Open Works LLC

Design. Build. Restore

Our Services

Architectural Design

We can work with you and your team to reimagine your spaces to better fit your needs and goals. Remodels, additions, decks, porches, and as-builts

*We are Licensed Residential Contractors not Licensed Architects and therefore can not produce permit drawings that require a Architects Stamp. We do partner with local architects if the project requires.

Design/Build LearnShops

Translating ideas into reality, together, is the foundation of our practice. We have worked with middle schools, high schools, colleges, block clubs, community organizations, and residents enabling them to recreate their built environment.

Land Use Strategy

We can consult on land use strategies, acquisition, and phasing for community organizations. We will not only draft the vision but help you implement and build it with you!

Design Thinking LearnShops

We host conversation with youth programs around design thinking and the options of a career in design and construction.

The Carriage House Workshop at Freedom Dreams EcoVillage

About Our Practice

We are a Licensed and Insured Design//Build//Restore practice supporting the activation of structures and spaces within Community Hubs, Urban Farms and Gardens , Block Clubs, Community Land Trusts, Neighborhood Corridors, Public Schools,

We established the Freedom Dreams Carriage House Workshop in 2021 rooting ourselves in our neighborhood participating in the practice of Regenerative Neighborhood Development (RND), a method established by Sweet Water Foundation in Chicago, IL. From the Carriage House Workshop we implement a core component of RND, design//build education.

Since our founding the Carriage House Workshop has become an anchor in the neighborhood. Each project allows us to practice Community-S.C.A.L.E Production, a methodology that integrates local needs, materials, skills, and capacity. This approach has positioned our Design//Build pedagogy as a community-driven model for neighborhood development. We consider our practice to be one of many responses our community has put forth to help imagine, shape, design and build our collective futures while growing and nurturing human capabilities.