ACTIVE PROJECTS

Projects Open Architecture Collaborative Chicago is currently working on.

Burst Into Books

Burst Into Books is a CPS Vendor and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping the youth deepen their love of reading by integrating the arts, providing opportunities for them to engage with those connected to the literacy field, and creating a space for them to express themselves. They are invested in supporting the whole family unit in order to establish long-lasting change.

OACChicago will offer spatial codesign support for fundraising efforts.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Projects Open Architecture Collaborative Chicago has completed.

Haven Studio

"HAVEN CAFETERIA WILL BE A SPACE THAT REPRESENTS OUR GROWTH AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE WHILE RESPECTING THE RICH HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AND NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH WE RESIDE “- haven Teen

Image 2018-02-02 at 11.22.13 AM.png

BLUE1647
Tech School
on Wheels

Complete

To continue to be a beacon of resources for the South and Westside families during changing political landscape and educational disinvestment Blue 1647/Ignite Technology approached Open Architecture Chicago to create a Mobile Tech Bus.

Project Partner, BLUE1647, is an entrepreneurship and technology innovation center that fosters economic development in technology and 21st Century skills through people development, workforce development and Business Acceleration. Blue1647 Executive Director, Emily Cambry, would like for OAC to help create a prototype Coding/Tech Bus that will bring tech workshops to all 77 Chicago communities. The City of St.Louis is also interested in partnering for a prototype. It will be similar to our projects, Fresh Moves and the Thomas Phillips project in Detroit.

For interest in this project, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Design

Apply

golf.png

Douglass 18


Mini-Golf Course

Complete

Douglass 18 was a 2 year teen-led, multi-stakeholder collaboration between Chicago Park District, Lincoln Park Zoo, Trust For Public Land, Haman Cross III, Freedom House, Eric Hotchkiss, Made in Englewood David Brown, Available City, OACChicago, and many others.

Haman Cross is currently proposing a project to revitalize the miniature golf course at Douglas Park. This summer, One Summer Chicago, the Firehouse Art Center, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Chicago Park District will collaborate to complete this project. It is our hope that this project will demonstrate the potential for even more projects like it where multiple community partners ally to engage stakeholders through art, environmental conservation, and youth development.

Due to the significant interest in this effort, Haman is looking for collaborators, resources, and support to make the proposal a reality. This opportunity can be transformational for the community and stakeholders involved. Please share this with your board and gage their interest in the project, then we can set up a meeting to discuss next steps around the proposal and how people want to be involved.

The course is 18 holes and we are looking for 18 architects to work with a teaching artist, and 20 to 30 teenagers to design and actually rebuild the course. Our desire is that once the course is redesigned it will be a major point of attraction for Douglas Park and North Lawndale. We envision a fully functioning miniature golf course that employees, local teens, and engages families, local summer camps, and schools throughout the Spring and Summer.

For interest in this project, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Designers

Apply

Lawndale

Pop-Up Spot

Complete

Lawndale Popup Spot is a community museum featuring exhibits by and for the North Lawndale community. Lawndale Popup Spot is now located at Love Blooms Plaza, southwest corner of Central Park Ave. & Douglas Blvd.

Christ University Temple, located on 119th and Ashland Ave, is re-imagining their existing space. The church was built in 1985. There are classrooms and meeting rooms within the church that need to be updated for the 21st century; renovations support the influx of programs and charrettes provided to congregants/groups.

The Smart Museum runs a summer teen program in partnership with Chicago Housing Authority. Last year, the teens curated a show at the museum from our collection, wrote the wall labels, and gave tours for other teen groups.

Our project goal for this summer is to renovate the Chalet building in Washington Park (it's on the inner drive by Cottage Grove, just south of the General Jones Armory building). It's been long abandoned, boarded up since a fire in the late 80s/early 90s. Our goal is to remediate it and take it back to the shell and then have the teens design and build it out as a space that can be multi-functional as a sometimes concessions stand and permanent teen programming space that all of the teen groups on the south side can use for their exhibitions, performances, conversations, and film screenings.

For interest in this project, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Designers

Apply

PROJECT IDEA?

 

Have a Project Idea ready to launch?  Get in touch with us. Note that unless there is funding we cannot accept the projecst unless we have the volunteers necessary to complete the job.

 

Chatham Vertical Farm is looking for renderings of a vertical farm and farmstand.

Janella Curtis, CEO of Chatham Vertical Farm, is in the process of acquiring Hydro Plants, a building currently owned by Ron Williams on 311 E. 79th St. Janella will be growing crops indoors using vertical space to intensify production. The virtue of indoor farms is year-round climate control and minimal pests and pesticides.

For interest in this project, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Designers

Apply

The Royal Diadem Pastoral Center (RODI) is an Ecumenical and Interfaith multifaceted organization that welcomes people of every background. The organization provides services that coordinate holistic and integrated living. Companions are provided assistance throughout their journey of life in the areas of: psycho-social, economic (small business and financial management + training), theological and ministerial education + training, healthy living, and spiritually-related needs in the local Ghana community.

Somewhere around 2009-2010, Open Architecture Chicago came to interview Gabriel in Hyde Park and thereafter he was interviewed by about 10 architects simultaneously at a public library at the northside of Chicago. After the interview OAC provided the nonprofit with designs for my proposed Royal Diadem Pastoral Center in Kumasi- Ghana.

Since then, Gabriel and Daunte have asked if we can revisit the project. They are currently seeking assistance with the design, construction and fundraising for our pastoral center in Kumasi, Ghana. This project has been six years in the making and we want to see it through.

For interest in this project, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Designers

Apply

Michael Thomas of Relmage25 has a dream: to build, together, the world’s largest “Net Zero Eco-District” community right here in Chicago. He is on the path to achievement by creating partnerships with non-profits, businesses, and community leaders, like the one he has created with Open Architecture Chicago.

Why? To increase the number of eco-friendly solutions across the city and spread eco-friendly awareness.

This is a grassroots effort connecting real people like you and me to information and education about sustainability programs and initiatives.

To be a part of this mission, apply below.

Volunteers Needed:
Project Lead
Architects / Designers

Apply