This year's Access Lab, a collaboration between LBBA, The Chicago Lighthouse (TCL), and Brinshore Development, focused on expanding TCL’s impact in the Illinois Medical District. The program centered around developing concepts for a new mixed-use building adjacent to TCL’s headquarters along Roosevelt Road. The interns drew inspiration from the Foglia Residences at TCL, a 76-unit affordable housing development designed for people who are blind or visually impaired, for their proposed development including both housing and vital community spaces.

Over six weeks, the talented interns engaged directly with residents and staff at the Foglia Residences at TCL to understand their unique needs for this transformative project. The program culminated with a presentation showcasing designs prioritizing inclusive principles—concepts that LBBA is carrying forward in the next stages of the project.

Thank you to Maggie Macpherson, who led the program, and our community partners: CPS, ACE, Marween, CAC, and First Jobs. We were also lucky to be joined by the following special guests at our weekly Lunch and Learns and throughout various workshops: 

Hana Ishikawa, Site Design Group

Dan Wheeler, Wheeler Kearns Architects

Thomas McCue

Shannon Davidson, Access Living

Ryan Gann

Laura Hayes, The Chicago Lighthouse

Taylor Staten, TnS Studio

Nese Altintas

Luke Joyner and Casey Breen, University of Chicago Week 1:

The program began with a tour of The Lighthouse Headquarters, followed by introductory activities designed to build understanding of the topic and establish a baseline for basic architectural and visual skills. During the tour, the interns spoke with Lighthouse staff and learned about the diverse range of services provided to support individuals who are blind, vision-impaired, or veterans. The remainder of the week featured hands-on exercises that encouraged interns to think critically about the built environment and develop skills for effectively communicating their ideas. On Wednesday, during their first Lunch and Learn, the interns introduced their backgrounds and interests while sharing reflections on their initial experiences in the program.

Week 2:

Week two marked the beginning of research as interns dove into understanding the existing community and site conditions. The week began with a comprehensive tour of the Foglia Residences, where interns had the opportunity to see firsthand how the current housing operates and meets residents' needs. Following the tour, the interns conducted interviews with both staff members and residents, gathering valuable insights about daily life, challenges, and aspirations for the future development.

The research included an amenity survey that helped identify what services and spaces would be most beneficial in the new building. Interns also conducted a site investigation, examining the opportunities and constraints of the development location. Hana Ishikawa, Design Principal at Site Design, the landscape architecture firm that collaborated on the Foglia Residences, joined us for the weekly Lunch and Learn. Ishikawa's presentation provided interns with professional insights into the technical and creative aspects of landscape design. By the end of the week, the group had begun discussing programming possibilities and laying the groundwork for the design concepts.

Week 3:

The third week brought a shift toward hands-on design work, beginning with a career presentation from Taylor Staten of TnS Studio, who shared insights about her professional journey and work in the field.

The interns were then introduced to the concept of massing, learning how to understand and manipulate building forms and volumes. With this knowledge, they conducted their own massing studies, exploring how different building configurations might work on the site. Building on these conceptual explorations, each intern created their own massing models, translating two-dimensional ideas into three-dimensional forms.

The Lunch and Learn featured Thomas McCue, a visually impaired artist, who shared insights about his type of vision loss and adapting his artistic process to fit his needs. McCue's presentation provided an invaluable perspective on inclusive design principles that would inform the interns' developing concepts. Dan Wheeler, founding principal of Wheeler Kearns Architects, later led sketching sessions with the interns, allowing them to practice perspectives and explore design ideas through drawing.

The week concluded with a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, where interns explored the architecture and design galleries. This trip was followed by watercolor perspective exercises, helping interns develop their artistic skills while learning to communicate architectural ideas through a different medium.

Week 4:

Week four marked a pivotal moment in the program as interns began refining their individual ideas and transitioning toward collaborative final concepts. The week opened with a critique session involving LBBA staff who provided professional feedback on the design work developed in previous weeks.

Shannon Davidson from Access Living, an organization dedicated to disability rights and independent living, joined us for the Lunch and Learn. This presentation strengthened the interns' understanding of accessibility principles.

The interns then had the opportunity to present their individual concepts to staff from The Chicago Lighthouse and Brinshore Development. This presentation allowed the interns to receive direct feedback from the project stakeholders and better understand how their ideas aligned with the community's needs and the development's goals.

Building on this feedback, the interns developed floor plans, translating their broader programming and massing concepts into specific residential layouts. By the end of the week, the group had organized into two teams, each focused on developing distinct concepts that would become their final deliverables for the program.

Week 5:

The fifth week focused on collaborative work as the two teams refined their floor plan concepts and final models. Throughout the week, teams received ongoing feedback from LBBA staff and visiting professionals, allowing them to refine their designs based on expert input and peer discussion. For these models, the interns focused on design elements that blind or visually impaired individuals would be able to interact with to better understand the spaces. 

A Lunch and Learn with architect and design strategist Ryan Gann provided insights into the role of an architect and how he leveraged his experience to create a career path that aligns with his interests. After lunch, Laura Hays, an occupational therapist from The Chicago Lighthouse, spoke about the importance of inclusive appliances and amenities. Hays' expertise offered the interns a clinical perspective on how physical environments can support or hinder daily activities for people with varying abilities.

The week concluded with an inspiring field trip to BUILD Chicago, where interns toured a space with a variety of programming as well as public and private areas. This visit provided concrete examples of how different types of spaces can coexist within a single building.

Week 6:

The final week was dedicated to finalizing deliverables and preparing for presentations. Nese Altintas, the program coordinator from the 2023 BUILD lab, led an individual growth collage activity that allowed interns to express their personal development through art.

The program culminated with final presentations at the LBBA office, where friends, family, and colleagues gathered to hear about the teams' findings and design solutions. By the program's end, the interns had produced two comprehensive sets of deliverables for The Chicago Lighthouse and Brinshore, including programming lists, diagrams, floor and site plans, elevation drawings, perspective paintings, and physical models.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's program! Download the file below to view the final presentation.