By Rick Young,��AIA, LEED AP��

The Crow Island School in Winnetka, Illinois was designed and built in 1940, by a team of architects including Larry Perkins (of Perkins, Wheeler & Will) and Eliel and Eero Saarinen. The first project of what would later become��Perkins&Will, Larry Perkins��rooted��the design in the progressive educational principles that would become a model for school design in the modern era. He achieved this through extensive classroom observation and with the support of the school’s superintendent and education reformer, Carleton W. Washburne. The resulting school is a piece of living, breathing history which earned immediate recognition. The American Institute of Architects named it the most advanced elementary school in the country upon opening, later awarding the project its prestigious Twenty-Five Year Award in 1971—and led to the school’s designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1990.����

The classroom layout, considered a monumental step forward in education at the time of construction, is still used as inspiration for today’s contemporary classrooms. With the completion of construction in 2025, architects��Perkins&Will, along with Bulley & Andrews Construction,��finalized��a multi-year expansion and renovation of Crow Island School. The project was designed to respect the past and serve as a seamless extension of the existing school, proving that thoughtful design can honor a historic legacy while meeting modern construction standards.��

Extending the Campus While Preserving Scale��

The project’s addition grows from this history. A key��early decision��was to connect the expansion of the new gym and classrooms to the 1954 addition. The new addition matches the roof heights of the existing four wings,��maintaining��the low profile and horizontal massing. New classrooms��utilize��the same L shape, allowing for a primary instruction area and separate work area. The iconic wood paneled walls in the original 1940 building and 1954 addition continue into the 2025��addition,��giving the interior warmth. Entrances to the new classrooms emulate the 1954 addition with display cases at the entries with expanded clearances for accessibility.��

Recreating Chicago Common Brick��

The new��addition’s��exterior is an extension of the existing 1954 façade in detail, profiles, and materials. One of the many challenges the design team faced was matching the existing brick. Both the original 1940 building and the 1954 addition were constructed of Chicago Common brick, which differs in size and production techniques from modern ASTM tested brick. Historic Chicago Common brick��measures��8-1/2” when stacked 3 courses tall rather than 8″ for modern brick. Chicago Common brick was extruded and cut horizontally, which leads it to having very particular texture on its end faces, and the varying particulates in the clay give the bricks a distinctive non-homogeneous coloring. A great deal of time and energy was invested into finding a suitable contemporary brick that would match the color, texture, and general feel of the existing Chicago Common, resulting in a harmonious transition from the existing building to the new addition.����

Modern Performance Within Historic Constraints��

In 2003 the single pane windows throughout the building were replaced with steel framed insulated glazed windows. The team explored duplicating those steel��windows;��however, they could not meet current energy performance requirements. While thermally broken steel windows options are available, they were also prohibitively expensive. After many iterations with the design team, consultants, and the client, the team settled on an attractive combination of thermally broken storefront and aluminum windows, giving the same effect as the existing steel windows, but with improved performance to meet current energy standards at a fraction of the cost.����

Another key element of the renovations included adding air conditioning throughout the historic building. Through extensive investigation of the existing building, the design team was able to thoughtfully coordinate routing of new hydronic piping and condensate lines with minimal impact on��the existing��spaces. Where work was performed in the existing 1940 and 1954 wings, the construction team went to great measures to carefully remove, salvage, and reinstall the old growth wood wall paneling. Similarly, new security systems were installed throughout the facility. New cross-corridor doors were added to isolate sections of the building in��the case��of a lockdown. These interventions were carefully detailed and executed to minimize the visual impact��apparent��to its occupants.����

Building Consensus Around a Landmark��

Given the sensitivity for this beloved school, all visual impacts to this historic facility were carefully analyzed, graphically represented, and shared with the School District, Board of Education, local Stewardship Group, as well as the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office. At every stage, the design team shared not only the proposed solution, but also the rigorous investigation exploring every option leading to that point. It was through this effort that made all these invested voices feel like a genuine part of the process and allowed the team to build consensus around the best solutions to meet the modern needs of this operational school while honoring its historic legacy.��

Rick Young, AIA, LEED AP, is Senior Project Manager and Associate Principal with��Perkins&Will.��

