Project Description
Brininstool + Lynch first designed this 7,500-square foot, three-story building in 2001 for a group of theoretical physicists. B + L removed the front of the humble 1920s brick- and-concrete building and replaced it with a beautifully detailed steel-and-glass façade, and completely renovated the interior. When it was finished, this project received a Distinguished Building Honor Award and an Interior Architecture Honor Award from AIA Chicago in 2001 and was featured in Interior Design magazine.
The building became available in late 2012, just as Brininstool + Lynch was looking for new office space. The firm built out its studios on the top two floors, allowing it to expand to an architectural staff of thirty-three. A soffit floats above the studio from one end of the building to the other, providing a concealed space for mechanical equipment and lighting. Millwork volumes separate workspaces from conference rooms, and translucent glass provides privacy where desired while still admitting light. Motorized shades control solar heat gain, and acoustical wall panels and carpet tiles help control sound within the space.
B + L will soon complete work on the first floor to house its “design lab,” with workshop facilities and equipment for modeling and materials investigation, as well as an “experience” space to be used for project charettes, multi-media presentations and research projects.