EMPLOYEES. CLIENTS. COMMUNITY. A Year of Milestones
Lots to celebrate in 2025. We welcomed a new leadership team to chart our path ahead. Some employees celebrated decades at Legat. Others launched their careers here. We expanded to Indianapolis.The Architect’s Newspaper named Legat the Midwest’s top large architecture firm. Design awards rolled in. And through it all, we kept the focus on designing with a difference to make a difference.
This year, Legat led more than 300 projects from assessments and small renovations to major new construction. A medical office building. A school facility. A state park visitor center. No matter what the project, the design emphasized improved performance and stronger communities.
Our 2025 work represents more than design — it shows a year defined by teamwork and trust.
Legat’s unwavering commitment to budget, schedule, design, and community involvement has been instrumental in realizing our vision. I wholeheartedly recommend them for their exceptional design services.
Joe Capece, Executive Director, Ottawa YMCA
Here’s what we’ve been up to.
Watch case studies of our recent recreation and educational facilities. Take a virtual tour of the Mosque Foundation’s forthcoming community center. Listen to clients and team members discuss everything from interior design to net zero energy.
Ottawa YMCA
Mosque Foundation Community Center
Heartland Community College Net Zero Agriculture Complex
Bright Futures Preschool
Galesburg Junior Senior High School
Mohican State Park Visitor Center
Project Stats of the year
Project Stats of the year
Project Stats of the year
2M+ square feet designed
62
cities and villages served
860
sketches submitted to our summer design challenge
Legat Summer Design Challenge
This summer, our team took part in a studiowide design challenge. Weekly sketch prompts encouraged exploration, quick thinking, and a little healthy competition. From expressive linework to unexpected interpretations, these sketches showcase the creativity and personality that fuel our practice.
Wall Hanger
Perfectly Imperfect
Most Surprising
Most Creative
Funniest
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Awards & Recognition
Independent juries across the country honored Legat projects and project teams this year for innovation and community impact. These awards highlight not just our design teams, but also the clients and partners who helped bring these visions to life.
Bright Futures Shines in Design Community
Legat designed a retrofit that transformed a church into Galesburg (Illinois) CUSD #205’s Bright Futures Preschool and adjacent administration center. This year, the project received four major design awards:
Citation of Excellence: Adaptive Reuse (Learning By Design magazine)
Honor Award: Excellence in Interiors Above 5,000 SF (American Institute of Architects: Illinois Chapter)
Metamorphosis Award: First Place, Interiors (retrofit magazine)
Preservation/Renovation Honor Award (American Institute of Architects: Northeast Illinois Chapter)
Since completion of Bright Futures Preschool, we’ve noticed an increase in student performance and a decrease in behavioral problems. Wait lists have grown, and parent involvement has intensified. Beyond that, teachers have shown enthusiasm for working in the bright, open spaces. Consequently, the attractiveness of the facility has bolstered the district’s recruitment efforts.
Dr. John Asplund, Superintendent, Galesburg CUSD #205
We Are Legat
Studio Highlights
Chicago, IL
Legat’s West Loop studio led projects including Heartland Community College’s Net Zero Agriculture Complex, renovation of Metra’s 59th-60th/University of Chicago Station, a 160,000-square-foot pharmaceutical manufacturing building, the new Meadowview Behavioral Hospital, and Joliet Junior College’s campus master plan.
The studio also hosted industry events such as AIA Chicago’s Bridge mentorship meeting and the International Interior Design Association’s (IIDA) Illinois Student Studio Series event. Volunteer efforts included Blessings in a Backpack on Chicago’s South Side and Redemptive Plastics in the Austin neighborhood.
150,000+ miles traveled
This year, our teams traveled over 150,000 miles to strengthen partnerships and better understand the communities we design for.
Columbus, OH
Our Columbus studio joined the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to celebrate completion of Legat-designed visitor centers in Mohican State Park and Portage Lakes State Park. The facilities feature interactive exhibits, gathering spaces, and many details that bring the parks’ stories to life. Additionally, construction finished on Northridge High School’s Viking Stadium, designed by Legat.
Next Stop:
Indy
Our Midwestern reach grows. We welcome Studio 3 Design to the Legat studio network.
Indianapolis, IN
Studio 3 Design began the next chapter in its 23-year evolution by officially joining Legat to become our Indianapolis studio.
This year’s projects included healthcare facilities, multifamily developments, movie theaters, and two retail centers. Construction finished for POSH on Kirkwood, a 45-room boutique hotel built around a historic bank and for an 80,000-square-foot medical office building for Hendricks Regional Health.
Office events featured Friday summer cookouts, a bracket-style chili cook-off, and the December WeCare event benefiting the Lilly Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis.
Iowa City, IA
Thanks in large part to our Iowa City studio, AIA Iowa named Legat one of just 16 Emerging Professional Friendly Firms in the state. This studio designed additions and renovations that modernize Cedar Rapids’ Harrison Elementary School while preserving its nearly 100-year history. We also designed renovations to Muscatine Community School District’s Central Middle School auditorium.
Oak Brook, IL
Our Oak Brook studio moved up to a Legat-designed penthouse office suite. The new studio hosted IIDA Illinois’ inaugural Suburban Afterglow event and the Legat retreat that united all employees.
