After School Matters Wing of Gately Park

In a joint effort with the Chicago Park District, After School Matters (ASM) has unveiled a multifunctional facility to serve high school students on the city’s South Side. Directly adjacent to the park district’s new field house at Gately Park, ASM Gately provides outstanding educational opportunities for local teens in the fields of art, culinary, dance, and music. Those enrolled in ASM programs also will have direct access to the indoor track and other recreational facilities for sport and fitness opportunities.

ASM Gately and the field house are within the 28-acre Gately Park, established in 1947 by the park district to provide outdoor recreational opportunities for underserved communities.

Grassy and landscaped, the park offers a welcome respite from busy nearby streets that border the property. The principal façade of the ASM wing is gently curved brick in deference to its park surroundings, and the window openings are punctuated by ASM’s signature color palette.

This project was developed on the premise that students learn in a variety of settings, not just the classroom. Accordingly, the facility has breakout learning spaces in addition to dedicated areas for art, music, dance, and culinary arts.

These and other multifunctional studios are organized around a central atrium with amphitheater seating and illuminated from skylights above. On the second floor, a rooftop terrace serves as an outdoor classroom and a vegetable and herb garden. Public areas feature student-designed and -crafted art installations. The project has been designed to receive LEED certification.

Additional Information

Other projects from this professional

Francis W. Parker School Kovler Family Library

The transformation of the library at Francis W. Parker School is immediately...

Product suppliers specified