Christopher House is a 100 year old not-for-profit social service organization that provides childcare and family resources to low-income families in Chicago. The project entailed the renovation and adaptive reuse of an existing Chicago Public Library Branch Building in the Logan Square neighborhood.
The project includes child daycare and afterschool classrooms, a gross motor playroom, offices, conference rooms, and a computer lab supporting Christopher House’s adult education, computer literacy, and family counseling programs.
A portion of the existing building was demolished in order to create a new courtyard which provides daylight, views, and outdoor playspace for the lower level classrooms and offices. New landscaped playgrounds provide an opportunity for native, drought resistant planting and permeable paving. Both concrete pavers and permeable rubber play tiles were placed over a storm water-absorbing gravel base. Over sixty percent of the roof is planted.
New bright blue metal cladding surfaces the interventions at the courtyard and clads the main entry volume.
“This project has dramatically increased Christopher House’s ability to impact the Logan Square community. With over 15 years of experience working in the neighborhood, transforming the former Logan Square Library into a family resource center provided us an ideal space to increase the quality and level of support to participants.”
Traci Stanley, Associate Director Christopher House Logan Square
Additional Images
General Contractor: Clune Construction
Photography: Christopher Barrett / Hedrich Blessing
Video: Courtesy of Christopher House