New University of Illinois Housing Project Aims for LEED Silver Certification

Buildings in Cottleville, Mo., and Milwaukee win design awards, while a Chicago fi rm designs a 5-star hotel for Saudi Arabia

4240 Architecture and KSQ Architects Start Work on New Student Housing for University of Illinois

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has hired the team of 4240 Architecture and KSQ Architects to improve upon the new housing standards developed for Ikenberry Commons.

The new housing facility is the third phase of the university’s ongoing housing redevelopment plan. Plans for the 99,000-sq-ft building call for more than 340 beds, adjustments in the originally designed massing, revised internal communal spaces, and designs that address students’ preferences for double occupancy, semi-private bathrooms, and air-conditioned living environments.

This new residence hall will also be designed to integrate students with severe physical disabilities.

Joining 4240 is KSQ Architects, a design firm with residence-hall experience on campuses around the nation. The consulting team also includes Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, KJWW Engineering (mep engineering), Matrix Engineering (structural engineering), Terra Engineering (civil), LCM Architects (universal design/accessibility consulting), Lerch Bates (elevator consulting) and Construction Cost Systems (cost estimating).

The design team will incorporate sustainable design principles and features into the building with the goal of achieving LEED Silver certification from the USGBC. Completion of the project is expected in summer 2012.

Cottleville City Hall Wins 2009 Excellence Award

The recently completed City Hall in Cottleville, Mo., has won a 2009 Excellence Award for design and construction from St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate (CNR) magazine in the “Public Building” category. Paric Corp., O’Fallon, Mo., was the project’ construction manager.

The Cottleville facility, a $5.3-million, 15,888-sq-ft city hall and police station in suburban St. Louis, features a sustainable “green” design, a first for a municipality in St. Charles County, and one of the first in the St. Louis metro area. The LEED-certified project incorporated many environmentally responsible elements, including energy-efficient glass; an efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system; and recycling of construction waste.

Paric partnered with Kostecki Architects and C. Rallo Contracting on the project.

Two HGA Projects Receive Mayor’s Design Awards in Milwaukee

HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA), Milwaukee, has received two Mayor’s Design Awards for contributing to the city’s urban landscape.

The two winning projects are the Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee, and the Keller Building, 2445-2447 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee.

Harley-Davidson Museum—HGA worked with design architect Pentagram Architects of New York, N.Y., to showcase the history of Harley-Davidson. Adjacent to downtown Milwaukee, the 130,000-sq-ft museum transforms an underused 20-acre site into a tourist destination, simultaneously serving as a catalyst for the redevelopment of the Menomonee River Valley and as a gateway to the Walker’s Point neighborhood.

The complex includes a 60,000-sq-ft museum for permanent exhibits, a 45,000-sq-ft Annex for temporary exhibits and archives, and a 25,000-sq-ft building housing a restaurant, retail space and special-event space. The unique design introduces an exoskeleton that projects an industrial character inspired by factories, architectural forms and materials found in manufacturing facilities.

The Keller Building—Built on a triangular corner lot for a neighborhood dental practice, the 7,200-sq-ft, two-story Keller Building serves as a gateway for the emerging North Avenue Business District. Through scale and site sensitivity, the building blends comfortably with the neighborhood’s residential character to offer a vital street presence. The design features abundant natural light, wood finishes and numerous sustainable and energy-efficient design innovations.

Sponsored by the City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, the Mayor’s Design Awards acknowledge exceptional urban design in Milwaukee.

The Keller Building and Harley-Davidson Museum were among 30 Milwaukee projects recognized.

Goettsch Partners Designs Five-Star Hotel for Saudi Arabia

Goettsch Partners, Chicago, has been commissioned by Saudi Oger Ltd. to design a new five-star, 214-key business hotel in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This $130-million, 17-story hotel will be part of the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Rendering courtesy of Goettsch Partners)

Under a design-build assignment, Saudi Oger is serving as the contractor, selected by developer Rayadah Investment Company. The project will sit on one of the first 10 parcels currently under development in the massive new master-planned district. The building comprises a 17-story tower, a three-story podium, and a four-story underground structure for hotel support functions and parking.

It will be operated as a Wyndham property and will include a business center, executive club, signature restaurants, a lounge, and a resort-style spa and health club.

Formally announced in 2006, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) covers nearly 400 acres and will include more than 32 million sq ft of development at full build-out. The district will be a major financial center in the Middle East and is conceived as part of Riyadh’s overall economic diversification plan.

The hotel is designed as a prism-shaped tower with a nine-story opening that separates programmatic functions and allows for views and light to penetrate the mass of the building. The podium structure houses the hotel amenities and conference facilities and links the building to its surroundings at the pedestrian level. The podium incorporates a multipurpose hall, restaurants, a spa, outdoor gardens and a rooftop terrace.

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Relaunches FacadeOrdinance.com

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Northbrook, Ill., has relaunched the redesigned Web site www.facadeordinance.com, which offers general information about city facade ordinances throughout the United States. Among the cities covered by the site are Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.

The site is designed to accommodate the needs of building owners, engineers, architects, and general contractors.