JGMA worked with CannonDesign to complete Richard J. Daley College’s Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The design strategy for Daley College’s Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) utilizes building transparency to showcase machines, equipment, and products integral to the learning objectives of the colleges as well as provide a visual connection to the surrounding West Lawn community. The seamless fluidity to the building’s form was inspired by the constant and linear flow of the manufacturing process. The building spans the main thoroughfare with an elevated campus quad that links the south and north campus of Daley College.

Rising from the transformed parking lot south of 76th Street, the new Advanced Manufacturing Center becomes a timeless addition to the Richard J Daley campus and sets the framework for a wider master plan. This project unifies the existing complex by creating a genuine campus environment that creates pathways to success by engaging and collaborative environments throughout.

The new building is not only a catalyst for growth and change within Daley College, but the greater surrounding community. The exceptional design will assist in rebranding City Colleges of Chicago and strengthen the identity of Daley College.

It celebrates the manufacturing industry through the expression of materials such as metal panels, glass, and exposed steel. In addition, the underside of the elevated bridge is intentionally painted caution yellow, bringing the manufacturing expression to the exterior. The procession above leads students through a combination of exterior and interior “incidental” learning spaces that create a new front door for both the MTEC and the campus itself.

This new identity creates a more unified campus with a connectivity of interior and exterior terraces for users to enjoy in the warm weather months. These green areas will facilitate the students’ and faculty’s interaction providing connections with nature and lead to increased cognitive function and wellness.

The addition and renovation of Daley College creates a more dignified place for students while empowering and motivating them to obtain a higher education. We understand the importance of creating an inspirational learning environment and believe our design enhances the student experience and becomes an emblematic higher education facility in the southside of the city. We celebrate the unique program that City Colleges of Chicago will offer at this location and generate high-end manufacturing jobs for Chicago residents to boost the local economy and promote development in the West Lawn community.

The Daley College project speaks to issues larger than architecture; it is the embodiment of the community and seeks to revitalize this predominantly Latino and African American neighborhood by creating a connective message that all are significant and welcome. The design intentionally challenges latent stereotypes in attending a City College as well as careers in manufacturing. The new building will not only be a catalyst for growth and change within City Colleges, but also inspire the pursuit of manufacturing careers as a sophisticated and high-tech learning path.

Design Architect: JGMA
Architect of Record: CannonDesign
Photography: Tom Rossiter