The Land School, a groundbreaking new arts institution led by the Rebuild Foundation under renowned artist Theaster Gates, is set to open its doors on September 14 in Chicago's South Side. This opening comes just weeks before the sixth Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB), curated by Florencia Rodriguez, adding significant momentum to the city's cultural landscape.

The Land School is housed in the former St. Laurence Elementary School, located at the intersection of 72nd Street and Dorchester Avenue. The elementary school was closed in 2002 and faced the threat of demolition for years, while its accompanying church was actually demolished in 2014. Gates intervened to save the building, purchasing the 40,000-square-foot structure for $500,000 and rescuing it from the wrecking ball.

Following the purchase, Gates initiated an ambitious seven-year, $12 million restoration project to transform the former elementary school into a vibrant artist hub. This project aligns with Gates' established pattern of revitalizing Chicago buildings, drawing on his background as a polymath with a city planning degree from Iowa State University and extensive experience in urban rehabilitation projects.

The restoration carefully preserved numerous original architectural elements, including the school's historic masonry structure, signature plasterwork, and decorative brickwork. "The Land School marks a radical milestone in our work, one where—as a small, experimental arts organization invested in space redemption—we now own our tools and our facility," Gates said in a statement.

Gates emphasized the long-term vision for the space, adding, "As we consecrate the building and celebrate our archives in this first phase of opening, we are excited for the space to continue to reveal itself to us over the years. It is precisely this iterative, durational approach to our work that allows us to cultivate the full promise of Black space and creative intelligence."

The Land School represents a significant evolution for the Rebuild Foundation, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. Gates explained that the institution will serve as a center for sharing insights gained from Rebuild's multi-decade artistic approach to place-based practice, focusing on confronting histories of dispossession through creative investments in land and archives as methods of community self-determination.

The programming will be rolled out in phases following the September ribbon cutting ceremony. This fall, the Chicago-based Black chamber music collective D-Composed will serve as the Land School's inaugural creative partners-in-residence. They will be joined by the new music recording label International Anthem and DJ and music historian Duane Powell, creating a diverse foundation for the institution's artistic programming.

The Land School will host residencies and various other programming initiatives, establishing itself as a hub for artistic education and community engagement. This comprehensive approach reflects Gates' broader philosophy of using art and architecture as tools for social transformation and community empowerment in underserved neighborhoods.