Unity Temple, Loop CTA station win awards
The restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple in Oak Park and a Loop elevated station that serves as a gateway to Millennium Park were among the winners Friday when the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects presented its annual design excellence awards.
Six projects received the highest form of recognition, an honor award, in the distinguished building category.
They included the restoration of Unity Temple, by Harboe Architects; the Washington/Wabash CTA station, by EXP; and the University of Chicago’s North Residential Commons, by Studio Gang.
Other distinguished building honor award winners were the West Loop’s Plumbers Local 130 Training Center, by Gensler; the Lycee Francais de Chicago, located in Lincoln Square, by STL Architects; and the Legacy Charter School in North Lawndale, by Lothan Van Hook DeStefano Architecture. Awards were presented in three other categories: interior architecture, unbuilt designs and “divine detail,” which recognizes a particular aspect of a project.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s Optimo Hat Factory, which involved the renovation of a decommissioned South Side firehouse, won an honor award in interior architecture.
Chicago architect Peter Landon, a leader in affordable housing design, was recognized with a lifetime achievement award.