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By Neall Digert, Ph.D., MIES ��

Developing athletic facilities in dense, urban environments can present a unique set of challenges. While these types of projects are often constrained by surrounding development and environmental barriers, design teams are still expected to deliver safe, high-performance spaces that support rigorous activities. At the same time, designs must anticipate the realities of climate change by embedding resilience and sustainability at every level.��

Columbia University’s Philip & Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center stands as a model of resilient design, demonstrating how to successfully overcome these challenges. Perched on the northern tip of Manhattan between the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, the state-of-the-art facility employs a vertical building strategy, advanced daylighting solutions and flood-resilient design concepts to create one of the most forward-thinking collegiate athletic centers in the country.����

This project also reflects broader industry trends: . With showing that 88% of metropolitan areas gained population between 2023 and 2024, and the projecting increasingly severe storms from climate change, the importance of space-conscious, adaptive design will only continue to rise.��

Meeting the Urban Challenge��

When Perkins&Will set out to design the Milstein Family Tennis Center, the firm faced the dual challenge of replacing an aging structure within Columbia University’s Baker Athletics Complex while also reflecting the institution’s commitment to resilient, high-performance design. Given the site’s proximity to two major waterways in one of the nation’s most densely populated areas, the project required a facility that met NCAA standards with six indoor and six outdoor courts, plus training areas, locker rooms and social spaces.��

Adding to the complexity, the building had to maintain strong visual and physical connections to the surrounding park and waterfront, despite the site’s vulnerability to flooding.��

“The motto for this project was fitness for all, and our team needed to create both a functional athletic facility and a community space within a constrained footprint, on land that has narrowly escaped severe flooding in the past and faces ongoing risk in the future,” said Stephen Sefton, Design Director, Principal, Perkins&Will.��

Building Up, Not Out��

To surmount the site’s restrictions, the design team implemented a vertical building strategy: elevating six indoor courts above the 100-year floodplain surrounded by resilient support areas with six more courts stacked above on the roof, with six more on the roof. This tiered design supported spatial and functional needs without compromising the surrounding landscape.������

By building vertically, Perkins&Will was able to incorporate social gathering areas and training amenities while also creating opportunities for more strategic integration of daylighting features and view corridors.��

Harnessing Natural Daylight��

Daylighting was a central design driver for the Milstein Family Tennis Center. To enhance visibility, comfort and energy efficiency, the design team specified Kingspan Light + Air’s with Verti-Lite grid pattern and integrated windows for the indoor courts. The translucent panels allow for abundant, diffused natural daylight while minimizing glare and thermal hotspots, key factors in .����

“Natural daylight was essential for this project, not only to reduce reliance on electric lighting, but to create an environment where athletes can perform at their best,” Sefton continued. “The UniGrid system gave us the ability to balance soft, even daylight with clear sightlines, ensuring the space feels bright, comfortable and connected to its surroundings.”��

Research continues to validate these benefits. from the Lighting Research Center demonstrate that exposure to daylight influences serotonin levels and alertness, helping reduce fatigue and sharpen cognitive performance, critical in high-intensity environments such as athletic training and competition. Similarly, a peer-reviewed published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that workers with greater exposure to daylight reported higher vitality, better sleep quality and longer rest duration than those in windowless spaces. In athletic facilities, these findings reinforce the role of daylighting as a performance strategy, supporting sharper concentration, faster reaction times and improved overall well-being.��

Framed windows integrated into the translucent wall system build on this approach by introducing curated views of the Hudson and Harlem rivers. The façade’s vertical rhythm of metal fins and white cladding references Manhattan’s maritime and industrial heritage while delivering a clean, contemporary aesthetic.��

Read the full article, including more on designing for resilience and efficiency, in the .

