About the College

We are a community of lifelong learners, educators, scholars, and practitioners in the creative disciplines. We know creativity can spring from impulse or from repetition, and that creative work can be inspiring and challenging, visceral and counterintuitive, surprising and even sometimes boring. We seek to create an environment that is inclusive in all respects while also dedicated to distinction.

Driven by our knowledge that public education is the bedrock of democracy, CADA is committed to expanding access to education in architecture, design, and the arts. We support faculty research and prepare our students with skills and knowledge they need to make meaningful contributions to their fields and society through creative and scholarly work. The college grounds its identity in Chicago while connecting globally.

The following ethos guides our activities:

We celebrate difference through our deep commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility. We imagine change through collaboration and critical experimentation. We advance architecture, design, and the arts through our teaching, research, and creative work. And we care for our environment and financial resources with long-term sustainability in mind.