South + One Future: A Community Hub That Blends Athletics, Transit, And Social Functions Into A Single Architectural Gesture | Bachelors Design Project On Transit-Oriented Development

Site Context

This project was developed for the ACSA Steel Competition, which did not designate a specific site. This gave the design team the opportunity to select a location that held cultural and social significance. They chose Bronzeville, a historic neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side with a rich cultural background. During the Great Migration in the 1930s and 1940s, many African Americans settled in the area, creating a vibrant and resilient community. However, the neighborhood has since suffered from the lasting impacts of systemic racism, redlining, and disinvestment. Today, Bronzeville lacks well-designed public spaces for communal gathering, with churches being among the few that remain. This project responds to that need by proposing a new space for connection—one that draws from the neighborhood’s identity and supports its ongoing revitalization. The architecture is intended not merely as a physical structure, but as a symbolic act of care, rooted in community and committed to its future.

Design Process

The design process began with in-depth research into Bronzeville’s history and its significance within Chicago’s broader cultural landscape. The goal was to create more than just a building—something that acted as a response to the community’s identity and a catalyst for bringing people together. With that intention, the team developed a hybrid program that combines a fieldhouse with a transit hub, using sport and physical movement as mechanisms for fostering social interaction.

A central aspect of the design focused on circulation and how people move through and around the site. Positioned adjacent to the elevated train line, the building features a cut-through pathway allowing commuters to pass directly through the structure without immediate access, emphasizing a deliberate moment of transition. Inside, a prominent spiral staircase in the atrium encourages visibility and interaction, while a running track encircles the building, functionally and symbolically linking its various elements.

Final Outcome

The final design presents a multi-use community hub that integrates athletic, transit, and social functions into a cohesive architectural expression. It is intended to be more than a functional structure—it serves as a landmark that embodies movement, vitality, and the rhythms of daily life in Bronzeville.

At ground level, an outdoor plaza with bike storage welcomes visitors, functioning both as a gathering space and a transitional zone for events or casual interaction. Inside, the program includes a swimming pool and hot tubs, which are subtly visible from the street as soft silhouettes behind frosted glass—signaling activity while maintaining privacy. The fitness program features a full gym, spin studio, yoga room, and basketball court. Above the train station, a café offers a vantage point where visitors can relax, observe arriving trains, and feel connected to the urban environment.

The entire structure is enveloped in a perforated metal façade, with varying densities that respond to the interior functions—more open where activity is high and more closed off in quieter zones. Seasonal adaptability was considered as well, with an exterior plaza designed to transform into an ice rink during winter months.

Conclusion: Altogether, the building’s layout, form, and material palette create an experience that is dynamic, layered, and deeply rooted in the identity and future of the Bronzeville neighborhood.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]