Neall Digert, Ph.D., MIES, is Vice President, Innovation and Market Development, for Kingspan Light + Air North America.��

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EVANSTON, Ill. — Construction on Northwestern University’s Ryan Field, the $850 million project that will become the most expensive college football stadium in history, resumed earlier this month with metal decking and steel erection work underway. The new 35,000-seat facility will replace the original Ryan Field, built in 1926, and aims to deliver a world-class experience with premier seating, modern amenities and advanced technology. ��

The project is being completed by the joint venture of national construction firm Turner Construction and Chicago-based The Walsh Group, with design work by national firm HNTB Chicago-based firm Perkins&Will. The firm site design group, ltd., also based in Chicago, joins the Chicago and Madison civil engineering teams of SmithGroup on the design team. ��

Approved by the Evanston City Council in November 2023, groundwork began in February 2024 with the demolition of the original Ryan Field. The last piece of the original stadium, a press box, was removed in May, and a groundbreaking ceremony followed in June 2024.��

Inspired by NFL stadiums and English Premier League stadiums, Ryan Field will feature enhanced sightlines and a state-of-the-art canopy to improve light and sound for an immersive fan experience. Despite its reduced seating capacity — down 30% from the original — the stadium’s footprint will expand by 78%, covering 125,000 square feet. Surrounding the stadium, community green spaces, plazas and parks are planned for use in entertainment, dining and events.��

The design adheres to Universal Design Standards, ensuring accessibility for all visitors and meeting American Disability Act (ADA) requirements. Sustainability is a priority as well. More than 99% of materials from the original stadium will be recycled and repurposed, and the university is working toward LEED Gold certification.��

Northwestern University has pledged to allocate 35% of project contracts to minority-owned, woman-owned and local Evanston businesses, with $133 million already awarded. Local businesses, including Ozinga, Continental Electric and Illinois Masonry Corporation, have received $27 million so far, with the total expected to reach $200 million in contract awards to minority and women-owned business.��

Economic benefits are also anticipated, with the project expected to generate $659 million in economic impact for Evanston, $1.5 million in indirect tax revenue and more than 2,900 construction-related jobs.��

“We are extremely proud of the strong partnerships we have forged so far,” said Dave Davis, Northwestern University’s executive director of Neighborhood and Community Relations, in a statement. “We are encouraged to see that this generational investment is already having a meaningful and positive impact, and we look forward to seeing all we can accomplish through these partnerships.”��

The stadium is slated to be complete in 2026. ��

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MIAMI—International development and construction firm Skanska has completed work on the Arts and Innovation Center building for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School, located in the Coconut Grove section of Miami.

The project entailed work on educational space that will increase the school’s ability to teach more courses in the sciences, arts, math and even technology. The project was designed by recognized architecture firm Perkins + Will.

The builder fashioned gathering rooms, classrooms and various breakout rooms for the 23,000-square-foot Arts and Innovation Center.�� The project also entailed adding an open-air stage for performances as well as upgrades to the school’s parking lot and landscaping.

In addition to the renovation of the existing structure, Skanska also provided construction management for the necessary demolition of two structures previously at the site that needed to come down.�� Skanska worked closely with school personnel to ensure that the disruptions to classes would be kept to an absolute minimum.�� In addition, safety barriers were maintained in case students were perhaps tempted to wander onto the jobsite.

“Not only was the project site situated directly in the middle of the school’s campus, but it also remained fully operational, with the project team attempting to cause as little disruption as possible for the day-to-day activities of students, faculty, and staff,” said Frank Longo, vice president and project executive for Skanska USA.

Michael C. Brown, executive vice president and general manager for Skanska Florida building operations, added that the additions and renovations to St. Stephen will allow students to learn in an updated environment as the notion of what schooling is has continued to evolve, especially in the era of covid-19.

“With a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics, or STEAM, educational programs, the school is preparing students for a bright academic future,” said Brown.�� “At Skanska, we’re proud of our role in bringing this project to life that will help foster the next generation.”

Another phase to the project, currently on hold, will involve the school’s 3,700-square-foot Ministry Building, where plans are to build out administrative space, storage areas, classrooms, a kitchen and a reception area.

Though headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Skanska’s American operations, based in New York, entail a significant presence in the South Florida area.�� Other current educational projects in the region for Skanska include the University of Miami’s Knight Recital Hall and its Frost Institute of Chemistry and Molecular Science in Coral Gables.

