We’ve had an exciting two weeks! We are finally determining the details of our project.

Week 8 started off with a structural plan scavenger hunt. In small groups, students searched through a couple full-size prints of structural engineering sheets from a building project. They had a list of things to find, and they were able to learn about how much detail goes into a typical set of construction plans.

After the scavenger hunt, we broke up into groups to discuss 3 project options: a presidential library/museum, a structural building reuse, and an open space project. After discussing the pros and cons of each project, the students voted on their favorite… and the winner was….

Structural Reuse!

So in Week 9, we began looking at 2 site options for a reuse of an abandoned building. Our two options were the Morton Salt factory site located between Elston Ave and the Chicago River, and the St. Boniface Church in the Noble Square neighborhood. Students broke up into a few groups to do various site analysis tasks. We looked at nearby land uses, access to transit, unique site characteristics, and more.