ChiArts
The Chicago High School for the Arts

Established in 2009, Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) is the first arts-focused public school in  Chicago, with a mission to develop the next generation of diverse, artistically promising scholar-artists. Having previously worked with the school when it was located across multiple campuses, C|ZDS was given the opportunity to lead the consolidation of the program into a single facility for the first time.

 

Located in the former Lafayette Elementary School originally constructed in 1890, ChiArts’ new home required extensive renovation to meet the needs of a 21st century high school for the arts. The intensive curriculum, which pairs pre-professional training in the arts with comprehensive college preparatory studies, presented a distinct programming challenge.

 

Many of the historic architectural elements were maintained while creating a canvas for ChiArts to display their unique identity. 

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James Steinkamp Photography