LEVEL, held September 11 – 20, 2014, is a free, ten-day annual architecture and art event that showcases site specific and often experimental interactive installations that embrace Chicago’s rich cultural landscape.  During LEVEL, architects, designers and artists transform unique, hidden spaces within the Downtown Chicago Loop into destination places for visitors and locals alike.  LEVEL is being held during EXPO CHICAGO contemporary art fair as a complementary design and new media experience.

There are a total of 11-15 artists, designers and architects (individuals and teams) that will be selected through this proposal process and by invitation to participate by creating installations for downtown concourse walkways, building lobbies, outdoor plazas, rooftops, and other ‘hidden’ architectural gems. Overall, they are seeking installations that react and respond both to the architecture/environment of the sites, and to the public audience that views them.

Installation sites are indoors and outdoors. The outdoor locations will consist of open courtyards, building rooftops, plazas, or alleyways. The interior locations include building lobbies, unoccupied building floors, and covered walkways/concourse. Most of the locations are ‘hidden’ from public view, in that they are private, normally closed and/or inaccessible to the public. All of the locations will be viewed at night, thus the proposals should respond to this condition.

The exact locations of projects will be determined upon receipt of all proposals in order to provide the most suitable match of site to project. Images of past installations can be found on the LERATA website at http://www.lerata.org. 

To best understand installation and site typologies, please see images at http://www.lerata.org.

RFP deadline for LEVEL, due June 20, 2014.

More information about the LEVEL event is located online here.