Making Space Together while Celebrating Design + Architecture (September)
On our last Summer Community Day on Saturday September 18, we had a wealth of folks and activities at Overton! This event also aligned with the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial opening weekend for which designers from around the U.S. and the world designed multiple interventions in +102 sites in the city including North Lawndale, Woodlawn, Washington Park, South Loop, Pilsen and South Shore.
At Overton we were super excited to see rise these last weeks the installation by Biennial's contributor The Open Workshop's newest pavilion The Center Won't Hold. Also as contributor, Borderless Studio completed the Overton Exchange designed to support the solidarity and mutual aid market at Overton's grounds. Artist Amanda Williams revealed a piece covering the side of the gym building with her project series "What Black is this you say?".
We were also super thrilled to share space with Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative and Urban American City bringing the Obama's Portrait Pop-Up installation to Overton! The afternoon was full of jazz music playing on the school yard and tunes by DJ Jana Rush playing from the inside of The Open Workshop's pavilion.
Lots of dribbling, rebounds and dunks happened on the brand new Meet Me in The Middle Basketball (Art) Court designed by artist Jade Foreman. The afternoon was filled with community exchange and pop-up workshops by all these community-led efforts, projects and/or organizations:
A Bit Different Inspiring youth of color to pursue careers in STEM
Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Commission Legacy & cultural stewardship
Brave Space Alliance Chicago LGBTQ community + Food pantry crisis Bronzeville-Kenwood Mutual Aid Food distribution & community care
Cultural Asset Mapping Project Community storytelling & Chicago creatives network Chicago Architecture Biennial 2021 The Available City Architecture & design exhibition
Chi Products A Chicago-made streetwear brand celebrating Chicago culture around the world
Chicago Mobile Makers Youth design focused skill-building workshops
City Bureau Journalism lab reimagining local media
Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative: Land care, stewardship, beautification & activation
IIT College of Architecture Student work reimagining closed schools
Southside Cleanup Black & brown youth-led initiative dedicated to clean up the Southside of Chicago The Bronzeville Community Store Free store in the Bronzeville community The Literary BlkGirl Project Literature & reading resources
The Love Fridge Mutual aid network
Ujimaa Medics Protecting black lives through community care Urban Explorers of Chicago Mobile S.T.E.A.M. micro school
Bronzeville-Kenwood Mutual Aid activated with food distribution this pavilion and partnered with The People's Lunch powered by OWMCL Chicago to offer a delicious hot meal menu with chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, vegan collard greens and jasmine rice.
Artist Amanda Williams revealed a piece covering the side of the gym building with her project series "What Black is this you say?".
Installation by Chicago Architecture Biennial's contributor The Open Workshop titled The Center Won't Hold.
IIT College of Architecture students shared their ideas for some of Chicago's closed schools and collectively imagined and drew alternative plans for them.
Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative and Urban American City brought their Portrait Pop-Up installation where everyone could get their portraits taken in style of the Obamas'. Photo by Sandy Steinbrecher.
A Bit Different brought a new way of playing Tic Tac Toe with a programmed 3-axis Cartesian robot.
Thank you to everyone who shared their energy, resources and
