Sunday, February 22, 3:15 p.m. | THE SPACE ARCHITECT introduces us to the trailblazing architect Constance Adams, whose groundbreaking work at NASA reimagined how humans might live in outer space. After earning degrees from Harvard and Yale, Adams left behind a career designing skyscrapers to focus on spacecraft and prototypes for lunar and Martian habitats. At age 53, knowing she was dying of cancer, Adams enlisted the help of filmmaker Rebecca Carpenter to preserve her story. Filmed just four days before her death, THE SPACE ARCHITECT captures Adams reflecting on her extraordinary career and her final, passionate focus towards Earth—where she hoped to apply her knowledge to address the urgent challenges of the climate crisis. At once heart-wrenching and hopeful, the film offers a moving meditation on a life driven by purpose and curiosity. (ADFF)
ADFF:CHICAGO 2026 | February 20–22, 2026
The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) and Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), in collaboration with the Gene Siskel Film Center, present ADFF:CHICAGO 2026—an international festival highlighting the best films dedicated to the creative spirit of architecture and design. The program showcases films with both a design focus and a human story for a broad audience of industry professionals, design-conscious consumers, and fans of nonfiction storytelling, with many screenings including filmmaker Q&As.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu