The Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice
JIMA Studio, partnered with Latent Design, is leading the revisioning of a vacant Chicago Public Schools building that will be the new headquarters of the Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice. This center will serve as a skills building facility, focused on environmental remediation, “green” jobs, and community education. JIMA Studio is providing full design services to establish outdoor spaces that promote community gathering and hands-on learning to prepare the next generation of environmental stewards.
Client
People for Community Recovery
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Year
2025
The People for Community Recovery are working with the Chicago School District and the Cook County Land Bank to activate Building C, a vacant school building near the Altgeld Gardens, where Hazel M. Johnson began her environmental justice work.
The Latent Design team led an open house with the client group and key stakeholders to define the project goals, character, and vibe of the building renovation and its grounds.
This selected concept reclaims and reverses the history of the “toxic donut” into a catalyst for renewal. The design features a dynamic rippling landscape that disrupts the site’s architecture and condition, symbolizing resilience and regeneration. These living waves create an interconnected space where nature and community converge, turning a once-polluted past into a thriving, restorative future.
The JIMA Studio team developed two conceptual ideas for the site design, each focused on telling Hazel M. Johnson’s story of elevating the peril of toxins in the air and soil, and reclaiming the residential grounds as an opportunity to revitalize the land and educate residents on how to steward it. The design options also weave opportunities on how the landscape can be used as an experimental ground, to test new ideas and practices through the lens of sustainability.
Team
Ujijji Williams | Stephanie Onwenu
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Credits
Architect: Latent Design
Structural Engineering: TYLin
MEPF Engineering: Edifel
Historic Preservation: Nurture