Chicago Studio

Water access in predominantly African-American and Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods in Chicago have historically been characterized by disparities, with many communities facing limited access to clean and safe water resources. These disparities are rooted in a complex interplay of historical segregation, infrastructure neglect, and environmental injustices.

Residents in these neighborhoods often grapple with issues such as lead contamination, aging water infrastructure, and unaffordable water bills, lack of climate resilience which compound existing socio-economic challenges and health concerns, highlighting the urgent need for equitable water access and infrastructure improvements in these areas. In addition, issues such as flooding and inadequate stormwater management often affect these communities, underscoring the need for innovative architectural solutions.

Water Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink! serves as a platform for students to adopt roles as researchers, designers, community advocates, and curators empowering them to navigate the intricate dynamics of water access while employing design as a powerful tool for positive change. By actively engaging, investigating, collaborating, and innovating, students will gain a deeper understanding of the current state of water access, speculate on future infrastructures, and explore curatorial practices within the unique context of Chicago.

This studio is a research/ service/learning opportunity for University of Illinois Urbana Champaign architecture students. The Chicago Studio-Woodlawn explores some of the possibilities raised in the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development’s
Woodlawn Consolidation Report, May 2020 and the previous reports it is based upon.  Mobilizing the student/faculty workforce, this investigation is an attempt to connect studies undertaken in the past seven years with a path the neighborhood can use to bring about positive change for existing residents which will enhance the neighborhood and aid the Woodlawn community to empower themselves to make the improvements they see as bettering their community.

How do we understand and navigate the realm of housing in pandemic and post-pandemic eras? What cues in the built environment affect our ability to be and stay well in our residential environments? What if a housing environment is not conducive to generating well-being and equity among residents? This studio asks designers to consider how the architecture and space around housing structures impact a resident’s ability maintain wellness and high quality of life through a re:Vital Chicago Studio initiative.

This course develops an urban design strategy/proposal for areas which seek to harmonize with the existing structures of the city, anticipate the future needs of residents and visitors, and providing a new level of quality. The 2019 studio will work with the City of Chicago on properties identified as possible sites for a proposed casino. Our goal is to maximize the positive potential for the casino in the selected neighborhood.

Urban Design theory introduces seminal ideas and theoretical writings and connects them to social, political, economic, cultural and technical events and developments as they influenced architectural thought and built urban environments. This course will include readings, projects and field trips to facilitate discussions and allow for a holistic understanding of urban design in the Chicago context.

Students will create an interactive website which shall facilitate comparative analysis of Chicago neighborhoods, morphology and typology, using figure grounds, Nolli information, aerial photographs, zoning and land use diagrams.

The course visits a variety of professional architecture offices to ascertain the ideals and methods used by Chicago architecture firms in their professional commitment to their clients and the general public. Students may have an individual mentor determined by participating firms, to assist the student with their immersion into the Chicago architecture community.

The Chicago Studio has been asked by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to explore principles and make observations on best practices for affordable housing. The studio will undertake 3 to 4 different studies on sites identified by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). The Chicago Housing Authority will discuss their sites and share their goals for the identified sites.