Page 20 - School Planning & Management, December 2017

EDUCATION DESIGN SHOWCASE • HIGH SCHOOL
HONORABLE MENTION
THE MICHAEL AND KARYN LUTZ
CENTER FOR AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS
AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS CHICAGO, IL
ESA PARTNERED with the non-profit, After School Matters, to create a satellite location for their appren- ticeship programs. ESA
was tasked with transform- ing an existing four-story insurance headquarters
into The Michael and Karyn Lutz Center—a beacon for culinary arts and technol- ogy programs for the teens of the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. The renova- tion included a commercial teaching kitchen, dining area, dance studio, technology labs, and various studios for visual and performing arts.
The donated building was transformed into a facility that responds to stu- dent input for spaces that reflect their personality and encourage collaboration. On each floor, garage doors connect perimeter studios to a central flex space that invites educators to open the doors and create a single free-flowing learn- ing space. Students of all programs share ideas over casual pin ups or gallery displays of their work. Book- ended by a commons/lobby and a teaching kitchen,
the ground level circula- tion “boulevard” affords glimpses into vocal, dance, and tech studios, creating a dynamic and interconnected community of performance.
The exterior improvements include additional window openings for added daylight, landscape updates, a covered entry canopy, and a new stair tower that brings the building into compliance with current building codes.
ARCHITECT
Eckenhoff Saunders Architects
JAKE WAHLER 312/786-1204
PROJECT INFORMATION
CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR
Mary Ellen Caron, CEO
COMPLETION DATE
Spring 2017
GROSS AREA
34,000 sq. ft.
AREA PER STUDENT
23 sq. ft.
SITE SIZE
1 acre
CURRENT ENROLLMENT
1,500 students
CAPACITY
1,500 students
COST PER STUDENT
$3,367
COST PER SQ. FT.
$162
TOTAL COST
$5,500,000
JUDGES’ COMMENTS
This is a place that students will feel comfortable in and want to go to. Great adaptive reuse. Nice flexible open areas. Liked the use of a post- occupancy survey.
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2017 EDUCATION DESIGN SHOWCASE