1313 Moorman

Chicago, IL

Chicago's network of elevated transit tracks often results in spaces throughout the city assumed to be undevelopable.

Based on our exhibit, L’eftspace — Chicago Architecture Foundation, KSP was approached to study a property adjacent to the Blue Line.

The proposed plan is a flexible, adaptable mixed-use building with up to 150 units. The concept caters to young professionals and neighborhood artists in the heart of Wicker Park with a vibrant setting that weaves the surroundings into the building.

Situated adjacent to the Chicago Blue-Line as the subway transitions to elevated tracks, the project takes advantage of this unique quality by incorporating a public park that extends over the tracks' infrastructure. By linking to an adjacent pedestrian street and Milwaukee avenue at either end, there is great potential for public interaction on the elevated park — which connects to the residential lobby and collaborative studio space within the building.

Seen as an amenity space for the whole neighborhood, artist collaborative spaces open out to the public park, building upon the neighborhood's rich legacy of connecting people to art. By transforming the city's infrastructural spaces into public space, the project becomes a catalyst for creativity and potentially a development strategy for other transit-oriented sites.