18 of a Kind is the inaugural exhibition curated by Acting Director and Professor David Brown, and organized by The Available City, NFP (TAC), which promotes new roles that collective space can have in the city today through the construction of 18 objects and spaces designed by invited national and international architects for hosting events in each of the 18 underserved South and West Side Chicago neighborhoods that have the highest quantities of city-owned vacant land, and are home to primarily Black and Brown communities. Through these events, utilizing an object or space focused on performance in the summer and fall of 2026, 18 of a Kind reflects on commonalities and areas of distinction in each neighborhood.
Thematically, the design of each object will draw upon history, culture, interests, and needs to highlight commonalities and celebrate the unique identity of each neighborhood. TAC is commissioning 18 portable objects (stands, chairs, small platforms, and small frames) that are easy to move to different locations for performances and community events. Additionally, TAC is organizing collaborations between invited architects and local community organizations to make fixed spaces (platforms, frames, canopies, and shells) in specific sites that reflect the interests and needs of those community organizations.
Through these activities, 18 of a Kind introduces direct experiences of collective space broadly to develop relationships and partnerships with community organizations within each neighborhood that can lead to the making of additional collective spaces in subsequent years. It thus contributes to TAC’s intention to work continuously with neighborhood community organizations and architects to design and construct collective spaces that reflect their interests and needs and contribute new resources and opportunities within their communities. In this event and planned efforts, TAC applies knowledge gained from David Brown’s artistic direction of the fourth edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial in 2021, focused on The Available City, his urban design research presented in BOLD as part of CAB 1 in 2015, in title and theme.
An initial set of drawings by some of the invited designers is presented at the MAS Context Reading Room, along with a developing proposal for a collective space and other work related to The Available City as a speculative urban design framework and not-for-profit initiative.
Gallery visits are available by appointment from August 7 to August 30. To schedule a visit, please use MAS Context’s calendar form to view available dates and times.
The exhibition is held at the MAS Context Reading Room on the second floor. Please note that access is only available via stairs.
Address:
1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204
Chicago, Illinois 60622
If you have any questions, please get in touch with MAS Context at info@mascontext.com.
Credit: Courtesy of David Brown