Little Village Academy is located in the center of Chicago’s Mexican community. A minimal site, 400 feet by 120 feet, dictated an efficient plan organized around a central stair. As the spiritual heart of the school, the stair features an inhabitable sundial which casts the time on a vibrant yellow wall; ensuring students are never late for class. 

Built at a cost comparable to the prototype building Chicago Public Schools had long been constructing, Little Village Academy breaks many notions of lacking individualism while deploying extensive use of light, shading mechanisms, natural ventilation. and optimized systems. 

Materials throughout produce a dynamic civic building embedded in its context that unites two cultures.

Team:

Architects: Ross Barney Architects

Client: Public Building Commission of Chicago for the Chicago Public Schools

Collaborative Partners: D’Escoto, Inc., Salse Engineering Associates, Cini-Little International

Photographer: © Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing Photographers