News for 2011

11.20.2012
Michael Pancost Gets Honorable Mention

Architect Michael Pancost recieved an Honorable Mention for the 2012 Chicago Prize: Future Prentice Competition. The design competition centered around the future of one of Chicago’s most architecturally significant Modern buildings, Bertrand Goldberg’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. 

A link to the competition can be found here: http://chicagoarchitecturalclub.org/Home

10.15.2012
Rusty Walker to Present at East-West University

Rusty Walker, LEED AP, Associate Principal and designer at Holabird & Root will present “The Vertical Quadrangle: The Intersection of Architecture and Education” on Tues. Oct. 16, 2012 at East-West University. The free event is open to the public and begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the lecture at 7:00 p.m. 

Click here for more information: http://www.eastwest.edu/new/index.php/events-3/news-a-events/225-perspectives-on-architecture-and-education

10.4.2012
Plano Awarded ALA Design Award

Waubonsee Community College Plano Classroom Building was bestowed a Merit Award, in the Institutional category, of the Association of Licensed Architects’ (ALA) 2012 Design Awards. According to the ALA, the awards are meant “to give professional recognition to excellence in Design by selecting award recipients whose work exhibits the creative and aesthetic characteristics deemed relevant by their peers and associates…”

The Plano Classroom Building is designed to operate as a stand-alone complete campus – extending the mission and experience of the main Sugar Grove, Illinois campus to outlying communities. The building contains classrooms, laboratories, student study areas, and support space. Full-service admissions, testing, and assessment spaces are also provided.

The awards ceremony will be held at Medinah Country Club on Friday, November 9th.

09.4.2012
WIU Celebrates Phase II Groundbreaking

Last week the groundbreaking for Phase II of Western Illinois University’s Riverfront Campus commenced at the campus' River Drive location in Moline. Governor Pat Quinn was joined by Western Illinois University President Jack Thomas, Moline Mayor Don Welvaert, and several state and community leaders to celebrate the University’s accomplishments in providing outstanding public higher education for Quad Cities-area students.  

At completion of Phase II the Riverfront Campus will support 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It will house general and specialized instructional facilities, faculty and staff office space, centralized student services, and a childcare component. 

You can find more information on Western Illinois University and Phase II here http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=10044.

08.27.2012
Monroe Building Bestowed Driehaus Award

The Monroe Building was awarded Landmarks Illinois' Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Project of the Year in the Restoration category. According to the Landmarks Illinois' website, "Landmarks Illinois has been assisted by a generous grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation to honor individuals and organizations whose works demonstrate a commitment to historic preservation. By honoring these individuals, organizations, projects and programs, Landmarks Illinois and the Driehaus Foundation hope to inspire others to take action to preserve, protect and promote historic resources." We are honored to be a part of the team!

For more information on Landmarks Illinois, the Richard H. Driehaus Foundaion Preservation Awards, and the upcoming awards ceremony, please visit  http://www.landmarks.org/awards.htm.

08.8.2012
Holabird & Root Awarded City Development Project

Holabird & Root, as part of the Three Corners Development team, was selected to design a mixed-use development on 15.5 acres of vacant, riverfront property in the city of Moline, Illinois. The three-phased, $80 million development will provide student and market-rate housing, restaurants, commercial and retail space, and more. An article on the Moline aldermans' decision can be found here: http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=603484

07.30.2012
Waubonsee Plano Building in DCD Magazine

The Waubonsee Community College Plano Classroom Building was featured in DCD Magazine's July/August addition. The article can be found here:

http://www.dcd.com/current_pub.html

 

07.1.2012
Monroe Building Featured in Crain’s

The Monroe Buliding was featured in Crain's magazine as final renovations are coming to an end. The building, designed by Holabird & Roche in 1912, had aged and faced being converted into a condominium and parking facility. When the current owners purchased the building, they saw the potential of this architectural gem and committed to a complete renovation and restoration of the building on a scale rarely attempted. You can read the article here: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120630/ISSUE03/306309992/renovation-of-monroe-building-finally-wrapping-up

05.10.2012
Holabird & Root Attends Mission to China

Represented by Branyo Dvorak AIA, Holabird & Root was selected to join the delegation for the Green Hospital and Senior Housing Trade Mission to China. The delegation was organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce and led by US Ambassador Gary Locke. The mission included design forum sessions in Xi’an and Beijing along with discussions with local government officials and the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Health, followed by networking events and dinners. Project Manager Joyce Chou and Project Architect Chyanne Husar also accompanied the mission in their travels.

04.26.2012
Renovation Project Wins Downtown Award

The Monroe Building, built in 1912 by Holabird & Root, recently won the 2011 "Best Historic Renovation" Award from the Friends of Downtown, Chicago, Illinois. You can find out more information about the historic renovation and restoration on the Monroe Building project page.

