Extending my newfound midwestern hello to the Chicago Architects! Recently moved to the Second City from the First City, and am searching for Architectural offices to apply for. Unfortunately, Archinect does not have very many listings coming up around here...it’s like, New York and LA everyday but come on now! Where’s the midwestern love?
So I’m searching for offices to apply to and am not finding too many on the design focused side of things. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by New York and it’s abundance of solid design firms.
But surely, Chicago being such a great architectural city with a rich history of leading design and construction technologies, and the new Chicago Architecture Biennial must have some good firms lurking in the underground. Does anybody know of any?
I originally moved to Chicago so that I could eventually start a practice. It seems like this city is still a very unsaturated city in terms of Architecture firms and the kind of offices that I think would do really well here. Lots of large spaces on the west side of Chicago to set up shop, good crowd, supportive communities, seemingly wealthy clients, and a great history and consciousness of architecture here. Any thoughts on the current climate of Architecture in Chicago?
If you're not finding design focused firms in Chicago, you're not looking hard enough. Check that shitty New York is better attitude at the door, it will get you nowhere here.
In Chicago we tend to have clients that are less forgiving of budget overruns and design flaws. Also the public has a huge say in the design of buildings, private and pubic, with each alderman being able to block any permit at will so things tend to steer a bit conservative on the exterior but remain adventurous on the interiors.
May 9, 18 10:42 am ·
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stevenas135
Sorry if I have offended you Le Courvoisier. I know there is a lot of Chicago pride here and yes! I'm not looking hard enough. Pete, I have definitely noticed that the interiors here are very adventurous and quite innovative (specifically in hospitality and restaurants)
compared to what I've seen lately.
Yep. Its mostly either corporate or small firms doing bread+butter work.
Among the corporate firms, ASGG, SOM, P+W, and Gensler stand out as doing better work.
Midsize quasi-corporate are places like Brininstool Lynch, Booth Hansen, bKL, Valerio Dewalt Trane, etc... they do decent work.
Good small firms: Carol Ross Barney, Woodhouse Tinucci, Wheeler Kearns, John Ronan, Studio Gang,
There are some up-and-coming small firms like Norman Kelley, Latent Design, Future Firm, but I don't think they are big enough to hire anyone. The slow pace of their growth and lack of big or design-forward built project should give anyone moving here to start a firm pause.
Then there are the small firm charlatans, mostly-unlicensed people who don't have any built work and who put themselves out there as "architects' Kwon Von Glinow, Socks, Design with Company, Sports, T+E+A+M, etc... Stay away from them. Unless you are one of them. In that case, stay away from me.
Welcome to Chicago! I have a fairly comprehensive list I share with my students, if you PM me, i'll be happy to share it with you as well.
Add: Krueck+Sexton to the midsize quasi-corporate, and reorganize to include Studio Gang in there too. Jeanne has like 50+ employees in Chicago now.
May 9, 18 11:09 am ·
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archanonymous
Oh, forgot about them. I would create a new category for K&S and Gang... great boutique firms who got big.
May 9, 18 2:13 pm ·
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archanonymous
also forgot about Jahn (formerly Murphy Jahn) they do good work also.
May 9, 18 2:13 pm ·
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thisisnotmyname
I love the inclusion of charlatans on your list!
May 9, 18 2:46 pm ·
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monosierra
That's disingenuous of you to label some as charlatans. Some of them are licensed and are actively building up their client list.
May 9, 18 4:48 pm ·
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stevenas135
Nice list! Thank you. I think you may have offended someone ^
May 9, 18 5:46 pm ·
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stevenas135
Let's keep it friendly now...we are civilized Chicagoans here. Gang, my Jeanne in a bottle. They definitely have breached into the realm of multi-city
large firm status.
May 9, 18 5:50 pm ·
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archanonymous
"some of them are licensed"... Agree, but some of them are making vapid Instagram architecture (I suppose you don't need a license for that) and distorting the public and students perceptions of what architects do...
