Domus — "I'll Take Relevance over Autonomy"

The undulating concrete Aqua Tower has become a familiar sight in Chicago’s tony downtown. What few know, though, is that one of Aqua’s closest counterparts – designed at the same time – dwells not on the skyline but on a modest corner on the city’s South Side. Here, the Lavezzorio Community Center playfully greets local families with a wavy “strata wall” cast from donated concrete. Providing gathering spaces and social services, it continues the path of my earliest projects, which serve communities in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Designing these buildings early-on helped shape my view that architecture with a capital A is for everyone, not just the privileged few. It also supplied motivating evidence that good design can lead to a range of positive outcomes in communities.