
Chicago Architecture Biennial Opening Day (September 2021)

Installation process

Illustration: Overton Grounds
Overton Exchange
As part of the summer activation series Frame(Works) of Resilience organized by Creative Grounds at Overton Incubator, the Overton Exchange is is a community-led initiative to support community care and resource sharing in Bronzeville. This project seeks to cultivate and prototype a creative space for community resources while modeling new opportunities for exchange and cooperation among Southside community.
The design of the Overton Exchange is inspired by street market structures consisting of temporary ten-by-ten foot outdoor frames with colorful covers, and the canopy of the market structures is woven as a hyperbolic surface. Located on the parking lot on Indiana Avenue, it is a space for showcasing local community-led initiatives in the form of pop-up services, vending, exhibitions, workshops and other activities.
These prototype structures are temporary and able to be easily replicable in other sites across Chicago. Also inspired by weaving practices, the Overton Exchange connected incrementally during the Summer months with mutiple community groups focused on SOLIDARITY, COOPERATION and COMMUNITY CARE growing the exchange community in Bronzeville.
More about this project:
Creative Grounds / Overton Exchange
Chicago Architecture Biennial 2021 /
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2021
Scaffolding supplied by:
Collaborator:

Overton Exchange Perspective and East Elevation

Community Day

Chicago Architecture Biennial Opening Day (September 2021) / Photo: Sandra Steinbrecher

Photo: Sandra Steinbrecher

Illustration of prototype

Weaved Canopy Shade

Photo: Sandra Steinbrecher

Weaved Canopy

10' x 10' Module

Installation process

Installation process

Installation process

Installation process

Set up for a community potluck

Project references research: Modular market structures and pavilions