Welcome!
Welcome to the Future City® Chicago Region!
Future City Competition serves 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Sponsored by DiscoverE, this national program introduces students to engineering. Students design cities with simulation software, build scale models, write essays and give oral presentations on their city’s design.
Learn more about the Future City Competition Deliverables »
Future City starts with a question – How can we make the world a better place? Teams spend approximately four months creating cities that could exist at least 100 years in the future. Each city must incorporate a solution to an annual design challenge. In January, teams present their projects to judges at Regional Competitions throughout the participating International regions for 2025–2026. Teams who earn the top spot at their Regionals will participate in the 2026 Finals.
To answer it, middle school students imagine, research, design, and build future cities that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue. The 2026-2027 Future City Competition will challenge your middle school students to research, design, and create a city that exists 100 years in the future.
This year, teams will design a resilient future city that can prevent, protect, and recover from urban wildfires. More details on this year’s theme to come soon!
This flexible, cross-curricular educational program allows students to do what engineers do—identify problems, brainstorm ideas, design solutions, test, retest, build, and share their results. Future City is an engaging way to build students’ 21st-century STEAM skills.
Throughout the fall, participants work in teams of at least three students, an educator, and a volunteer mentor to bring their vision of their future city to life. They will imagine what it’s like like to walk down the main street of a city 100 years in the future. What do they see, hear, smell, and feel?
This year’s challenge asks students to address Urban Wildfire solutions. As the middle school students create their cities, they will:
- Use the engineering design process and project management steps to take on a large-scale project;
- Apply their math and science knowledge to a real-world problem
- Strengthen their teamwork and problem-solving skills;
- And more!
For more information about the competition, contact Kat Au or Duana Love at illinois@futurecity.org.
Competition Day
Regional Competition Date: TBD
Start Time: TBD
Location: TBD
FC Media Waiver 2026-2027 (Not yet active)
FC Educator and Mentor Waiver 2026-2027 (Not yet active)
Competition Day Info
Competing teams and judges should arrive by 7:30 a.m. to set up and get instructions.
Students – You will be given a number when you check-in. All teams will stay with their models throughout the morning judging. We will be doing the preliminary judging on one side of the room while the Special Awards judging takes place at the other side of the room at the same time. This will give them more time to see the models and talk to the students. The teams will have time to take breaks when they are not participating in the preliminary judging in the morning.
Each team will be judged twice by two separate teams of judges. After the four rounds of judging occur (two for the odd-numbered schools and two for the even-numbered schools), the top 5 teams will be announced. These teams will then compete in front of a new set of judges.
Parents, Teachers, and Mentors – The day of the competition will be a fun day for the students. They work very hard to get to this competition. We ask that during the judging you stay off to the side and remain quiet. We understand that you want to coach and take pictures, but this often interferes with the actual judging and may cause a judge to miss critical information the students are relaying.
Competition Day Schedule (Tentative)
8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Judges have a chance to get an overview of all models. No actual judging.
8:15 a.m. – 8:25 a.m. All Schools gather for instructions to the teams
8:30 a.m. Schools at their models as Special Awards judging begins
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. First round of 5 competing teams will be judged in separate rooms
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Second round 5 competing teams will be judged
10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Make-Up Time or Short Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Third round of 5 competing teams will be judged
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Final 4 competing teams will be judged
12:00 p.m. Top 5 schools announced.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (Pizza and drinks will be provided for your school team (5-6 people)
12:25 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. Top 5 schools judged (everyone invited to watch)
2:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. TBD
2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. TBD
2:20 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. School Recognition, Raffle Prizes, and Special Awards presentations
Resources
National Competition and Engineering Week Links
- Future City Competition – National Website – www.futurecity.org
- Discovere Engineers Week – www.discovere.org
- DuPage Engineers Week – appliedtech.iit.edu/engineersweek
Engineering Societies
- American Society of Civil Engineers – www.asce.org
- American Society of Civil Engineers – Illinois Section- www.isasce.org
- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – www.ieee.org
- Structural Engineers Association of Illinois – www.seaoi.org
- The Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings – www.cchrb.org
- Illinois Institute of Transportation Engineers – www.ilite.org
- American Institute of Architects Chicago Section – www.aiachicago.org
- American Concrete Institute Illinois Chapter – www.aciillinois.com
- American Public Works Association, Chicago Metro Chapter – http://chicago.apwa.net
- Illinois Association of County Engineers – www.iaceng.org
- Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers Chicago Chapter – www.ewh.ieee.org/r4/chicago/
- Society of Fire Protection Engineers – www.sfpe.org
- Society of Women Engineers- www.swe.org
- Philippine Engineers and Scientists Organization – www.pesoworld.com
- Polish American Engineers Association – www.polishengineers.org
- Associated Steel Erectors – www.associatedsteelerectors.org
- Society for Marketing Professional Services – www.smps.org
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) – www.asme.org
- Illinois Society of Professional Engineers- www.illinoisengineer.com
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.- www.ashrae.org
- American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) – www.sae.org
- American Society of Safety Engineers-Northeastern Illinois Chapter – www.neil.asse.org
Fun Links and Outreach Programs
Engineering Encounters Bridge Design Contest Site – The Bridge Design Contest is a nationwide competition intended to promote math, science, and technology education in U.S. elementary schools. The contest provides students with a realistic introduction to engineering through engaging, hands-on design experience. All U.S. students in grades K through 12 are eligible. Contestants may compete individually or in teams of two.
Zoom into Engineering – A joint project of ZOOM and National Engineers Week, ZOOM has created materials for engineers to use with kids in classrooms, after-school programs, libraries, and even malls!
First – An organization to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
ACE Mentor Program – Career directions for students in Engineering, Architecture, and Construction
MATHCOUNTS – The mission of MATHCOUNTS is to increase enthusiasm for and enhance achievement in middle school mathematics throughout the United States. With the generous support of all MATHCOUNTS sponsors and volunteers and leadership of the National Society of Professional Engineers at the local and state levels, MATHCOUNTS is providing today’s students with the foundation for success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. MATHCOUNTS is a national enrichment, coaching, and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory.