Density, design, and policy: Legat Architects’ 2021 Think Tank session assembles architects, engineers, and developers to explore ways of addressing catastrophic affordable housing shortages Architect Todd Rhoades was cleaning up after serving at a shelter when a homeless person approached him. “Thank you for the great tacos tonight,” said the man. “But more important, thank […]
Community
North Chicago Metra Train Station gets fresh new look
Rehabilitation of Metra’s North Chicago station refreshes 50-year-old shelter, brings in more natural light, and improves visibility/security After nearly 50 years of use, the North Chicago Metra Station looked tired and worn. Decades of train diesel exhaust had stained the exterior wood siding. The metal roof had discolored over the years and the narrow, tinted […]
Train Station Translation: Prairie Architecture
A humble statement from a not-so-humble guy: Prairie-style architecture echoes the “quiet level” of the Midwestern landscape Richard Lloyd Jones, publisher of The Tulsa Tribune, was furious: the roof of his new home, called Westhope, had started leaking. Jones called his cousin Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect who had designed Westhope, to complain that water […]
Architecture and daylight: planning strategies for energy-efficient buildings
Energy efficient, healthy, and affordable: the predictable nature of seasonal daylight geometry makes it one of the first topics to be considered when undergoing any design project. In the decades since the 1970s, we’ve learned a great deal about how to take advantage of the sun to not only reduce building energy consumption, but also […]
3 hotel spaces that increase return on investment
Hotel development teams that want to safeguard return on investment should think twice before scrapping these three space types from the building plan. In this pandemic-afflicted period of increasing competition and reduced occupancy, hotel owners and operators struggle to find new ways to eke out additional revenue. Many hotels with spaces that differentiate their properties […]
Hyatt Place Chicago/Wicker Park taps into vibe of trendy Chicago neighborhood
Sky lobby and Kennedy Rooftop bar/restaurant at Hyatt Place Chicago/Wicker Park capture neighborhood charisma, display downtown Chicago for guests and locals When the elevator opens to the seventh-floor lobby at Hyatt Place Chicago/Wicker Park, guests are in for a treat: 180-degree views of a vibrant lobby, an outdoor restaurant and bar called Kennedy Rooftoop, and […]
New federal regulations positively impact affordable housing development and design
New administration’s goals present opportunity to elevate affordable housing design and value Shelter. It is a basic human necessity. It provides protection in comfort. This security gives people the ability to venture forth and make a life. The current challenge is that there is a high demand for affordable housing. Housing should not cause financial […]
Train station architecture: designing the productive train station
A closer look at what it takes to make the train station a productive piece of the civic landscape My last post on train station design argued that the right architecture can make the train station much more than a place to wait—a well-conceived design can improve visitors’ perception of a community, spur the local […]
The art behind the Arlington Heights Police Station
A closer look at how designers used brick and stone to fit the Arlington Heights Police Station into a traditional municipal campus The Village of Arlington Heights’ (Illinois) new police station has improved efficiencies, storage, safety, and training capabilities. It even received an American Public Works Association national Project of the Year Award for its […]
Arlington Heights Police Station named national Public Works Project of the Year by American Public Works Association
Arlington Heights Police Station earns 2020 APWA Project of the Year Award in American Public Works Association’s national competition For more than five years, a pile of 500 ash logs sat at a public works yard in Arlington Heights. The logs came from trees the village’s public works department had to chop down during a […]
Protecting small businesses while reopening during coronavirus pandemic
Safety and inclusivity for customers and waitstaff paramount as small businesses turn to outdoor dining during coronavirus pandemic Everyone recognizes this pandemic has been a challenge. However, not everyone recognizes just how much of a challenge it truly has been for small business owners. As communities are allowed to reopen, the business community and municipalities […]
Hyatt Place Chicago – Wicker Park Hotel and Rooftop Bar Construction Complete
Eight-story hotel with raised lobby, rooftop bar, and locally created artwork captures Wicker Park/Bucktown – Chicago vibe. [May 21, 2020] – Construction has finished at Hyatt Place Chicago – Wicker Park, a 99-room hotel in Chicago’s lively Wicker Park neighborhood. The eight-story hotel, located at the southeast corner of Ashland and North avenues, features a […]
