MAS Context

Mas observations 2026 reading masp as a work of urban design 06

Essay

Reading MASP as a Work of Urban Design

Essay by Judith K. De Jong

Up Next

Identity as Infrastructure: How Span’s Design Shapes Culture, Institutions, and Public Life

Mas observations 2026 why ella briggs captivates us 01

Essay

Why Ella Briggs Captivates Us: A Female Challenger of Modernism

Essay by Dörte Kuhlmann

Up Next

MAS Context launches its new book Sam and Ruth Van Sickle Ford House

Mas observations 2026 dakars last bubble houses 01

Photo Essay

Dakar’s Last Bubble Houses

Photo essay by Andrea Ferro

Up Next

Reading MASP as a Work of Urban Design

Featured

Mas event 2026 identity as infrastructure main

MAS Context Spring Talks 2026

Identity as Infrastructure: How Span’s Design Shapes Culture, Institutions, and Public Life

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

RSVP

Lecture by John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam, partners at Span, a Chicago-based studio crossing the boundaries of communication design in all mediums. The event will take place at the MAS Context Reading Room (1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204, Chicago, Illinois 60622).

Mas event 2026 exploring the archives chicago history museum 01

MAS Context Spring Talks 2026

Exploring the Archives: Chicago History Museum

Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 11AM

RSVP

Rebekah Coffman, Jojo Galvan, and Elena Gonzales, public historians at the Chicago History Museum, will showcase items from the museum collection. The program will take place at the Chicago History Museum, Guild Room (1601 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614).

Mas event 2026 goff film screening poster

MAS Context Spring Talks 2026

GOFF

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6PM

No RSVP required

Film screening of GOFF, a documentary that explores the life of architect Bruce Goff, one of the most innovative yet forgotten American architects of the twentieth century, and the path that lead to the destruction and restoration of his memory and dwellings. The screening, organized by MAS Context and UIC School of Architecture, will take place at UIC School of Architecture, Room 1100 A+DS (845 West Harrison Street, 1100 A+DS, Chicago, Illinois 60607).

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with film director Britni Harris, professor Penelope Dean, and Art Institute curator Alison Fisher moderated by Karl Jones.

Mas event 2025 all magnificent and wild 01

Exhibition

All Magnificent and Wild: Notes on Chicago Residential Hotels

March 11-April 11, 2026

All Magnificent and Wild: Notes on Chicago Residential Hotels is an exhibition curated by architect and theorist Francesco Marullo exploring Chicago’s residential hotels. The exhibition will be on view at the MAS Context Reading Room (1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204, Chicago, Illinois 60622).

Mas event 2026 turn the mic up 01

MAS Context Spring Talks 2026

Germane Barnes: Turn the Mic Up

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 6PM

RSVP

Lecture by Chicago-born Miami-based architect Germane Barnes, founding principal of Studio Barnes. The event will take place at the MAS Context Reading Room (1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204, Chicago, Illinois 60622).

Mas event 2026 segregation by design and reconnecting communities 01

MAS Context Spring Talks 2026

Adam Paul Susaneck: Segregation by Design and Reconnecting Communities

Monday, March 23, 2026 at 6PM

RSVP

Lecture by architect and urban planner Adam Paul Susaneck, whose project Segregation by Design documents how highways and urban renewal have been used to divide cities, as well as highlighting solutions and advocates. The event will take place at the MAS Context Reading Room (1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204, Chicago, Illinois 60622).

We are a platform that commissions and shares relevant ideas, proposals, and experiences that connect diverse disciplines and place. We want the work to respond to our current context while having a rigor and depth that makes it relevant through time and changing conditions.

Past Issues

Mas issue character cover

Issue 32

Character

Mas issue bilbao cover

Issue 30-31

Bilbao

Mas issue bold cover

Issue 29

Bold

Mas issue hidden cover

Issue 28

Hidden

Mas issue debate cover

Issue 27

Debate

MONTHLY

Mas observations 2026 a dark age for the renaissance center 01

Monthly Column

A Dark Age for the Renaissance Center

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 bruce goffs fabulous and bedazzled material worlds 01

Monthly Column

Bruce Goff’s Fabulous (and Bedazzled) Material Worlds

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 what happened to gerris palm tavern 01

Monthly Column

What Happened to Gerri’s Palm Tavern?

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 from design to destruction archiving the world trade center 01

Monthly Column

From Design to Destruction: Archiving the World Trade Center

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 learning from the damen silos demolition 01

Monthly Column

Learning from the Damen Silos Demolition

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 virgil abloh edith farnsworth and midcentury modernism 01

Monthly Column

Virgil Abloh, Edith Farnsworth, and Midcentury Modernism

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 stonewall inn movement and monument 04

Monthly Column

Stonewall: Movement, Monument, Myth

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius

Mas observations 2025 national public housing museum 01

Monthly Column

The National Public Housing Museum: A House Museum for the Future

Monthly column by Elizabeth Blasius