Spanning one full city block, Elm 551 at Parkside is a 112,400 sq ft multi-building affordable housing development nestled in the Chicago neighborhood of Old Town. The project’s goal is to attract residents across a wide social and economic range using a variety of solutions such as less-crowded housing, greater income diversity and communal amenities. The overall campus offers a variety of housing options, allowing tenants to choose the type and size of unit necessary for their needs.

Wells partnered to advance the 7-story, 69-unit complex with prefabricated building solutions for the northwest corner of the site. The building scale is broken up through panels treated with formliner and bright colors to give complexity and texture to the building, with the ultimate design harnessing repetition to provide a cost-conscious final solution for the client. The exterior facade was stained with vivid colors scattered throughout the recessed balconies, displaying a positive and bright aesthetic.