This culinary school plus community gardens rests on the boundary of The United center neighborhood and the West loop neighborhood. Since these two neighborhoods have very different demographics, incomes, and built environments, my aim is to bring people from the food focused Restaurant Row to this western boundary. By having community offerings at the school and creating leisure space on top and around, Culinary Gardens will provide more greenery and beauty for the current users in the United Center and draw new visitors from the West Loop. The building's site is on the northwest corner of union park near the Ashland El Station, an area that is often used by the United center neighborhood community. Currently, this skinny corner plot adjacent to a community gymnasium and pool is used for the “Union Park Harvest Garden” for kids to learn about edible gardening. So, Culinary Gardens enhances these teaching gardens by scaling up the experience to all levels of the building’s exterior spaces. Additionally, the wide public stairs serve as green access to the Ashland platform, connecting the school, nature, and transportation.
