Chicago
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about chicago
SCB Headquarters
SCB relocated its Chicago headquarters in August 2024 to the AMA Plaza Building, an architectural landmark designed by Mies van der Rohe. The firm served as the interior designer for the 34,00-square-foot, 25th-floor offices. Staff visioning sessions helped establish the project's key design principles of legacy/context, community/culture, and wellness/flexibility. Timeless finishes, like plaster walls and terrazzo flooring paired with time-honored furniture by Platner, Saarinen, and Eames create a mutual dialogue with the era of the building. Full-height windows maximize panoramic views, while a sculptural white-on-white 3D model wall creates an interplay of light and shadow, expressing SCB's impact on the Chicago's skyline.
Kendall McC... More
Project • By Valerio Dewalt Train • Apartments
Warren Apartments
Warren Apartments, an affordable housing development, is two distinct buildings each designed to serve different resident populations and respond to unique adjacent context conditions. Located in Chicago’s burgeoning West Loop neighborhood, the Warren Apartments contribute to the area’s rejuvenation by transforming a once trash-strewn vacant city services lot. Hugging the western edge of a block, at the nexus of three heavily trafficked arterial streets, a fourth side faces the quieter Warren Boulevard and overlooks an active city park.
VDTA
VDTA
VDTA
Both buildings were constructed on a tight budget and schedule. The seven story ‘North’ building’s entry and ground floor common spac... More
Project • By Valerio Dewalt Train • Apartments
Solverre
Rising along Chicago's famed Lake Shore Drive and located in the heart of the Uptown neighborhood, Solverre transforms a former hospital parking lot into a lakeside community. Developed by Willow Bridge Property Company in response to an ongoing housing shortage in the neighborhood, the 12-story tower provides 303 apartments, including studios, one-beds and two-beds. An eclectic amenity suite includes a generous 2-story lobby, two club rooms, a fitness center, a yoga studio and a sun-filled pool deck infused with native plantings. The suite tailors the living experience to the needs of the urban dweller who believes in good design.
Steve Hall
As VDT’s first project to start during the COVID-19 pandemic, our tea... More
Pioneer Bank Development
Located at 4000 W North Avenue in Humboldt Park. The site sits on the corner of W North Avenue and N Pulaski Road and is made up of the landmarked Pioneer Trust and Savings Bank along with its .75-acre parking lot tothe north.
JGMA
Team Pioneros, is the result of a design concept envisioned by JGMA and led by Park Row Development in collaboration with multiple firms making up the 100 percent Latino-owned team. JGMA envisions the new building as a continuation of the existing bank building highlighting the future of the neighborhood meant to be experienced from all sides with a multi-colored facade.
JGMA
Restoring the bank building into a center for Latino commerce would be the first goal of the project, to do this JGMA proposes... More
Project • By JGMA • Secondary Schools
Neal Math & Science Academy
The Neal Math + Science Academy is a game changer in education for the youth, symbolizing pride and strength. The School District of North Chicago received a transformative $40 million grant from AbbVie. North Chicago, a unique black and brown suburban city in Chicagoland, has faced disinvestment for too long. The five-story building features a sports field, outdoor learning spaces, and centralized nodes promoting togetherness for middle school students and staff. Its verticality offers neighborhood views and ample natural light. The colorful exterior and double gradient façade celebrate diversity and promote inclusivity by setting a new standard for educational spaces while encouraging an active learning atmosphere.
Angie McMonig... More
Project • By Robert A.M. Stern Architects • Apartments
One Bennet Park
A slender precast-concrete clad tower with an asymmetrical crown steps up toward the city as it favors views to Lake Michigan, combining 280 rental and 70 condominium apartments, with the two components entered from the street via separate lobbies.
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Metal detailing, punched windows, and glassy stacked bays enliven the composition, as do vertical setbacks. A lantern at the top, housing mechanical equipment, makes for a memorable skyline silhouette. In tandem with this tower came the opportunity for Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates to reimagine an adjacent underutilized park.
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Esmé Restaurant
French for “beloved”, Esmé was envisioned as a community-focused restaurant combining culinary skill and artistry to draw inspiration for the seasonally changing tasting menu. The co-owners, who are also the chef and creative director, sought to create a place where art, culture and culinary excellence merged.
As a result, the space was conceived as a canvas in which the food and art could take center stage while also hosting multiple private and community events.
Tom Harris
In order to reinvent the prior fast food location to fine dining, the HED design team flipped the main and back entrances of the space to eliminate ramps and allow for the dining room to be seen from the main street front. The windows on the fr... More
News • News • 14 Apr 2023
25 best architecture firms in Chicago
Chicago is renowned for its stunning skyline, innovative designs, and its contribution towards modern architecture. The rich built landscape of the city encompasses the evolution of several styles and movements, from the grand Beaux-Arts buildings of the late 19th century to the sleek, contemporary designs of today.A turning point in the city’s history, the Great Fire of 1871 which destroyed much of the city, pushed towards using fire-resistant materials and techniques. This marked the emergence of the Chicago School of Architecture which pioneered steel frames and new construction techniques that allowed tall, functional buildings to accommodate the expanding population and businesses. This time period witnessed the rise of skyscrape... More
Project • By Parc architectes • Housing
Michigan Garden
Project: 89 residential and commercial buildings - European branch of the University of ChicagoArchitectural team: Parc architectes (housing) + Studio Gang (Uni. Of Chicago)Client: ICADE PromotionEngineering firms: Elioth (structure - environment) Artelia (fluids - HVAC - economics) AVLS (acoustics) OLM (landscaping)Construction companies: SPIE Batignolles OUTAREX
© Studio Gang
Linked togetherLong associated with an industrial district, this part of the 13th district of Paris is undergoing a major transformation. The ground is an artificial slab created to cover a railway station. Today it is a project of stone, terracotta and wood that will rise. It will participate in the reintroduction of the earth and biodiversity in the... More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital
Top-ranked Lurie Children’s Hospital provides superior pediatric care with a legacy of excellence. Inspired by the tactile optimism of children’s toys, a series of installations reminds employees of the patients, families and communities they serve each day. More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Objective Paradigm
Objective Paradigm (OP) connects technology industry talent with Fortune 100 companies and startups. Their new Chicago space supports the fast pace of the technology industry and the hustle required to be a successful recruiter, while infusing warmth and life. More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Evolent Health
Evolent Health added two floors to their Chicago headquarters and needed to carry the brand of their single existing floor to the new space. Working with leadership, bold, sophisticated branding elements were developed to express their culture and values. More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Feeding America
Feeding America offers help to those in need through a nationwide network of food banks. Their mission is simple: to feed America’s hungry and engage the country in the fight to end hunger. Branded elements in their updated office bring Feeding America’s stories to life, showcasing their brand patterns, extensive color palette, and beautiful photography. More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Komatsu
Komatsu is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of earth-moving equipment. Branded elements spanning four floors draw inspiration from Komatsu's global reach, employee culture, physical impact on earth, and appreciation for their clients, while seamlessly integrating into the architecture. More
Project • By Spark Chicago • Offices
Equity Residential
Equity Residential acquires, develops and manages apartment complexes in the United States. Guided by their mantra, creating communities where people thrive, the branding displays throughout Equity Residential’s space celebrate the places in which employees live, work, play and serve. They illuminate their core values of sustainability, social responsibility, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion. More