Circular Flow at 6018 N Kenmore Ave.

Opens Sunday, September 28 at 1PM with a reception

6018North is realizing a new sustainability project with the help of grant funding from the City of Chicago via the Climate Infrastructure Fund during Summer 2025 for our Chicago Architecture Biennale partner project. 

What can a house do to be circular in its flow of water and people?

Circular Saver with artist Melissa Potter and community members, is designed to address flooding through native gardens on the ground and roofs in front, on top, and behind 6018North. The project transforms the building and grounds into a working model for sustainable water and land management.

Circular Mover is our Summer Youth Employment project with artist Erik Peterson, Loyola and Ismaili Center students who are designing and building wheelchair access to 6018North that functions as an ADA ramp as well as a performative balcony/stage.

Circular Flow includes:

Green Roofs: We are designing a colorful display of native plants on the front porch and back garage that absorb rain and create a bio habitat.

Phytoremediation Gardens: Much of Chicago’s soil is toxic. Artist Melissa Potter has planted 4 beautiful gardens of deep-rooted native plants that clean the soil, store stormwater, and support biodiversity.

Bioswale: At the lowest point in the yard, a bioswale of flowers catches overflow, stops sidewalk flooding, and doubles as a mini city habitat.

Rainwater Harvesting system: This sleek system of slender tanks captures runoff from downspouts and redistributes it to gardens and trees.

Permeable Pavement: Cracked concrete driveway is swapped for a permeable ribbon following Chicago’s Green Alley guidelines.

Wheelchair accessible entrance to 6018North: Created from sustainable cedar, it is designed to minimize space, function as a stage, and be a model for other orgs.

At 6018North, we’re turning an ordinary Chicago lot into a rain-soaking, soil-healing, bee-feeding powerhouse! If we can reduce pressure on combined sewers, prevent pollution, and create pollinator habitat, we demonstrate how even small-scale, community-led projects can mitigate climate impacts and support ecological health!! It’s a quiet revolution. One native flower bed at a time. 🌧️💧🐝

🌱 One House, Many Solutions

 At 6018North, we’re turning an ordinary Chicago lot into an accessible, soil-healing, bee-feeding powerhouse! We are demonstrating how even small-scale, artist and community-led projects can mitigate climate impacts, support accessibility, and ecological health!! It’s a quiet revolution. 🌧️💧🐝

Circular Saver and Mover is our challenge: How can art address societal needs, concerns, and model a potential solution? What if your yard cleaned soil, fed bees, and made stormwater part of the solution? What if your balcony connected to a wheelchair ramp?

🌸 Transform Landscapes and Mindsets

We are always looking for art to transformatively meet needs. Circular Flow is a blueprint for a field of possibility—one lot at a time. Environmental infrastructure isn’t separate from culture. It is culture.