Quite Village is a suspended public plaza located in the far South West corner of Portage Park, at the intersection of the heavily trafficked Addison Avenue and Meade Ave. Though the surrounding neighborhood is densely built with historic Chicago bungalows, the area lacks any true public space, and retail buildings at the intersection currently lay mostly unoccupied. With no public space and no retail in walking distance, the area has little choice but to be completely car-centric. And though the area still maintains the population density of an average Chicago neighborhood, it completely lacks the urban amenities that make other neighborhoods more vibrant. This imbalance negates the original strength of the neighborhood as a place where families could have the suburban benefits of home ownership, and the urban benefits of walkable amenities. Quite Village is an oasis above the traffic, a gathering space to draw locals, and reinvigorate its surroundings.

Client - Quiet Village was part of the 50 Designers, 50 Ideas, 50 Wards Exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center (2016)

Team - Matthew Messner (DRUMLIN), Evgeniya Plotnikova (EVG.WORKS), Mario Romero

Type - Speculative

Phase - Complete