Sustainability Design of Multi-Purpose Building in the 27th Ward
Team Members Heading link
- Zayed Kiswani
- Jacob Miguest
- Gabrielle Yates
- Christian Zumba
Advisors: Sasha Simon, EI; David Klawitter; Dr. Sheng-Wei Chi
Project Description Heading link
The Cabrini Green area in Chicago was infamous for low-income housing projects. In 1994, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) planned to transition Cabrini Green from a low-income community to a mixed-income community. The area has since been completely regenerated and gentrified with high-priced condos, including multi-family and single-family homes. Even though the strategy reduced unsafe conditions and created a healthier neighborhood, there is still a need for mixed-income units in order to prevent the exclusion of low-income residents from the community.
In this project, additional commercial and residential spaces will be developed in the area, and the project design will focus on the sustainability of these spaces. The integration of sustainable mixed-use structures, coupled with the functionality of the establishments they house, can add value to the community.
This project will develop a mixed-use commercial apartment building to satisfy the needs of the community. Considerations for the life cycle of the structure and materials were made in the design process, including resource depletion and material toxicity. Chicago building codes are taken into consideration regarding the loads that must be accounted for in the design. The structure will be analyzed by modeling and analysis software. The software will also showcase the layout of an apartment. The design process includes how the structure interacts with people and the natural environment. The 20,000-square-foot structure will consist of a 10-floor, 144-unit apartment tower that incorporates an innovation center on the first floor. Ten percent of the available apartments were designated to low-income units. The project aims to reduce carbon intensive materials and energy costs while filling the housing needs of the community.