Take a tour of the Kiln House at the Logan Center

In 2014, the Department of Visual Arts (DoVA) expanded its curriculum to include kiln-fired and three-dimensional artwork, and was in need of a space to fire it. So, over the course of four different academic quarters, they made the Kiln House a reality.

Economical, responsive, communal: These were guiding principles for DoVA faculty and students when they set out to conceptualize, design, and construct a fully-functioning kilnhouse at the Logan Center for the Arts. In collaboration with local firm Woodhouse Tinucci Architects, DoVA faculty and students designed and built an operational kilnhouse on the west side of the Logan Center.Through a series of collaborative courses entitled How to Build a Kiln, students studied programmatic mapping; code compliance; aesthetics and materiality; mechanical and electrical systems; and building construction.

This multi-disciplinary, experimental pedagogical approach generated a unique environment for learning, while subtly collapsing the usual strata between administrators, students, and the professional world. Students that participated throughout construction were a different group than those involved in the design process a few quarters earlier.  

Dynamic, bright, and multi-functional, the Kiln House -- located adjacent to the sculpture studios at the Logan Center -- provides students with an inviting and efficient place to make three-dimensional work. The building is constructed from a shipping container, with a matte black exterior and eco-friendly cork flooring. Large, north-facing windows let in a significant amount of light, even in the dead of winter. Three kilns are the central attraction of the building, and a sturdy work table ensures a comfortable space in between firings.

Tours can be arranged by contacting UChicago Arts at arts@uchicago.edu.