Humboldt Park, Chicago

Working with residents as well as local and national experts, a cadre of talented young adults helped to initiate positive change in Humboldt Park through ShadeLab, a joint project of Landon Bone Baker Architects and Public Workshop.

Through environmental assessment studies, community asset mapping, neighborhood service/design projects, and by using high tech sensors as well as self-made measuring devices, interns extensively recorded temperature, air quality, energy efficiency, and noise throughout the neighborhood and the buildings of LBBA’s partnering organizations over the course of the summer. By overlying this data with the mapping of the physical assets, nature, social life and stories that surround these spaces, interns created a holistic ‘snapshot’ of the wellness of the neighborhood as it relates to design.

With this information, the interns identified improvements to the design of the neighborhood and its buildings for improving energy efficiency, comfort, and sociability.

ShadeLab blog