Chicago, perhaps the ur-American metropolis, provides the ideal launching pad for urban and architectural speculation. For students at the School of Architecture, direct access to this model of experimentation is coupled with the resources and opportunities generated by an especially active community of alumni, design practices, and architectural institutions. UIC is one of the country’s major urban public research universities, and it is from this context that the School of Architecture extends its three-part agenda: to condition the metropolis, construct new audiences, and circulate ideas. Established in 1965, UIC is now one of the top-200 research-funded institutions in the world. The School of Architecture benefits from its commitment to building a dynamic and diverse collection of faculty and intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural interests.