The exterior of the new school building is to be clad almost entirely of glazed brick, a material which was commonly used with mid-twentieth century designs, but has since largely been absent from newer construction, especially so for municipal buildings. However, the material here is celebrated and certainly blends well with bulk of the neighborhood’s houses and flats constructed with mid-century flair. The base brick color is a glossy white which stretches across the structure with strong horizontal bands forming spandrel lines between the windows. The windows are then arranged in a pattern with alternating splashes of accent color between the openings, like splatters of paint on a blank canvas. As masonry crews wrap the steel framed structure with the colorful facade, work continues on the interior to finish the building in time for the start of the new school year this fall.
• Checking In on the Construction of the Southwest Area School [Curbed Chicago]
• New STR-Designed School Slated for West Lawn [Curbed Chicago]