May 9, 18 6:04 pm ·
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stevenas135
Well, to play the devil's advocate for the so-called "charlatans", I don't see anything wrong with what they are doing. I think their work exists as a form of social criticism. I saw some of their work at the Chicago Architecture Biennial last year and it was pretty
interesting. A lot of young architects within the instagram community use conceptual works as a way of communicating thought to a global community. Most students know very well what the practical side of architecture entails and this kind of work is an escape from that world while they are drawing kitchen details in revit.
What type of experience have you had prior? interior Renovations only?
May 9, 18 11:51 am ·
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stevenas135
Will not disclose this information on here
in order to feed a troll. My experience is very unique and I have won a few things here and there.
May 9, 18 6:19 pm ·
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BR.TN
Nice! I'm only asking because 90% of the firms working in NYC simply do Interior Renovation projects while most of the firms on archanonynmous's list are specializing in Ground-Up projects. However, if you worked for a starchitect in NYC, then go ahead and send a resume to AS+GG, SOM, JAHN, or GANG!
May 9, 18 6:43 pm ·
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stevenas135
haha. Not a starchitect by any means, but I was at one of the above mentioned. I'm thinking much smaller these days...
I don't think I'd label some of those firms as charlatans. Sure, they're in the realm of installation pieces more than architecture, but it's a useful role in this city. Get something small that pushes the envelope built and people are more willing to take a risk.
I think your list is missing some smaller firms that do good work like Range, Canopy, Space (when they aren't working for a developer), Wrap, and others.
There is design in this city. It just gets beat back sometimes by developers, neighborhood organizations, and aldermen not willing to take risks. Unfortunately, the squeaky wheel (Loud AF neighbor/neighborhood organization that hates everything and won't shut the hell up and stop bothering the alderman until they get their way) gets the grease.
May 9, 18 5:29 pm ·
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archanonymous
Totally! Range does great small work. Space and Wrap too... DSpace, vladamir radutny, some others... My list was not meant to be comprehensive
May 9, 18 6:02 pm ·
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randomised
Range Canopy Space Wrap sounds like something you get at the food truck parked in front of the architecture faculty.
UrbanLab! they do great, fun work, and also build quite a bit- so not 'charlatans' as someone above said. Not sure if they ever hire anyone though. I also like Dan Wheeler and JGMA is okay too. Gang is maybe getting too big these days, and Ronan seems like a real piece of work. Just my 2 cents.
btw, you sound very arrogant in the way you talk about design firms in Chicago, so check yo self.
Chicago Architects
Extending my newfound midwestern hello to the Chicago Architects! Recently moved to the Second City from the First City, and am searching for Architectural offices to apply for. Unfortunately, Archinect does not have very many listings coming up around here...it’s like, New York and LA everyday but come on now! Where’s the midwestern love?
So I’m searching for offices to apply to and am not finding too many on the design focused side of things. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by New York and it’s abundance of solid design firms.
But surely, Chicago being such a great architectural city with a rich history of leading design and construction technologies, and the new Chicago Architecture Biennial must have some good firms lurking in the underground. Does anybody know of any?
I originally moved to Chicago so that I could eventually start a practice. It seems like this city is still a very unsaturated city in terms of Architecture firms and the kind of offices that I think would do really well here. Lots of large spaces on the west side of Chicago to set up shop, good crowd, supportive communities, seemingly wealthy clients, and a great history and consciousness of architecture here. Any thoughts on the current climate of Architecture in Chicago?
If you're not finding design focused firms in Chicago, you're not looking hard enough. Check that shitty New York is better attitude at the door, it will get you nowhere here.
In Chicago we tend to have clients that are less forgiving of budget overruns and design flaws. Also the public has a huge say in the design of buildings, private and pubic, with each alderman being able to block any permit at will so things tend to steer a bit conservative on the exterior but remain adventurous on the interiors.
Sorry if I have offended you Le Courvoisier. I know there is a lot of Chicago pride here and yes! I'm not looking hard enough. Pete, I have definitely noticed that the interiors here are very adventurous and quite innovative (specifically in hospitality and restaurants) compared to what I've seen lately.