02.15.2012
Lassin Speaks at CAF

Project Architect Tom Lassin recently spoke at the Chicago Architecture Foundation. The topic, "Monroe Building Past/Present/Future" is something he's very passionate about. Tom, working with a team of architects, engineers, and preservation experts, has spent several years researching, renovating, and carefully restoring the Monroe Building, located along Chicago's prominent Michigan Avenue. His presentation focused on the history of the building, its construction, and the work that has been done to return the landmark building to its original grandeur.

11.27.2011
Brush Speaks to SIUC Architects

Preservation specialist, Mary Brush, recently spoke at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), Carbondale, Illinois, to the SIUC School of Architecture and the American Institute of Architects Illinois on the topic, "Carbondale, Holabird, & AIA". Brush spoke on her family's influence, architecturally and otherwise, in Carbondale and the surrounding area.

"Over time [my grandfather] sold off the land for houses, became partners with the bank, opened a general store, became a lawyer, ran the town," Brush said. "(He) did everything from start to finish, including founding the teachers's college, which became SIU's..."

An article written by The Daily Egyptian, the college's newspaper, can be found here.

10.20.2011
James Baird Speaks at SCUP

Design Principal James Baird, FAIA, LEED AP recently presented at the Society of College and University Planning's (SCUP) North Central Regional Conference in Ames, Iowa. His session, "Inclusive Spaces: Designing Science Facilities that Support a Diverse Student Population," analyzed the award-winning Grinnell Science Project, developed to address barriers to success in science for students of color, women, and first-generation college students. Also presenting was Grinnell College's Dr. James Swartz, who discussed the program that the College developed to respond to these barriers. James then explained how these changes were translated into the design of Grinnell's science complex, which has become a national model for science facilities.

10.3.2011
Kenmore Apartments Receives ASID Award

Holabird & Root received a 2011 American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Design Excellence Award in Residential Green Design with the Chicago Housing Authority's Kenmore Senior Housing Apartments project.

Located in the City's Uptown community, the once vacant and graffiti-covered Kenmore Senior Apartments was modernized by Holabird & Root. The 90,000-s.f., 8-story building underwent a complete gut rehab to improve circulation paths and accessibility and create 100 new single bedroom apartments. It features such green elements as energy efficient mechanical and lighting systems, landscaping that helps manage storm water in an inviting, scenic courtyard, large windows to increase natural lighting and air circulation and a green roof.

10.1.2011
Kenmore Apartments Certified LEED Platinum

The Chicago Housing Authority's (CHA) Kenmore Senior Housing Apartments received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification rating, the highest possible rating in LEED certification. Kenmore's Platinum status is a first in Chicago's public housing history.

Located in the City's Uptown community, the once vacant and graffiti-covered Kenmore Senior Apartments was modernized by Holabird & Root. The 90,000-s.f., 8-story building underwent a complete gut rehab to improve circulation paths and accessibility and create 100 new single bedroom apartments. It features such green elements as energy efficient mechanical and lighting systems, landscaping that helps manage storm water in an inviting, scenic courtyard, large windows to increase natural lighting and air circulation and a green roof.

09.10.2011
James Baird Speaks at Tradelines

Design Principal James Baird, FAIA, LEED AP recently presented at the Tradelines 23rd Annual College & University Science Facilities Conference. In the presentation, "Fostering Interdisciplinary Science in Undergraduate Education," James, along with Beloit College's Kohnstamm Professor of Chemistry and Project Director, Dr. Brock Spencer, discussed how the formal disciplines of science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) should no longer be viewed as separate trees of knowledge that grow independently of one another. The real breakthroughs in science are taking place at the intersections of these disciplines. These intersections not only occur in the branches, but also at the very roots of inquiry and students engaged in scientific investigation should be exposed to these roots at an early stage in their education. Beloit College's new Center for the Sciences illustrates how such a facility can be planned and designed to support this kind of interdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning at the undergraduate level.

08.22.2011
James Baird Presents at SCUP

Design Principal James Baird, FAIA, LEED AP recently presented at the Society of College and University Planning's (SCUP) Poster Forum in National Harbor, Maryland. The new forum provided additional opportunities for learning at the SCUP Conference. On his poster, James compared the renovation and addition of Grinnell College's Noyce Science Center to the new Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at St. Olaf College. This information is especially helpful to college and university planners that face the tough decision of deciding whether to renovate an existing facility or build a new building when their current space no longer meets their needs.

06.28.2011
Dremmer Elected to Housing Board

Director of Interior Design Michele Dremmer, LEED AP was recently elected to the National Public Housing Museum Board of Directors. The National Public Housing Museum is dedicated to illustrating the history of public housing in America as well as the poor and working class families of every race and culture who resided within their walls.

For more information on the National Public Housing Museum, please visit their website.

