Design

Situated on an existing park the first major challenge was attempting to justify building on top of one of the few public park spaces left in this part of Chicago. The first step in the design process was to think about hybrid typologies. A series of program nodes were set up throughout the site based on their location and importance. The tower was placed on the east end because of its proximity to the lake and the edge condition along Lakeshore Dr. The remainder of the facility is dedicated to the cultural arts. An auditorium space is on the west end of the site across the street from the existing Museum of Contemporary Arts. Adjacent to the auditorium the site is divided into nodes containing artists workshops, as well as a node for galleries and administration. The tower is broken up into short term living and long term living. Long term residents would be like any other apartment complex. Short term residents would be housed on specially designed floors depending on the type of art they do. There are special short term floors for performing artists, visual artists, dancers, musicians etc. The parking complex for the building is then designed around these nodes, much like is found in the design of an exhaust system on a motorcycle.

The Parking is also designed as a hybrid, utilizing two different types of traditional parking structures, with access roads and circular ramps where needed. Having consumed the entire park the tops of the parking structures would become habitable green roofs, creating an elevated park space where the old one stood. The new park space would also have an outdoor concert space. Celebrating Chicago’s industrial heritage the project is designed as a machine in the garden. [Back]