Program Summary

“The ACE / CPS Summer Design-Build Workshop is a student educational program focused on career exposure and community building through hands-on experiences in design and construction.  The workshop, run in partnership by the Chicago ACE Mentor Program and the Chicago Public Schools Department of College and Career Preparation, provides a unique learning opportunity for high school students interested in a career in architecture, construction, or engineering.”

The third annual Design Build Workshop was a success by many measures, exampled by the photographs of the finished project above, and by the smiles seen on the faces of our students and clients!  The project above, named by our students as the ‘Inverted Umbrella Trumpet Flower’!, was designed and built by our team of 15 high school students for the Children’s Garden of Hope in West Humboldt Park, Chicago.  The project provides work tables and seating, and will collect rain water for the vegetable plots at the rear of the garden.  Students were additionally responsible for coordinating the construction effort, which spanned just two weeks (culminating a 7-week design build program), and meeting the project budget of $7,000 (final costs ran just over budget at approximately $7,500).

I would like to extend a thank you to each of our talented and hardworking ACE students who participated this summer; and of course to the many supporters of our summer program!

• ACE Chicago Board of Directors, Associate Board, and Supporting Professional Firms
• Chicago Public Schools
• Curie Metro High School
• NeighborSpace
• the Children’s Garden of Hope
• Lend Lease Foundation
• Adrian Smith Gordon Gill Architecture
• Gensler
• Halvorson + Partners
• Helios Design-Build
• Cushing Company
• Chicago Center for Green Technology
• ..and many individual volunteers!

Matthew Snoap, ACE Workshop Director

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..student work on the Inverted Umbrella Trumpet Flower began with prefabrication of major elements at Curie HS.  By the end of the week, half of the team was on site digging foundations and pouring concrete into our premade formwork.  ..so far, so good!

Student Summary:

Monday-

• Todd talked to us about the restructuring of Lincoln Park that Studio Gang did. He also gave us opinions of our structure (and donated $20 to our budget. Thanks Todd!)
• Adopted the metal flashing idea for the inside material of the inverted umbrella.
• Received a rough quoted for the lumber.
• Started final CAD model.

Tuesday-

• Started the elevation model.
• Began to adopt the concrete foundation.
• Finished foundation plan (concrete!).
• Started sign design.

Wednesday-

• Updated the lumber quote.
• Started CAD drawings of details.
• Began hand-drawn perspective drawings.
• Finalized model.

Thursday-

• Ordered the pathway and boulders.
• Continued the CAD drawings.
• Finished model.
• Finished sign design.
• Started designing formwork.

Friday-

• Went to site and;

-began digging (ran into bricks, shingles, and electrical wires)

-layed out the pathway

-moved site of structure farther back (closer to vegetable garden)

• Went to Menard’s and bought;

-screws, bolts, chicken wire, metal flashing, (and snacks)

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Monday

We split into two groups, construction group and design group. The construction group is in charge of modeling, budget, schedule, and materials list. The design group is in charge of all drawings. Dominic visited and explained pavillion at Lincoln Park Zoo. Also, he gave us a list of drawings that we need to complete.

Tuesday

We started drawings recomended by Dominic, the new model, and finalizing the budget and schedual. Also, Matt brought in some inspirational pictures!

Wednesday

We started, yet again, a NEW model, continued the budget and worked on CAD revisions and elevations.

Thursday

RANDY RETURNS!! (he said he was sick but really wasn’t sick… maybe he was sick of us??? idk) Made new revisions to the foundation plan and updated plans and elevations.

Friday

We went on a field trip to Lee Lumber. There we received a rough estimate of our material cost, and Bill gave us very helpful suggestions. We also went to a landscaping company and picked out samples of pathways and boulders that would work for our seating.

MONDAY:

-We worked on a schedule and budget with Aash

-Assembled the laser cut trellis

-Worked on site and model drawings

TUESDAY:

-Worked on CAD drawings

-Worked on Models (clay and physical)

-continued work on schedule and budget

WEDNESDAY:

-Worked on perspective drawings

-worked on AuoCAD and SketchUp Drawings

-worked on 1/2″ scale model

THURSDAY:

-Remade models

-finished the powerpoint presentation

-last minute change in the design

-finalized the drawings

-finished the CAD drawings

FRIDAY:

-Client Meeting

–Likes

—Umbrella idea

—location in back

—completion of the path

—signage

—children’s planter beds

—save trumpet vine

—adding color to structure behind the latus

—tables at different heights

–Dislikes

—Location of structure in front

—filter and overall maintenance

—overflow (capacity of the rain barrel)

—concern of metal chicken wire being stolen off of the structure

Monday:

• Finished T-shirts
• Started Model
• AutoCAD drawings/SketchUp Model
• Learned how to use illustrator/Exacto knife

Tuesday:

• Structural Engineering Presentation (powerpoint)

1. Liveloads (things that move)/dead loads (stationary objects)

• Foundations

1. the larger the structure, the deeper the foundation
2. below the frostline (42″) – min. depth
3. High rise (80′-90′-foundation)
4. concrete slabs (3″-6″)

• tension, compression, bending, shear, torsion (FORCES)

1. wood(cannot pull)
2. concrete (compression)
3. reinforced concrete (Steel rods in concrete)

• continued models and drawings (computer model, site model, AutoCAD, Stechup drewings)

Wednesday: NO CLASS (4th of July)

Thursday:

• worked on design for rain collecting structure (inverted Umbrella)

1. Discussed materials
2. possible Materials
3. incorporate seating
4. featuring an ornamental element (Blend with nature)
5. Finished Models (site), drawings (AutoCAD)

Friday

• Went to Adrian Smith/Gordon Gill Architecture Firm

1. Used laser cutter to create trellis
2. Saw the model shop

• Visited the Pavillion @ Lincoln Park Zoo-Designed by Jeanne Gang from Studio Gang Architecture FIrm

Friday

This was the day of the site visit( Childrens Garden of Hope). But first we took a look at the UJIMA (collective work) Garden. At the Children Garden of Hope we broke down into groups and took measurements of the site. We also help clean and soil some of the vegetables and plants. – OBSERVATION OF THE CHILDREN GARDEN OF HOPE We came together and talk about the garden. We notice that it was more sunny which meant it didnt have allot of shade as we thought. We also noticed that it was over grown with allot of trees and plants. Some things that we thought need to be changed was the big compost piles that where, the huge part of the gate that was missing , to close off the vegetable garden(add fence) and it needed a shed plus more tools. Somethings we wanted to add was planters for the vegetables, color(to improve the front), seating / gazebo in the back, and to improve the condition of the mulch pile.

And this sums up Week 1.

Channen F. & Maritza P., Workshop Participants