Transformation of Space

Most of archi-treasures projects engage community residents in a participatory design process to envision change in their urban environment.  Subsidized housing properties, social service facilities, vaccant lots, schools and school grounds all contain shared space that can benefit from a re-design led by users and stakeholders.  With technical assistance, creative input, and project management from archi-treasures, communities design and build new spaces for community use.  These spaces are often culturally, historically and politically specific to the communities that have stewarded their development.

Civic Engagement

With community building as our goal, archi-treasures projects can result in maps, markers, murals, movies, as well as public spaces.  For example, a group of teens who live in South Chicago researched and developed a trolley tour of their community featuring green and sustainable initiatives.  They also designed a 2011 Green Summit brochure for the Claretian Associates, a community organization.  Another group of teens decided to make a movie about violence in their community after there were two shootings during one week of the summer job program.  They interviewed residents and other community stakeholders, such as principals of the local schools, to begin a conversation about solutions.  These are examples of projects that increase civic engagement.

Take a moment to learn more about our projects by perusing our projects pages.