CACA — CENTER FOR AERIAL AND CIRCUS ARTS

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LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF GOOSE ISLAND IN CHICAGO, CACA INTRODUCES A NEW ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGY FOR AERIAL AND CIRCUS PERFORMANCE. SITUATED WITHIN A GROWING BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE CENTER ACTS AS BOTH A PERFORMANCE VENUE AND A PUBLIC SPECTACLE, BLENDING ART, MOVEMENT, AND URBAN LIFE.

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THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED AROUND FLUIDITY AND MOTION, WITH SPACES SHAPED BY THE STUDY OF PERFORMER MOVEMENT. MULTIPLE AERIAL STUDIOS EXPAND PERFORMANCE BEYOND THE FLOOR, ALLOWING WALLS AND VERTICAL SURFACES TO BECOME ACTIVE TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS. A CENTRAL INTERACTION NODE ORGANIZES THE PLAN, ENABLING MULTI-DIRECTIONAL CIRCULATION AND PROMENADE-STYLE VIEWING FROM MULTIPLE VANTAGE POINTS.

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THE EXTERIOR EXPRESSES THIS LANGUAGE OF MOVEMENT THROUGH HANGING ELEMENTS AND PERFORATED SURFACES THAT SUPPORT OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE AND FRAME VIEWS INTO THE BUILDING. A ROOFTOP THEATER AND LIGHT APERTURES CONNECT INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SPACES. DURING THE DAY, THE BUILDING FILTERS LIGHT; AT NIGHT, IT GLOWS AS A LUMINOUS LANDMARK, OFFERING A DYNAMIC PRESENCE FOR GOOSE ISLAND AND ESTABLISHING CACA AS A NEW SYMBOL FOR CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE ARCHITECTURE.