Rise Training Academy

A renovation of a former auto-body shop into a space for learning, training and building community through capoeira and samba dance, in Chicago’s South side.

Rise Training Academy, a Black-owned, AAPI-owned, and woman-owned small business situated in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood, is embarking on the transformation of a historically significant one-story masonry building into a dynamic community hub. Founded by Victor Murrell and Lotta Yanong, Rise Training aims to be a leading source of cultural education on the South Side, promoting health and wellness through martial arts, dance, and fitness programs catering to all age groups. The design emphasizes accessibility, safety, and flexibility, integrating art into the public realm while accommodating various community needs. Reflecting the commitment to celebrating local culture, Rise Training's programs, such as Capoeira and Samba dance, resonate with the predominantly African-American community in Auburn Gresham. Sustainability is upheld through the repurposing of the existing building, energy-efficient systems, and a flexible infrastructure approach.

The architectural design, characterized by a new front façade storefront, expansive wall openings, skylights, and a mural by a neighborhood artist, transforms the once opaque structure into an inviting space that mirrors the neighborhood's character. Rise Training's community-oriented approach extends to active street frontages, clear windows for vitality, and signage contributing to the local identity. With its emphasis on fostering a strong sense of place and meeting diverse community needs, Rise Training Academy is not only revitalizing a physical space but also enriching the cultural and social fabric of Auburn Gresham.

Info
Location: Auburn Gresham, Chicago
Client: Rise Training Academy
Progress/Year: Completed, 2025
Team
Builder: Knead Construction
Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Engineer: Mintropy

#research: In 2014 the Capoeira Circle was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the convention recognized that the “capoeira circle is a place where knowledge and skills are learned by observation and imitation” and that it “promotes social integration and the memory of resistance to historical oppression”. Capoeira Circle at archaeological site of Cais do Valongo in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Photo by Maria Buzanovsky, 2013.

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Rise Training Academy

A renovation of a former auto-body shop into a space for learning, training and building community through capoeira and samba dance, in Chicago’s South side.