Joint Public Service Training Campus

The new joint training campus for Chicago’s Police & Fire Departments was conceived using transparency as a metaphorical and physical device that promotes interaction between the community and the public safety departments.  Inspired by the checkerboard hatband synonymous with Chicago Police, the façade is an abstraction of that Sillitoe tartan flickering to create openings that allow the community to see inside. The 180,000sf /32-acre academy facilitates the training of recruits and continuing education for public safety officers from both departments.  Located in an underprivileged urban neighborhood, the project seeks to strengthen connections with the community and promote local economic activity.