Every year, Chicago's skyline gets a few new towers, prompting the Chicago Architecture Foundation to update its famous model of the city located at its Michigan Avenue HQ. As a permanent exhibition, the CAF's model grows along with downtown Chicago. And similarly, buildings that have been recently demolished (Prentice Women's Hospital) or projects that have fizzled out (Chicago Spire) are removed. This year, the CAF has added 16 new buildings and structures to its Chicago model. However, adding new buildings to the miniature city can be a precarious task.

The model city is built on individual blocks that can be temporarily moved in order to add or remove buildings. Kelly Floyd, Manager of Exhibitions and Visitor Engagement explains:

The team at Columbia Model and Exhibit Works is constantly on the watch for new construction in the Loop. Once a project begins they contact the architecture firm for an exterior file of the building that can be used as a guide to 3D print the building's model. This collection is happening year round. Once a year, the team from CMEW visits the Chicago Model, lifts each individual block, removes buildings that have been demolished in the previous year, and adds these new models to take their place in the city. And this year's list of new buildings include the following:

·OneEleven at 111 W. Wacker

·The Lillian and Larry Goodman Center at 501 S. Wabash Avenue

·1000 South Clark

·The new British School Chicago at 150 West Roosevelt

·Hyatt Place at 28 North Franklin Street

·151 North Franklin Street

·200 North Michigan

·Maggie Daley Park

·Hilton Garden Inn at 66 East Wacker Place

·The Chicago Riverwalk extension

·150 North Riverside

·River Point at 444 West Lake Street

·Lake Street Studios at 727 West Lake Street

·Wolf Point West Tower at 326 North Orleans Street

·Jones Chicago at 220 West Illinois

·AMLI River North at 401 N. Clark Street

·1345 South Wabash Avenue

·Northwestern Memorial Outpatient Care at 259 East Erie Street

·Micro Week archives [Curbed Chicago]