06.5.2011
Holabird & Root Projects Featured on 190 North

Several Holabird & Root projects were recently featured in a segment of 190 North's June 5th episode. The Chicago Cultural Center and the Marquette Building were depicted for their landmark Luis Comfort Tiffany artistic, glass domes and mosaics. Holabird & Root was responsible for the recent restoration of the Chicago Cultural Center's Tiffany Dome. It is the largest dome by Tiffany in the world covering more than 1,000 square feet. The Marquette Building is one of Holabird & Root's earliest buildings, and is known as one of the first, modern skyscrapers of the world. The lobby displays the legacy of Pere Marquette through a vibrant series of pictures that are highly unique for a glass mosaic.

05.26.2011
Brush honored in i4design’s Suite Sixteen

Mary Brush was included in i4design Magazine's 5th Annual Suite Sixteen. The "Suite 16" honors the Midwest's most innovative design experts in the architecture and interior design community.

Named as the "Preservationist" in the Class of 2011, Mary Brush was recognized for her ability to restore and preserve historic architecture. "Preservation is the management of change," said Mary Brush. "We don't want to just look backward and turn a building into a museum piece."

03.28.2011
Plano Classroom Featured on Archdaily.com

The Waubonsee Community College Plano Classroom was recently featured on the blog, Archdaily.com. The article can be found here:

Click here to read the article.

The building is designed as a stand-alone satellite campus, augmenting Waubonsee Community College's main campus located in Sugar Grove, Illinois. The facility consists of approximately 33,000 g.s.f. of space spread over two stories.

The building contains classrooms, laboratories, student study areas, and support space. Full-service admissions, testing, and assessment spaces are also provided. The building is strategically placed to take advantage of access and views to Lake Plano while maximizing the remainder of the site for student parking.

03.28.2011
Government Childcare Center Awarded LEED

The General Services Administration's (GSA) new Childcare Center at an existing Department of State training campus was recently awarded Silver Level certification, as quantified by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The project, which also included a new Training Center addition, was awarded to Holabird & Root, for architectural services, and Wiley & Wilson, for engineering and general contractor services, through the GSA's Design Excellence Program.

The childcare center project enlarged an existing "temporary" two-classroom facility to twice the square footage, allowing the program to support the growing number of parents at the facility. The LEED Silver building takes advantage of the surrounding natural environment and provides a strong connection between the interior and exterior spaces. It provides light-filled classrooms with access to the outdoors while respecting the requirements of Diplomatic Security and controlled access. A variety of play spaces are provided to support year-round gross motor opportunities. Within the building a central multipurpose room can be used for group gatherings and play in inclement water. Covered porches on both sides of the building provide shaded space during sunny days and protection from the rain.

Following the GSA's Childcare Center Design Guide and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards, Holabird & Root designed a model center that is intended to exhibit the GSA's commitment to best practices in childcare for all its facilities.

03.27.2011
Center for the Sciences Awarded

Klobucar Construction and J.H. Findorff and Sons were recently awarded the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin's Environmental Excellence Award for their work at Beloit College's Center for the Sciences. Both served as contractors for the LEED-Platinum Certified building. A press release on Beloit's website can be found here:

Click here to read the article.

This is not the first time the Holabird & Root-designed Center for Sciences has received accolades. In 2009, the building and Holabird & Root received the Design Excellence Honor Award in Interior Architecture from the American Institute of Architects (Chicago chapter). Last spring, Wisconsin Builder magazine also named the Center for the Sciences one of the state of Wisconsin's top 2009 projects.

02.21.2011
Principal Presents at Tradeline Conference

Holabird & Root Principal James Baird was invited to develop a presentation for Tradeline, a leader in providing information to corporate, institutional, and government professionals for the planning, design, construction, and management of facility assets. Baird, along with Dr. James Swartz, Dack Professor of Chemistry at Grinnell College, and Dr. David Van Wylen, Professor of Biology at St. Olaf College, created a webinar entitled "Renovate or build new: decision-making rationales behind two strategies to grow science programs." The webcast creates comparisons between Grinnell College's phased renovation and addition of their Noyce Science Center and St. Olaf College's new Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and the impact each institutions choice has had on funding, costs, recruitment, and retention.

Click here to watch the webinar.

01.27.2011
Grinnell Awarded White House Honor

The Grinnell Science Project (GSP) has been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, administered by the National Science Foundation. The award recognizes GSP's efforts to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who earn degrees in the sciences.

Click here to read the article.

One of the science buildings participating in the Grinnell Science Project is the Robert N. Noyce '49 Science Center - an academic building recently transformed by Holabird & Root. The two-phased renovation and addition to the Noyce Science Center also received LEED Silver certification, The American Library Association Excellence in Academic Libraries Award for 2011, and an Association of Licensed Architects Design Award of Excellence.

01.17.2011
Grinnell College honored by ALA

The American Library Association (ALA) has recently recognized the Grinnell College Libraries with the Excellence in Academic Libraries Award for 2011. A press release on Grinnell's website can be found here:

Click here to read the article.

