Northside

Boys & Girls Club

The design challenge was to take the incredible value of this organization and express it through the small mandate of creating a new entry vestibule. The design carves into the foreboding existing building to create transparency. The white elements on blue create a strong sense of brand that breaks through the banality of the structure. At night the elements reach beyond the footprint of the building creating a strong visual presence in the Neighborhood. The plane of the canopy is interrupted by holes, allowing the sun to beam points of light in the afternoon. Each year, one hole is drilled for each child who completes their college preparation program and goes on to college. As the years pass the sense of inspiration will grow as children walk beneath a canopy emitting more light with each passing year… as the organization’s impact plays in the light on their doorstep.