JGMA wraps Chicago health center in iridescent aluminum panels

In Chicago, JGMA has finalized the Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center, featuring prismatic aluminum composite (ACM) panels that shift in appearance based on light and viewer angles. The facade's design draws inspiration from the second-floor indoor running track, aiming to capture a sense of movement and respiration. Above the glazing, perforated panels rest on a custom truss system, enhancing shade, ensuring privacy, and preventing bird collisions while creating an effect of floating screens. The truss, engineered by Metal Design Systems, utilizes knife plates connected to window mullions for a streamlined structure and easy upkeep. To achieve curved corners, the panels were segmented into smaller trapezoidal shapes based on 3D models. This Wellness Center is part of a partnership between JGMA and Humboldt Park Health to transform a 24-block area into a health-focused community, as noted by JGMA principal Daniel Spore, who described the neighborhood as a healthcare desert.