One of the libraries being honored, Kistle Science Library, is located in the Robert N. Noyce '49 Science Center - an academic building recently transformed by Holabird & Root. The two-phased renovation and addition to the Noyce Science Center also received LEED Silver certification and an Association of Licensed Architects Design Award of Excellence.

01.6.2011
Domes Featured in Huffington Post

The Chicago Cultural Center domes were recently mentioned in a photo article entitled, "18 Beautiful Ceilings Around the World" on the Huffington Post website.

Click here to read the article.

Holabird & Root is currently restoring two of these domes to the highest conservation standards. The first dome, which was completed in July 2008, is a Louis Comfort Tiffany art glass dome in Preston Bradley Hall and is the largest dome by Tiffany in the world. The Cultural Center's other stained glass dome, the Healy and Millet dome, in the G.A.R. Rotunda, is tentatively scheduled for restoration next year.

06.9.2010
Holabird Involved in Four LEED Platinum

Holabird & Root has now been a part of the design team for four LEED Platinum certified higher education facilities. The firm provided architecture and engineering for the LEED Platinum science facilities at St. Olaf and Beloit colleges. The firm also provided MEP engineering services for Iowa State University's College of Design Pavilion Addition and Central College's Education and Psychology Building. Holabird & Root continues to advance sustainability and is currently designing several projects that are expected to achieve LEED certification.

06.8.2010
Brush Article Published

Mary Brush, Holabird & Root's historic preservation specialist, has shared her knowledge in the Association for Preservation Technology's (APT) Bulletin. In the article, Mary shares how she used the dry-ice technique to remove spray paint from the Time Life Building fac'ade, a job she completed prior to joining Holabird & Root.

03.17.2010
Dremmer Returns As Director Of Interiors

Holabird & Root is pleased to announce the return of Michele Dremmer to the Interior Design Department. After three and a half years away spent working at Perkins Eastman; Gary Lee; and Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Michele returns to Holabird & Root where she worked from 1999 to 2006.

02.17.2010
Beloit Awarded Top Projects

Wisconsin Builder magazine recently named Beloit College's Center for Sciences as one of the Top Projects of 2009. This award is in honor of those in the industry-generals, subcontractors, architects, engineers and owners-whose projects met and exceeded expectations in the year prior. This is the second award for the Center for Sciences. The LEED Platinum facility was also recognized by the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as part of their Design Excellence awards program. The Beloit College Center for Sciences will be featured in the May 2010 issue of the Wisconsin Builder magazine.

11.19.2009
Cultural Center Dome Restoration Honored

The City of Chicago, Department of General Services received the Chicago Architecture Foundation's prestigious Patron of the Year award in the governmental category. This award recognizes the role of clients in architecture, or its patrons: those who commission, develop, and finance Chicago's distinguished architecture. The Preston Bradley Hall Dome was restored by Holabird & Root and represents another successful collaboration between the City of Chicago and Holabird & Root.

11.17.2009
Regents Hall Receives Platinum

St. Olaf College's Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. At nearly 200,000 square feet, Regents Hall is the largest and most complex academic facility to earn the U.S. Green Building Councils Platinum rating.

Holabird & Root's design of Regents Hall incorporates several key strategies including a green roof which helps reduce the building's heating and cooling load and minimizes its heat signature. The green roof absorbs stormwater that runs off Regents Hall, filters carbon dioxide out of the air, and filters pollutants out of rainwater.

Interior and exterior materials were selected for their sustainability and maintainability, as well as their reuse content and their proximity to the site. Abundant natural light reduces the need for artificial light in the public and perimeter spaces.

Regents Hall is also the first major science facility designed with an emphasis on green chemistry, which uses water-based and nontoxic chemicals and reduces the amount of fume hoods needed. Because of the innovative strategies employed throughout the facility, Regents Hall saves enough energy each year to power 250 homes annually.

11.7.2009
Center for Sciences LEEDs with Platinum

Beloit College's Center for the Sciences achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council. Holabird & Root and Beloit College closely collaborated throughout the design process to incorporate innovative, sustainable features throughout the facility.

The landscaping surrounding the facility is composed of plant species native to the area. A rain garden that consists of specially selected wetland plants forms a swale through which rainwater runoff from the area around the science facility is filtered and absorbed.

One third of the roof is a living, vegetated garden that provides added insulation to keep the facility cool during the summer and warm during the winter. A large concrete rainwater cistern collects and stores rainwater runoff from the science center roof, which is then used to water plants located in the greenhouse, reducing the need to pump, treat, and consume municipal water supplies.

The facility was designed to maximize the amount of time air spends in the building while still maintaining high quality indoor air. Air that enters a lab must be exhausted from the building for safety reasons, so the design first routes air through classrooms, hallways and study areas, then enters the labs at the end of its journey.

LEED certification serves as a national benchmark for environmentally sustainable construction by measuring the performance of a building in six critical areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process.

11.5.2009
AIA Illinois Honors Dome Restoration

On November 5, 2009 the AIA Illinois Chapter recognized the restoration of the Chicago Cultural Center's Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany glass dome. The project received the Crombie Taylor Award, which recognizes a project that, through preservation and restoration, has enhanced the natural and built environment of a community.

