To commemorate the Bicentennial of Illinois’ statehood in 2018, AIA Illinois presents the 200 GreatPlaces in our state, which have been selected by a state-wide committee of architects, local officials and other organizations, in an effort to showcase the best of Illinois.

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This list of Great Places builds upon a 2007 AIA Illinois project that named 150 Great Places in Illinois, to honor the 150th anniversary of the founding of the American Institute of Architects. The selections emphasize various types of design creations, including works by urban planners, landscape architects, local craftspeople and builders. Selections emphasize a collective sense of place created in cities and towns, and in structures designed by individual architects. Spanning the entire period of human settlement in Illinois, the list contributes a strong historical dimension to understanding the vast power of our shared architectural culture.