Breakthrough Ministry Center
Chicago, Illinois

The recently completed Breakthrough Ministry Center is a facility that is dedicated to providing a variety of support services for men that are homeless or unemployed living on the west side of Chicago.

Located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, the project consisted of a major renovation to an existing two story building and the integration of five neighboring lots as a garden and staff parking lot. In addition to housing support services, the 24,000 s.f. facility houses Breakthrough Urban Ministries’ main offices, which are located on the upper floor. The main floor includes a sleeping area for 30 men, 5 SRO units, a commercial kitchen, a dining area, a gathering space, a job training center and all necessary support spaces.

The project which started in March of 2004 was ever-evolving and continually responded to numerous forces until its completion in July of 2008. Using donated materials, with a fluctuating budget, several program changes and some challenging surprises as the existing structure was revealed the entire process became extremely “organic”. As the project grew from an interior renovation into a major reconstruction we established a series of very simple design goals that would continually define the project as it evolved.

The major interior spaces are a balancing act of specific qualities. Security is always an issue, but providing a place where the men can feel at home is equally important. The dining room, the gathering space, and the gallery corridor are all spaces that are open with multiple sight lines yet feel intimate and somewhat private. All the major spaces have natural light with walls that are consistently neutral and floors that are typically stained concrete.

The goal for the exterior was to design a façade that was new and vibrant yet somehow familiar. By keeping the massing and window openings as they were in the original structure we were able to maintain a scale that was familiar to the neighborhood. The use of brick at street level is also something that is consistent with what had always been there, but by introducing stainless steel panels on the upper portion we were able to add a newness and vibrancy to the entire block.