The project was the culmination of 3 years of research, study, and construction by 80 architects, restoration specialists, and artisans. The restoration of the Tiffany dome reintroduced natural light into the space and created the opportunity to celebrate public culture within an urban center.

10.30.2009
Holabird & Root Receives AIA Design Excellence Award

The Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized Holabird & Root's design of Beloit College's Center for the Sciences with a Design Excellence Honor Award in Interior Architecture. Holabird & Root Principal James Baird joined Beloit College's Brock Spencer and representatives from J.H. Findorff & Son and Klobucar in accepting the award at the AIA's Annnual DesignNight 2009.

Completed in 2008, the Center for Sciences is sited at the center of Beloit's campus, with a central space connecting two adjacent buildings. An AIA juror commented that "this connecting area's strategic location at the end of a street and its glass fagade provide a connection to the nearby river and other parts of campus, whether a visitor is in or outside of the building." Another juror remarked that the stacked stairs created an interior with a "very strong core and powerful geometry."

10.16.2009
Grinnell College Achieves LEED Silver Certification

Grinnell College's Noyce Science Center Phase II renovation and addition project received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Silver level. Holabird & Root incorporated several sustainable features into their overall design including heat recovery on laboratory exhaust systems, motion sensors on fume hoods and lighting, rainwater collection for use in the greenhouse, energy-efficient windows, dual-flush toilets and low-flow lavatory fixtures, use of local and regional materials, and recycling construction waste. "Science buildings have very complex ventilation and technical systems," said Jim Swartz, director of the building project and Grinell Colleges Center for Science in the Liberal Arts, "so to receive a silver certification is especially rewarding because it recognizes the efforts to gain greater efficiencies and still remain true to our core purpose of creating a flexible and welcoming space for teaching and research." This is the second building that Holabird & Root has designed for Grinnell College that has achieved LEED certification. In 2006, Grinnell College's Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA) education center became the first building in Iowa to receive the LEED certification at the Gold level.

10.1.2009
Milobowski Promoted to Associate Level

Holabird & Root is pleased to announce that Amy Milobowski has been promoted to the associate level. "As a firm, we try to look for outstanding individuals that will shape the future of the firm and Amy is certainly one of those individuals," said Holabird & Root Principal Jim Miller.

Amy holds a Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan. She became a licensed architect in 2003 and later became a LEED-Accredited Professional and Construction Documents Technology Certified. She became an architect because "architecture is a perfect combination of engineering and art."

Prior to joining Holabird & Root, Amy built a strong portfolio of work that included several municipal and education projects including several Chicago public schools. She has continued this work at Holabird & Root where she has led projects that include Namaste Charter Schools Renovation and Addition and the Preston Bradley Hall Dome Restoration and Renovation at the Chicago Cultural Center. When Amy is not tackling complex projects, she enjoys running, knitting, and playing soccer.

When asked about what this promotion meant to her, Amy quickly answered, "I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues for this promotion and I look forward to using my organizational skills and experience to support Holabird & Root's leadership team."

02.25.2009
Tradeline website features science project

Tradeline today published an article about Grinnell College's Noyce Science Center, which was recently completed by Holabird & Root. The article discusses how changes in teaching pedagogy and the need for more space to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of programs, students, and faculty members led to the implementation of the project.

Click here to read the online article.

01.16.2009
Office renovation achieves LEED Gold

The City of Chicago's Streets and Sanitation Office, recently renovated by Holabird & Root, achieved LEED Gold certification for its creative sustainable design solutions.

Respecting budget concerns while creating a functional and sustainable space requires innovation. Collaborating closely with the City of Chicago's project managers, the design team at Holabird & Root examined every budget decision for cost savings while ensuring the Streets and Sanitation office renovation met the client's goals. Refurbished kitchen cabinets were purchased on Ebay, an existing abandoned shaft was repurposed, and existing materials were reused.

In addition to saving money, the building was designed to encourage sustainable practices. The basement contains showers and bike racks so that employees can commute to work on their bikes. The completed renovation resulted in a LEED Gold certified project and a polished, professional space even though minimal and unconventional materials were used.

01.7.2009
Oak Park Public Works Facility featured online

The Village of Oak Park Public Works Facility is featured in an article on greenbeanchicago.com, an online news source that is dedicated to advancing responsible development through Green building in Chicago. The article discusses the sustainable aspects of the new facility.

The project is in the process of filing the correct paperwork to achieve LEED gold certification, and if that status is awarded, the building will become Illinois' first municipal public works facility to earn a LEED certification.

Click here to view the online article.

12.8.2008
Waubonsee Community College featured in construction publication

The Waubonsee Community College Science Building, completed by Holabird & Root in 2006, is featured in the 2008 Illinois Edition of Real Estate & Construction Review. The article describes how the new science building was designed to meet the needs of current and future students.

