This adaptive reuse project transforms a former nursery school into a recreation and community center to serve at-risk and homeless youth on Chicago’s South Side. DAAM’s design strategically acts on the existing building and structure to create low-threshold access to storage, private and safe circulations routes to storage areas for users, and a comfortable domestic aesthetic experience opposed to an institutional one to generally decrease the stigma of experiencing homelessness.

New custom-designed CNC-milled spandrel panels, inspired by the material context of the surrounding neighborhood, wrap the circular wing to provide a new identity for the building. The building accommodates staff offices, community spaces, a computer lab, kitchen, café, art studio, music lab, recording studio, classrooms, childcare center, basketball court, theatrical stage and laundry facilities as well as a variety of locker and personal storage offerings.