Yep. Its mostly either corporate or small firms doing bread+butter work.
Among the corporate firms, ASGG, SOM, P+W, and Gensler stand out as doing better work.
Midsize quasi-corporate are places like Brininstool Lynch, Booth Hansen, bKL, Valerio Dewalt Trane, etc... they do decent work.
Good small firms: Carol Ross Barney, Woodhouse Tinucci, Wheeler Kearns, John Ronan, Studio Gang,
There are some up-and-coming small firms like Norman Kelley, Latent Design, Future Firm, but I don't think they are big enough to hire anyone. The slow pace of their growth and lack of big or design-forward built project should give anyone moving here to start a firm pause.
Then there are the small firm charlatans, mostly-unlicensed people who don't have any built work and who put themselves out there as "architects' Kwon Von Glinow, Socks, Design with Company, Sports, T+E+A+M, etc... Stay away from them. Unless you are one of them. In that case, stay away from me.
Welcome to Chicago! I have a fairly comprehensive list I share with my students, if you PM me, i'll be happy to share it with you as well.
Great list.
Add: Krueck+Sexton to the midsize quasi-corporate, and reorganize to include Studio Gang in there too. Jeanne has like 50+ employees in Chicago now.
Oh, forgot about them. I would create a new category for K&S and Gang... great boutique firms who got big.
also forgot about Jahn (formerly Murphy Jahn) they do good work also.
I love the inclusion of charlatans on your list!
That's disingenuous of you to label some as charlatans. Some of them are licensed and are actively building up their client list.
Nice list! Thank you. I think you may have offended someone ^
Let's keep it friendly now...we are civilized Chicagoans here. Gang, my Jeanne in a bottle. They definitely have breached into the realm of multi-city large firm status.
"some of them are licensed"... Agree, but some of them are making vapid Instagram architecture (I suppose you don't need a license for that) and distorting the public and students perceptions of what architects do...
Well, to play the devil's advocate for the so-called "charlatans", I don't see anything wrong with what they are doing. I think their work exists as a form of social criticism. I saw some of their work at the Chicago Architecture Biennial last year and it was pretty interesting. A lot of young architects within the instagram community use conceptual works as a way of communicating thought to a global community. Most students know very well what the practical side of architecture entails and this kind of work is an escape from that world while they are drawing kitchen details in revit.
Twobillionbeats,
What type of experience have you had prior? interior Renovations only?
Will not disclose this information on here in order to feed a troll. My experience is very unique and I have won a few things here and there.
Nice! I'm only asking because 90% of the firms working in NYC simply do Interior Renovation projects while most of the firms on archanonynmous's list are specializing in Ground-Up projects. However, if you worked for a starchitect in NYC, then go ahead and send a resume to AS+GG, SOM, JAHN, or GANG!
haha. Not a starchitect by any means, but I was at one of the above mentioned. I'm thinking much smaller these days...
I don't think I'd label some of those firms as charlatans. Sure, they're in the realm of installation pieces more than architecture, but it's a useful role in this city. Get something small that pushes the envelope built and people are more willing to take a risk.
I think your list is missing some smaller firms that do good work like Range, Canopy, Space (when they aren't working for a developer), Wrap, and others.
There is design in this city. It just gets beat back sometimes by developers, neighborhood organizations, and aldermen not willing to take risks. Unfortunately, the squeaky wheel (Loud AF neighbor/neighborhood organization that hates everything and won't shut the hell up and stop bothering the alderman until they get their way) gets the grease.
Totally! Range does great small work. Space and Wrap too... DSpace, vladamir radutny, some others... My list was not meant to be comprehensive
Range Canopy Space Wrap sounds like something you get at the food truck parked in front of the architecture faculty.
UrbanLab! they do great, fun work, and also build quite a bit- so not 'charlatans' as someone above said. Not sure if they ever hire anyone though. I also like Dan Wheeler and JGMA is okay too. Gang is maybe getting too big these days, and Ronan seems like a real piece of work. Just my 2 cents.
btw, you sound very arrogant in the way you talk about design firms in Chicago, so check yo self.
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