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Demonstrating the viability of sustainable concepts and practices in urban environments through research, education, and hands-on projects.

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UHC News

What once was mud and salt...

…will soon be a garden of joy.
Read the article by Medill reporter Tawny Flechtner.

University of Kansas students make donation...

… which will go straight to Haiti.
Rather than ask for our standard honorarium for speaking, UHC encouraged students and faculty from the School of Architecture to make a donation that would benefit charitable organizations working in Haiti.
Thanks, folks!

Volunteer day results in temporary island of plants

If you go by the Joy Garden, you’ll see some gorgeous plants hibernating for winter.
Through the efforts of the Urban Wildlife Coalition, CASE - Northside College Prep’s student group, and UHC, thousands of dollars of top-quality plants were donated for use in the Joy Garden from vendors at the MidAm Conference. This Saturday, volunteers help us unload, catalogue, and prepare them for winter by covering their rootballs.
We’ll be reviewing our design to see where they should go and when things warm up, we’ll need YOUR help to move and plant them.
Stay tuned!

Help for Haiti

UHC is trying to figure out how to best use our skills and resources to help the crisis in another urban habitat - Haiti - in a sustainable and meaningful way.
Please stay tuned.

In the meantime, do your part:

5 non-profits you can send a text message to in order to send money for aid to Haiti. The stated amount will be added to your phone bill:

Red Cross $10 - Text “HAITI” to 90999
Yele Haiti Foundation $5 - Text “YELE” to 501501
International Rescue Committee $5 - Text “HAITI” to 25383
International Medical Corps $10 - Text “HAITI” to 85944
Clinton Foundation for Haiti Relief $10 - Text “HAITI” to 20222

And don’t forget your own personal, renewable resource… give blood.

Special Members' Event! Screening of "Fresh" film Feb. 9

Please join us Feb. 9 for this special limited screening of Fresh the movie.
This will replace our usual Monthly lecture.

Not a member yet? No problem! Become one online here.

Featured Projects

UHC Lecture Series

UHC Lecture Series

Giving you the tools to address today's environmental concerns.

2006-present

Red Line Green Roofs Initiative

Red Line Green Roofs Initiative

The Future as seen from the Red Line

2009

Podcasts

Podcasts

Audio of past lectures.

2009

Sunlight of the Spirit Garden

Sunlight of the Spirit Garden

A garden designed for growing food for a cafe run by a community recovery center.

Joy Garden at Northside Prep High School

Joy Garden at Northside Prep High School

Reconnecting students to their surrounding environment through restorative landscape technologies.

2009

2613 Garden

2613 Garden

Urban agriculture on a scale we can all relate to - the typical backyard.

2008

True Nature Foods Rooftop Victory Garden

True Nature Foods Rooftop Victory Garden

Better than a green roof... a food-producing roof for this Edgewater business.

2005-present

Deconstruction advocacy

Deconstruction advocacy

Deconstruction is the right thing to do at the end of a building's life.

2006-present

Recent Blog Posts

Joy Garden volunteer day results in temporary island of plants

If you go by the” Joy Garden”:/projects/joy-garden-at-northside-prep/, you’ll see some gorgeous plants hibernating for winter. Through the efforts of the Urban Wildlife Coalition, CASE - Northside College Prep’s student group, and UHC, thousands of dollars of top-quality plants were donated... Continued…

The Wonderful World of Malcolm Wells

by Dave Hampton Summary What others have to say about Malcolm Wells Prototype green building ratings systems Learn more about Malcolm Wells In memory of Mac Summary On January 5, 2010, Urban Habitat Chicago presented a tribute to Malcolm Wells... Continued…

Pedal-To-Table: Bridging the gap between Local Food/ Local Transportation

by Tzippora Rhodes and Nicole Grijnsztein Delivered with a smile. The various reasons people hold for choosing to eat local often tie into a general drive to live healthy and socially responsible lives. It’s these same motives that inspire me... Continued…

Living Structures

by Breena Ferguson Chomp! Nature will have its revenge… slowly. Photo by Dave Hampton. The UHC Lecture Series 2009 9) Living Structures lecture on September 3, 2009 took us on a tour around the world and through time showing how... Continued…

Converge:Exchange

The Converge:Exchange conference. Photo: Ian Harris/Archiculture On March 18-19, an optimistic group of community activists and designers converged to exchange big ideas and practical solutions for the betterment of Chicagoans and their built environment. Amidst this dialog a bystander... Continued…

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