SOS Children's Villages Lavezzorio Community Center
SOS Children's Villages Lavezzorio Community Center
Studio Gang
ARCHITECTS
Studio Gang
SIZE
10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
YEAR
2007
LOCATION
7600, South Parnell Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States
TYPE
Government + Health › Community Center
SOS is an international social service agency providing housing and support for foster-care children and families. As the hub of activities for the SOS Village in Chicago, the SOS Lavezzorio Community Center provides spaces for educational enrichment with a focus on personal growth.
With its limited budget, contributions and in-kind donations were necessary to complete the building. Studio Gang created a system to integrate the material donations into the design.
The material donations are literally revealed in a large exterior ‘strata’ wall made of varying mixes of concrete cast into wavy horizontal layers. The layered bands express both the successive pours of concrete and the liquid nature of the material, reminiscent of geological strata.
Inside the center, multi-faceted, naturally lit public spaces encourage a range of learning opportunities and social interaction.
An extra wide bleacher-stair in the lobby doubles as classroom seating and an impromptu stage for performance. A large community room on the second floor serves as classroom, exercise room and meeting space.
Since its completion the SOS Community Center has had a positive ripple effect on the surrounding neighborhood, including adjacent buildings, landscape and pedestrian environment.
It has been adopted by its community for a wide range of functions, serving as a meeting location, wedding venue, and polling place.
