The Available City Student Workshop

October 2019 - CCA students begin a series of design workshops with architects David Brown and Antonio Torres from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The challenge: to design a pavilion or similar outdoor structure to be built in our food forest as part of The Available City Project.

The student design process will be documented and be displayed as part of the Chicago Architectural Biennial. 

David Brown of UIC introduces The Available City Project to CCA students

Antonio Torres of UIC talks with students about small architecture and pavillions

Helping students to see possibility in the unusual and the unexpected 

introducing our task for the day - hyperbolic parabolas!

Students started with kits of laser cut pieces and a set of instructions and diagrams

students had options to create a variety of structures

They had to construct the framework

UIC architecture student volunteers assisted CCA students

So did Ms Zook

Success - step 1 is complete

A little fun

Second was to stretch a skin over the surface of the frame. This design used string to create a web.

Other designs used flexible foam to complete the form

Complete for the day, students will return tomorrow to attempt the next challenge!