Click here to view the article.

12.4.2008
Tiffany Dome chosen as project of the year

Midwest Construction recently selected the winners of their Best of 2008 competition, and they chose Holabird & Root's Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany Dome project as the Renovation/Restoration Project of the Year.

This annual contest recognizes excellence in commercial construction and design in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Eastern Missouri. The jury awarded projects based on key criteria, such as overall quality, project management, teamwork, and service. The winners were featured in the December issue of Midwest Construction and honored at an awards luncheon in Chicago.

In June, Holabird & Root completed the Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany Dome restoration at the Chicago Cultural Center. This project celebrates Chicago's finest example of the high decorative arts of the 1890s and emphasizes the era's cultural richness. The Cultural Center's other stained glass dome, the Healy and Millet dome, in the G.A.R. Rotunda, is tentatively scheduled for restoration next year.

Click here for more information.

12.3.2008
LEED project featured online

REJournals.com features an article about St. Olaf College's Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, located in Northfield, Minnesota. The article discusses the sustainable features that elevated the building to a potential LEED Platinum certification. Regents Hall is the first science facility in the United States designed to add water-based reactions to decrease lab waste and the need for air conditioning.

11.7.2008
Davenport Pedestrian Skybridge receives AIA award

Holabird & Root was honored by receiving a 2008 AIA Illinois Honor Award on November 6 for the Davenport Pedestrian Skybridge project.

11.5.2008
Opus Landmark of Lake Forest receives award

The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) selected Phase II of the Opus Landmark of Lake Forest project as a 2008 Award Winner for Suburban Office Development of the Year.

Click here for more information about the award.

11.2.2008
Dominican University receives award

Holabird & Root was honored on November 1 by receiving the Illinois Indiana Masonry Council Silver Award for the Dominican University Parmer Hall project.

10.28.2008
Holabird & Root unveils new logo

Holabird & Root today introduced a new logo as part of a larger branding strategy.

At Holabird & Root, our work has withstood the test of time because our commitment to innovative design and collaboration has remained constant throughout our history. Throughout the last century, we have built a heritage of lasting designs. While we are proud of our past, we do not dwell on it.

In keeping with this, we have created a new identity to let people know that while we are proud of our past, we are constantly looking to the future. Our new logo combines an appreciation of our heritage with a forward-thinking vision, establishing a nod to the past with a modern interpretation.

10.22.2008
Licensed Architect features Holabird & Root projects

Licensed Architect featured two of Holabird & Root's projects in their Fall 2008 issue.

The first project, which also appears on the magazine cover, is the Drake University Olin Hall Renovation and Addition, a science facility that Holabird & Root redesigned to be more appealing to both teachers and students by giving it a fresh, new entrance. Completed in 2006, Olin Hall is now a state-of-the-art facility that supports the University's commitment to versatility and experimentation.

Also featured is the Chicago Cultural Center Preston Bradley Hall Dome Restoration, a project that is the result of over three years of research and study by 80 architects, restoration specialists, and artisans. The restoration was completed in June 2008 and ensures that Preston Bradley Hall will remain a favorite destination for Chicago social and cultural events.

10.17.2008
Lake View Presbyterian Church receives award

Holabird & Root was honored by receiving a Landmarks Illinois' Richard H. Driehaus Foundation 2008 Preservation Award on October 17 for the historic exterior restoration of Lake View Presbyterian Church.

10.1.2008
Grinnell College to dedicate science center

On October 3 and 4, Grinnell College will dedicate an innovative science teaching building named for one of its most notable graduates, the late Robert N. Noyce '49, co-inventor of the integrated circuit and co-founder of Intel Corp. The new science center, designed by Holabird & Root, includes state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories that allow students and faculty to transition smoothly from classroom to lab, as well as individual study to group work.

"Grinnell has, over the past two decades, committed itself to curricular innovation and success in science education," said President Russell K. Osgood. "We now have the first-rate facilities to support this exemplary academic program that has graduated scientists who have made a difference in their fields of scholarship and research."

Grinnell College's proven approach to science teaching and learning has earned the college recognition from practicing scientists, researchers at other academic institutions, and various funding sources.

Click here for more information about the science center dedication.

09.26.2008
New wellness center groundbreaking

The groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of the Winona State University Integrated Wellness Center took place yesterday. Members of the Holabird & Root design team attended to show their support.

It has taken 10 years of careful planning to bring this project to realization, representing a unique collaboration that brings the state, students, and community together on a project that is expected to ultimately benefit everyone.

"It's taken an entire community to bring this to realization," WSU President Judith Ramaley said at the ceremony. "Thank you for believing in our shared purpose."

The new, 78,000-s.f. Center will seamlessly integrate academic disciplines with student life and development departments and athletic programs. The facility will include an indoor fitness track; cardiovascular fitness and strength-training facilities; gymnasiums; aerobics classrooms; a health services clinic; a counseling center; a health education and resource center; experiential learning labs and classrooms; and faculty and administrative offices. Holabird & Root designed the Center to achieve LEED certification at the Silver level.