Projects include the Mosque Foundation’s new community center, upgrades at Dundee-Crown High School, and two new YMCAs. Healthcare projects range from medical office building renovations to a new behavioral health hospital. And hospitality work stretches from a coastal community in New Hampshire to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
616
hours volunteered
Quad Cities, IA/IL
Among key projects that finished this year at our QC studio are the North Scott Regional Innovation Center and major upgrades at Quad Cities International Airport. New projects include the LeClaire YMCA, Rock Island High School’s new aquatic center, and Carl Sandburg College’s Charger Center athletic/convention facility. We also celebrated four major design awards for the Legat-designed Bright Futures Preschool.
The QC studio enjoyed lots of community involvement, from volunteering for Junior Achievement of the Heartland and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi Valley to studio outings like a mud run complete with 30+ obstacles.
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Pet appearances on Zoom calls
Adama Diana Nicholas
Arthur Erin Reilly-Sanders
Autumn Erin Reilly-Sanders
Bella Maria Osterberg
Brooke Tyler Wade
Brownie Val Pierce
Cadberry Steffany Orech
Charlie Jeff Sandberg
Chico Kayla Hopkins
Chip Kalyssa Worden
Cola Lexie Li
Cookie Dough and Dunkin Zach Bode
Cooper Jeff Sandberg
Corbin Diana Nicholas
Daisy Miguel+Francisco Carrera
Duke Scot Parker
Duke Bryan Archibald
Frankey Jackie Ely
Gray Mouser Ross Jackson
Greyson Morgan Walker
Gus Maria Osterberg
Harvey Kelsey Jordan
Hugo Kevin Coppedge
Josephine Noelle Ridley
Kanan April Maifield
Kitkat Jessica Carlson
Kona Rachel Foster
Kya Rachel Lindemann
Lloyd Jody Boyce
Luca Bryan Archibald
Lucy Kevin Coppedge
McKenzie Morgan Walker
Nuit Daria DeWolf
Quinn Kelsey Jordan
Remi Kayla Hopkins
Ryder Ricardo Roldan
Sammy Jenn Duff
Saoirse Kathleen Conneely
Soma Kayla Hopkins
Sprout and Daisy Debora Bonney
Stevie Nicks Heather Leslie
Sunshine and Evita Paul Pessetti
Tilly Jordan Tavia Weis
Toko Kayla Hopkins
Tosh Lexie Li
Tucker Jay Johnson
Willow and Kooper Susan Becker
Zoe Kevin Coppedge
Zoey Kristin Eastman
You’re not just a draftsperson but a voice. The feeling you have is that the firm wants you to grow, to get out there and learn, to spread the word about things that get you excited.
Kelsey Jordan, Legat Architects
What’s New With The Legat Team
Legat’s 60-year legacy of design with a difference continued this year with the appointment of a new leadership team. From operations and finance to design and marketing, each team member brings diverse talents and a fresh perspective to our mission. Learn more about their vision and how they’re driving Legat forward.
Rising stars include a five-time intern from Iowa State University and recent grads from the universities of Kansas, Michigan, and Tennessee.
New staff includes licensed architects: a Quad Cities native with 20 years of experience, a healthcare specialist from Beijing, an equity advocate with major Revit skills, and AIA Columbus’ president-elect.
2025 also brought a new studio to the Legat network! We acquired Studio 3 Design, a 23-year-old firm located in Central Indiana. The partnership bridges our Chicago-area and Columbus, Ohio locations. Studio 3, known for its strong client service, has a large healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily portfolio.
5
Interns this year
Celebrating Milestones at Legat
5 Years
Sepideh Asadi, Rick Roldan
5 Years
Ross Jackson
10 Years
Aileen Everitt, Susan Becker
10 Years
Evan Menk
25 Years
Jeff Sandberg, Zach Wiese
30 Years
Mark Siwik
30 Years
Cindy Hopkins
35 Years
Tom Kikta
Congratulations on your retirement
Berry DeSimone
Mark Siwik
Berry DeSimone and Mark Siwik both retired after 30 years at Legat. Berry, who served as our president and CEO from 2021 to 2024, built many community connections and lasting client partnerships. Mark, a pioneer in building envelope expertise, became our trusted problem-solver for hundreds of facilities across the Midwest.
Lurie Children’s Hospital Helping Hands: Oak Brook Studio Theme “The Starry Night”
Lurie Children’s Hospital Helping Hands: Chicago Studio Theme “Ratatouille”
Quad Cities Mud Run
Redemptive Plastics
AIA Chicago Bridge
Blessings in a Backpack
Giving Back Community + Design Industry Support
Our quarterly outreach events supported both the public and design communities. Examples of the former include participation in events to benefit Habitat for Humanity, Lurie Children’s Hospital, local food depositories, and disadvantaged students.
Design industry outreach ranged from mentoring programs and hosting events to a holiday window exhibit that our Columbus studio joins each year.
Legat employees have also led an architecture club at Azuela Elementary School on Chicago’s South Side for nearly 15 years!
The strength of voice.
We believe that everyone – clients, communities, employees, partners – has a voice in the design process. Thank you to all who shared their voice with us in 2025.