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DALLAS, Texas—McCarthy Building Companies is currently working on the Collin College Technical Campus in Dallas, Texas, a 360,000-square-foot facility that specializes in a high-demand technical workforce education.

With a completion date slated for August 2020, the new $142-million project will feature a 42,000-square-foot shared classroom and dual credit building for Allen ISD, a 151,000-square-foot academic building for classrooms, administration, common spaces and student services, in addition to a 23,700-square-foot conference building housing meeting rooms and a full conference center.

The campus will also include a 177,646-square-foot trade building for technical and trade classrooms including open lab spaces, mechanical electrical and plumbing shops, welding shops, auto shops, carpentry shops as well as campus support areas. In addition, the campus will include an underground parking garage for approximately 600 cars.

McCarthy is self-preforming concrete—30,000 cubic yards of concrete and almost all exposed and cast-in-place tilt walls. Utilizing an innovative building technique, the trade buildings required a crane to lift/put walls in place. McCarthy had to use post shores—which had never been done before—to support the slab the crane was working on to put walls in place.

“One of the most difficult challenges on the project was developing and executing a plan to walk a 250-ton crane weighing over 500,000 lbs. on top of an elevated deck to erect tilt wall panels for the exterior of the building,” said McCarthy Senior Project Manager Matt Schrodel.

“It was a team effort and took multiple iterations of engineering and planning to come up with the design to execute the operation in a safe and successful manner. Over 10,000 reshores were required to support the structural deck during the erection process.

Perkins+ Will is the architect on this impressive project.

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KENT, Ohio — The Kent State University Board of Trustees approved a $3.2 million contract with Akron’s Signet Real Estate Group to lead the design phase for the new home for the College of Business Administration, a marquee building that is proposed to anchor the first phase of the Kent Gateway Plan.

The project is part of the university’s “Gateway to a Distinctive Kent State” $1.2 billion master plan to transform the Kent campus over 10 years. The new College of Business Administration building is proposed to anchor in the transformation of the Front Campus along East Main Street, which will include a signature gateway to the university, additional green spaces and a new parking deck.

“Our College of Business Administration is currently in a building that is really limiting their ability to deliver the programming they want,” said Michael Bruder, executive director for facilities, planning, and design at Kent State.

Bruder said that the current building has instructionally-fixed, tiered-seat lecture halls that make it difficult for students to do group work. He said that the new building would include flexible rooms for project-based learning and group work, and will also have a mock trading floor for students.

Also included in the new building’s design is a sort of Main Street of centers for various aspects of study within the College of Business Administration that will be lined up in the center of the building in order to highlight students’ research work, according to Bruder.

“There is a lot of causal social space for students to interact with each other,” said Bruder. “We will also be able to engage the rest of the campus in the downtown area of our city in ways that will be transformative.”

At its Sept. 12 meeting, Kent State’s Board of Trustees approved the $3.2 million contract toward the design phase of the project that is set to begin immediately and culminate in the summer of 2019.

In addition to study and gathering spaces, and common areas that will encourage greater collaboration among students, faculty, staff and business leaders, the proposed building also includes a variety of classroom and learning laboratories, and faculty and administrative offices. The new building is said to potentially model the type of learning environment that best supports students who will become the business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future.

“We are excited for the opportunity to create a new, iconic College of Business Administration building that will create a collaborative learning environment for business students from all over the world,” said Kevin Belt, vice president of development at Signet.��“Kent State’s use of a P4 [public-private partnership plus philanthropy] approach to developing the project provides a creative development solution not previously utilized for a building of this type.”

Signet was chosen from four finalists as offering a vision with the best overall value and most cost-effective approach for completing the project.

The Akron-based firm has assembled a team to assist in the delivery of the new College of Business that includes a design team of Perkins + Will and The Collaborative Inc., a construction team of Turner Construction and Ozanne Construction, and an engineer team of Scheeser Buckley Mayfield, Barber Hoffman and CESO.

“The innovative design presented by the Signet team appropriately reflects the success and pride of the college and its alumni, by creating an environment that emphasizes forward-thinking, educational best practices to prepare students for business careers of the future,” said Dr. Deborah F. Spake, dean of Kent State’s��College of Business Administration.

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