Project Description
Bright colors and playful forms work towards reshaping how the neighborhood perceives the institutional presence of a school in their community. The elementary school is sited across from a police station along Ogden Avenue, an industrial corridor on the Southwest side Chicago that has seen cycles of disinvestment. In the North Lawndale community, an “institutional building” usually means a police station, a courthouse and other places that often engender strained relationships with the resident population. The design team strived to design a building that while efficient and cost effective, was inviting, engaging and fun.
Corrugated aluminum panels and a lightweight metal lattice layered over painted precast panels provide a cost-effective, high-performance building envelope. The amount of color and shadows on the layered perforated facade change throughout the day and year.
The interiors of Legacy are organized to maximize transparency. Clean sightlines, shared spaces, and an abundance of glass obviate the need for an array of security cameras and metal detectors. The school boasts student-centered education, small class sizes and an array of social and educational services. It features group study and work rooms, private break out space, as well as traditional and specialty classrooms.
A solar photo-voltaic system on the roof reduces ongoing operation cost for the PreK-8th grade school. Sustainability has been integrated into the teaching curriculum for all grade levels as part of the School as a Teaching Tool program of the LEED Platinum certification.