09.8.2008
Cultural Center project receives preservation award

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks selected Holabird & Root's Chicago Cultural Center Domes Restoration project to receive the 2008 Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence. This award honors outstanding projects that involve notable improvements to individual Chicago Landmarks or to buildings within Chicago Landmark Districts.

In June, Holabird & Root completed the Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany dome restoration at the Chicago Cultural Center. This project celebrates Chicago's finest example of the high decorative arts of the 1890s and emphasizes the era's cultural richness. The Cultural Center's other stained glass dome, the Healy and Millet dome, in the G.A.R. Rotunda, is tentatively scheduled for restoration next year.

08.1.2008
Holabird & Root races for literacy

Holabird & Root participated in the eighth annual Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy in Ping Tom Park on Saturday, July 26. Proceeds from the race will go to the Chicago Public School system's Office of Culture and Diversity in the Chicago Board of Education to help promote culture and diversity in Chicago's schools.

Chicago's Chinatown Chamber of Commerce hosted the Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy in partnership with the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, and American Family Insurance.

07.14.2008
Western Michigan University featured in DCD article

The Western Michigan University New Chemistry Building project is featured in the July/August 2008 issue of Design Cost Data (DCD) magazine.

07.1.2008
Holabird & Root supports school fundraising event

Representatives from Holabird & Root attended Soaring Eagle Academy's first Gala, Let the Eagle Soar, on June 29, to support their efforts to raise enough money to open their not-for-profit school.

Mark Montana, senior vice president of CresaPartners, helped Soaring Eagle Academy (SEA) locate a space for their school, and he suggested that they include Holabird & Root in the development team. Over the last several months, Holabird & Root has been working pro bono with SEA to help them understand their new building and how it can support the organization's mission. Through their Graphics Department, Holabird & Root provided exceptional computer-generated renderings and organizational diagrams to assist SEA in visually analyzing the structural and spatial suitability of their facility. These renderings and diagrams were also used to create marketing materials to assist with SEA's fundraising efforts.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Soaring Eagle Academy," said Holabird & Root Project Designer Maria Segal. "This project has the potential to make a dramatic difference in SEA's families' lives and break new ground in the design of therapeutic and educational settings for a substantial number of children."

Soaring Eagle Academy will be a model DIR School for 5- to 21-year-old students with autism and related disorders. It's a safe, nurturing environment where teachers, therapeutic professionals, and families come together to promote development of the whole child.

06.26.2008
Chicago Cultural Center Tiffany dome restoration complete

Holabird & Root today completed the Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany dome restoration at the Chicago Cultural Center. This project celebrates Chicago's finest example of the high decorative arts of the 1890s and emphasizes the era's cultural richness. It was a fantastic project involving over 60 artisans and consultants.

"The beauty of restoration is the celebration of the past, of the paths that we, and our ancestors, have taken to create physical space, as well as the perpetuation of the crafts and talents that we have brought along the way," said Project Manager and Preservation Group Leader Mary Brush. "The Tiffany dome restoration was a truly remarkable project. The Preston Bradley Hall will become a favorite destination place in Chicago for cultural and social events. It is the architectural embodiment of our history, our present, and our potential for the future."

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of General Services retained Holabird & Root to be the architects of the Preston Bradley Hall Dome restoration in 2004, and the project has been a four-year effort of research, study, and construction.

The building was originally designed as the Chicago Public Library, with the Preston Bradley Hall as the delivery room. In 1971, the building became the home for the Chicago Cultural Center, which Holabird & Root restored.

The goal of the library design was to create large, open, luminous spaces to capitalize on natural lighting. The monumental windows brought in the light and the glass mosaics reflected it. The Tiffany glass dome, the largest in the world, celebrated the light.

The restoration work included the reintroduction of natural light to the dome with the replacement of the 1930s-era concrete dome. The glass was removed, restored, and reinstalled in its original configuration. The return to natural sky lighting allows the textural and color richness of Tiffany glass to radiate.

06.9.2008
Holabird & Root buildings inspire new carpet collection

Bigelow Commercial Carpets recently introduced its Landmark Collection, a portfolio of two woven patterns that were designed in partnership with Holabird & Root. The design was inspired by details taken from prominent Holabird & Root buildings. One of the inspirational buildings is the Monroe Building in downtown Chicago, which is currently being renovated and restored by Holabird & Root. Another inspirational building is the Chicago Board of Trade, designed by Holabird & Root in 1930.

The introduction of the two running line patterns is part of an ongoing collaboration between Bigelow Commercial Carpets and Holabird & Root. They are currently in the process of designing six custom patterns.

03.27.2008
St. Olaf College science facility featured online

The Portland Cement Association's website features an article about St. Olaf College's New Science Complex. The article discusses the steps the project team took to achieve their goal of obtaining LEED Certification at the Platinum level.

