The studio
Our office is devoted to a critical pursuit and practice of architecture. We believe in the search for spaces which define a full, rich, and dignified way of life.
Kept purposefully small, our office endeavors to focus attention on every detail throughout a project, no matter how small. Exercising this discipline is essential to the creation of Architecture.
Relying on the participatory atmosphere of a studio, our process involves clients, engineers, consultants, and contractors in the development of structures which respond to desire, function and budget. After devoting our efforts to finding the "emotional center" of a project early on, we collaborate to develop solutions that reinforce it. Simple, direct solutions are held in high esteem.
Our work ranges in scale and type; from the design of a door lever to a theater arts center for a college; from an elementary school to an indoor ice rink; from a children's museum to a painter's studio. Our work includes residences of various scales, programs, budgets for all walks of life. We remain committed to the optimistic pursuit of architecture in the design of buildings, interiors, landscapes, furniture, and urban design to ensure the realization of unified projects, regardless of their magnitude.
Recognition
- —1996 AIA Chicago Firm of the Year
- —2016 AIA Chicago Firm of the Year
- —Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design
- —Rudy Bruner Gold Medal Award for Urban Excellence
- —SEED Award for Excellence in Public Interest Design
- —2026 AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards, Architecture S, Finalist — Summit Community Center
- —2026 AIA Chicago Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards Single Family New Construction, Finalist — Lakewood Balmoral Residence
- —2026 World Business Chicago’s Horizon Lines design competition, Finalist — AgriFlats
- —2026 National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association (NTMA) Honor Award — Lookingglass Theatre Lobby
- —2026 Architizer A+ Awards Special Mention – Private House (M 2000 – 4000 sq ft) — Courtyard Retreat
- —2026 USITT Architecture Award Merit Award — The Momentary
- —2025 AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards Architecture XS – Honor Award — Sawyer Retreat
- —2025 AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards Interior Architecture M – Honor Award — Lookingglass Theatre Lobby
- —2025 North American Copper in Architecture Award (NACIA) Residential — Snowmass Retreat
- —2025 Architizer A+ Awards Special Mention – Private House (M 2000 – 4000 sq ft) — Sawyer Retreat
- —2025 CBC Merit Awards Finalist – Renovation & Adaptive Reuse Over $20M — Art In Motion
- —2025 CBC Merit Awards Finalist – Community Impact Award — Go Green Community Fresh Market
- —2024 Fay Jones School Alumni Design Awards Citation Award — Galien River Retreat
- —2024 Builder’s Choice & Custom Home Design Awards Grand Award — Meadow Lane Retreat
- —2024 Builder’s Choice & Custom Home Design Awards Merit Award — Sawyer Retreat
- —2026 AIA Chicago Design Excellence Award Finalist — Summit Community Center
- —2026 National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association Honor Award — Lookingglass Theatre Lobby
- —2026 Horizon Lines Design Competition Finalist — AgriFlats
- —2026 Architizer A+ Awards Special Mention — Courtyard Retreat
- —2026 USITT Architecture Merit Award — The Momentary
- —1987 Camp Madron competition
- —2008 Chicagoans of the Year