the United States and territories, the fellowship offers architects resources, exposure, and a platform to tackle urgent design challenges facing cities today. For its inaugural year, the fellowship invites up to three fellows to address the theme “Re: Settlement”, exploring innovative civic architecture for welcoming new immigrant communities in Chicago, a city whose growth and identity have long been shaped by migration.
“Fields like medicine, law, and the arts have long recognized the importance of bridging the gap between academic training and early professional life through fellowships and residencies,” said Marshall Brown, director of the Princeton Urban Imagination Center. “This fellowship does exactly that for architecture, providing early-career designers the means to test ideas that can influence public discourse and urban policy.”
Each fellow will receive a $5,000 stipend, production funds, and travel support for three trips to Chicago for site visits, research, and the culminating exhibition. Fellows will develop a speculative project for a central Chicago site, producing drawings and models that will debut at a group exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center in early 2026. The exhibition will be accompanied by a public symposium featuring faculty from Princeton and civic leaders from Chicago.
“Chicago has always been a laboratory for bold architectural ideas,” said Eleanor Gorski, a licensed architect and president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center. “Through this partnership with Princeton, we’re creating a platform for the next generation of architects to contribute new strategies for building more inclusive and resilient cities.”
The fellowship is structured in two parts: a design research period from September 2025 to January 2026, and a public exhibition and symposium in Chicago. Fellows will collaborate closely with the PUIC and CAC teams through interim reviews and workshops. Unlike traditional competitions, the program emphasizes knowledge-sharing, dialogue, and connection to real urban issues.
Applications are now open and due by August 11, 2025 and are open to those who have graduated in the past five years. For full application details, visit this website.
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