Studio Becker Xu

Unscripted Play - our contribution to Common Chicago, an exhibition by for the sixth edition of the . Currently on view at MAS Context Reading Room.

Playlots, embedded throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods, are designated plots of land allocated for urban recreation. From vacant lots on residential streets to schoolyards to park grounds, playlots mark prescribed points of physical and social contact within our communities. At the turn of the century, playlots emerged as an act of reformation, resulting in a scripted form of public recreation that was supervised and contained. Traces of these reform-era origins are still evident today. Growing regulations around the design, access, and upkeep of urban playspaces and equipment for play leave little room to the imagination. Commonplace structures of prescribed use - slides, swings, and monkey bars - make serial appearances throughout the city. How can we reclaim play as a vital expression of creativity, autonomy, and civic engagement that permeates our city rather than a rehearsed act only to be enacted on certain stages?

This play kit features a collection of scaleless, siteless figures for curious encounters, creative occupation, and impractical amusements. Let’s reimagine how we play!

Thank you for the invitation!

Two columns - one exposed, one hidden.

A bench with two halves forms a reconfigurable surface - an invitation to connect.

Fabrication: .rose
Photography:

Such an incredible experience marching in the parade with so many of our friends and colleagues! Thank you Chana Haouzi and for organizing the for its inaugural gathering to celebrate Chicago, its people, and its buildings.

People are what make any place special, and design can provide a meaningful platform for bringing people together. One of our favorite places in Chicago is Crown Fountain, designed by , realized by .sexton.partners, and brought to life by the people of Chicago. A space always full of life & laughter and a true testament to the joy that art & architecture can bring.

We are grateful to live and contribute to this wonderful city and its incredible public spaces!

Thank you , Nootan Bharani, for these captures of the day, and to for the feature: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/10/20/photos-arts-in-the-dark-parade/

Thank you for providing the space and tools for the fabrication of our masks, and shout-out to Kamil Krol for being a sounding board throughout the process.

Happy Halloween! 👻

Dogtrot House centers around an indoor-outdoor breezeway, the connective space between four low pavilions. A cathedral ceiling of Southern Yellow Pine frames this 100-foot-long continuous space for gathering, eating, working, and playing. From both ends of the house, there are sightlines clear through to the landscape. The gable roof extends out to create shaded porches, oriented toward an expansive view of a nearby pond.

Construction:
Structural:
Metalwork:
Millwork:
Photography:

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