Upcoming Site Visit! 

Students participating in the competition are invited to visit Trumbull Park Homes to learn from CHA, DOE, and the Local Advisory Council.

• Date: 2 April 2026
  
• Time: 10:00 - 11:00 AM (local time)
  

 Register here  to secure your spot!

The The City of Chicago, in partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority, is seeking innovative design ideas that will help envision solutions for environmental concerns and promote a sustainable, inclusive urban living environment in the Trumbull Park Homes neighborhood. The site includes a historic public housing community and a large public park located on Chicago’s Southeast Side, in the South Deering community, an area of heavy industrial use known as the “toxic donut.”

Built in 1938 as part of FDR’s New Deal, Trumbull Park Homes holds historical significance as a site of the Civil Rights movement in Chicago. Today, it is home to over 400 families, with approximately 40% of residents under 18 and 10% senior citizens. Environmental challenges include frequent flooding, strong odors, poor air quality, and heat vulnerability from surrounding industrial activities.

The aim of this challenge is for participants to develop design concepts that address these environmental and social challenges through sustainable and inclusive solutions. Designs should activate green spaces between buildings, improve social cohesion, and enhance the environmental health of the community and surrounding public park.

Approx. site area

The site area is approximately 40 acres, including a large neighborhood and public park.

Key information

About 80% of South Deering is zoned as industrial, natural wetlands, or parks. The remaining 20% is zoned for residential or small-scale commercial use. Designs should activate and prioritise green space surrounding Trumbull Park Homes and the adjacent Trumbull Park.

Priority areas & main expectations

Designs must mitigate flooding, improve air quality with vegetative buffers, and address heat through vegetation and shading. Projects should promote social cohesion and accessibility, integrating nature-based solutions that enhance environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

These efforts are expected to improve living conditions, enhance the quality of public space, and ensure long-term climate resilience and inclusivity for all residents.

Check the Site Requirement in the Documentation section.

If you don't have a team yet, make sure to check the TEAM-UP page .