When people design and build their own environments, they take ownership of the places they create and sustain them long term.

Open Architecture Collaborative is a global learning community mobilizing architects, designers, and a diverse range of professionals who shape the built environment with technical skills to build capacity with communities experiencing systemic racism and marginalization.

What We Do

Our programs bring people from different backgrounds together to co-create a new narrative of power in our contemporary environment through accomplishing small projects.

Pathways to Equity

Pathways to Equity is a design leadership program committed to centering equity and racial justice in architecture and design practices.

OAC Chapters

Our groups are dedicated individuals and volunteers committed to serving their local communities through projects, events, and programming.

Our Programs

Our Reach

160

Local Leaders

225

NGOs Supported

800,000

Pro-Bono Hours Served

22

Chapters

Work With Us

OAC has over 15 years of volunteer management, creative placemaking coordination, and community engagement experience building community capacity and serving as an intermediary between professional practitioners and systemically marginalized communities.

Donate

Donating to the Open Architecture Collaborative, Inc. means enabling more community members with tools and connections to change their neighborhoods and to fight systemic disinvestment, environmental injustice, blight, and unsafe streets and public spaces.

Get Involved

What Our Partners Says

“Our partnership with Open Architecture Chicago is helping to bring voice and shape to our aspirations for a healthy, livable vibrant community for generations to come.

— Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of People for Community Recovery