Click here for a link to the Portland Cement Association's online article.

02.20.2008
Brush joins Holabird & Root as new preservation group leader

Holabird & Root is pleased to announce that Mary Brush has joined the firm's staff as the preservation group leader. She is based in the Chicago office.

"The addition of Mary Brush, with her unsurpassed preservation credentials, further strengthens the reputation of Holabird & Root as a leader in full building services, from new design through restoration," said Greg Cook, principal of Holabird & Root. "As one of the founding firms of Chicago's architectural heritage, with a continuous practice of over 128 years and a portfolio exceeding fifteen thousand buildings, Holabird & Root should be the first name that historic building owners consider."

Brush comes to Holabird & Root from Klein and Hoffman, Inc., where she specialized in the technical elements of building preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration. Projects of note in Chicago include the restoration of the exterior walls of Holabird & Roche's Monroe Building, Louis Sullivan's Gage Building, and the exterior walls of Burnham and Root's Rookery Building.

"I am thrilled to join the talents of such a legendary firm as Holabird & Root," said Mary. "The opportunity to further develop the technical preservation and restoration design portfolio of the company will be a fantastic experience."

Brush is the 2005 laureate of the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship, a professional honor for which one American architect is chosen every two years to meet and work with restoration architects and professionals throughout France for six months. The fellowship is an exchange of information, techniques, and professional practices of architects and practitioners in the preservation fields of each country. Brush is fluent in French, and when she's not scaling tall buildings, she enjoys sailing, rowing, and swimming.

11.25.2007
Holabird & Root office featured in DCD magazine

The Holabird & Root Office Headquarters and Design Studios project is featured in the November/December 2007 issue of Design Cost Data (DCD) magazine.

Click here to view the article.

11.9.2007
Drake University receives an ALA award

Holabird & Root was honored at the ALA Design Awards Banquet on November 9 with an Award of Merit for the Drake University Olin Hall Renovation and Addition.

Drake University commissioned Holabird & Root to renovate the second floor of Olin Hall, and a three-story atrium was added to the building to give it a stronger presence on campus. These changes transform the building into an inviting facility that draws students in.

11.7.2007
John Holabird, Jr., receives AIA Lifetime Achievement Award

AIA Chicago honored John Holabird, Jr., FAIA, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Designight 2007, held at Navy Pier on Friday, October 26, 2007. Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, introduced a documentary film by Karen Carter about John's life and presented him with the award. This is only the second Lifetime Achievement Award that the Chicago AIA has given in recognition of a person whose career and life have enriched the architecture profession.

John Holabird, Jr., has had a wide positive influence on the architecture profession, especially by mentoring young architects. "John is more than a great architect," said Principal James Baird, FAIA. "He is an inspiration to everyone he has touched. His integrity and statesmanlike demeanor with clients are matched by his sheer joy of working on a team."

07.25.2007
IIT Campus Center photo appears in AutoCAD 2008 software

The McCormick Tribune Campus Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is featured in promotional material for AutoCAD 2008 software. An image of a monumental 600-ft.-long steel and concrete tube, which encloses a section of the elevated train running above the facility, appears when the design and drafting software is first installed, as well as on an informational website about the product.

Holabird & Root completed the feasibility study, programming, and planning for the campus center. Based on Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas' design, Holabird & Root, in a joint venture with Office for Metropolitan Architecture, executed the design of the building. Since its completion in 2003, the state-of-the-art tube has served as an innovative and unprecedented acoustical device to shield the center from the noise and vibration of the train.

07.11.2007
Principals on cover of Commercial Builder/Architect

Holabird & Root's four principals were featured on the cover of Commercial Builder/Architect magazine's May/June issue on preserving religious traditions in Chicagoland.

James Baird, Jeff Case, Greg Cook, and Jim Miller posed for the cover photo in front of Lake View Presbyterian Church. The firm won a design excellence award in 2006 from AIA Chicago for the building's exterior restoration.

05.14.2007
Celebrating our new Chicago studio space

Around 300 of our closest friends joined us on April 12 to see our new office space in the historic Marquette Building and make merry. The theme of the night was "Our Best Face Forward," and guests and staff sipped red Holabird-tinis while socializing in our newly finished studio. The evening was framed by the old and new: classic music and foods were presented in an alternative, fresh way.

"We were thrilled to have such a good gathering on a chilly night. It was fun to catch up with everyone and show off our new home," said James Baird, Principal.

The crowd was an eclectic mix of past and present clients, staff, peers, associates, and Holabird & Root alumni. Several retired staff members joined the party, including John A. Holabird, Jr., Jerry Horn, Frank Castelli, and Nick Bilandic.

Holabird & Root had been in its last office building for over 40 years, and the move to the Marquette marks the first time the firm has located its offices in a Holabird & Root-designed building since leaving 333 North Michigan in 1947. We are in the process of pursuing LEED certification for the new space's sustainable design.