Refortify – Little Architects in the Making

For the last couple of years, Partners by Design has participated in Refortify, an event created to widen the breadth of possibilities for children’s futures and to benefit their local community. For the event, kids between the ages of 9 and 11 who participate in an after-school program are connected to the architectural and design profession through a five-week series of workshops, culminating in the design of their own fort. At the end, the kids are paired with professional design teams to execute and build their concepts using clothing, bedding, and building materials. The collected clothing and materials are then donated to benefit the mission of Breakthrough, an organization that partners with those affected by poverty on Chicago’s West Side. This year, the team partnered with two young boys, Dave and Tyshon, to build their Celtics basketball themed fort. With help from our sponsor, Thomas Interiors, the team spent hours planning and implementing a design that would accurately depict Dave and Tyshon’s personality while utilizing all recyclable materials. Gold wallcovering, custom graffiti art, a creative basketball net made of ties and cozy bean bag chairs made of comforters and pillows set the scenery for the fort, creating the perfect hangout space for the kids.

We would like to thank Thomas Interiors for sponsoring us and providing all the support necessary to create this amazing fort. In addition, we would like to thank Radically Engaged for organizing this event.

Check out photos of the event: