Studio Gang Architects

Based in Chicago and now with an office in New York City, Studio Gang Architects was founded by Jeanne Gang in 1997. Studio Gang’s award-winning work ranges in scale from urban plans to skyscrapers to neighborhood-based projects.

In 2003, the completion of the Bengt Sjostrom Starlight Theatre in Rockford, IL put Studio Gang on the map. Focused on improvements to the existing theater, the renovation included a retractable roof that opens to the sky in the shape of a star. Closely following this project, the firm designed two important community spaces in Chicago: the Chinese American Service League Kam Liu Center (2004) and the SOS Children’s Villages Lavezzorio Community Center (2008).

Studio Gang’s international recognition came in 2009 with the completion of Aqua Tower in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood. Aqua, an 82-stoy tower overlooking Millennium Park, broke from the traditional norms of skyscraper design. With balconies that vary in size and shape on each floor, Aqua has a sculptural dimension to its facade.

Shortly after the completion of Aqua, Jeanne Gang was named to the 2011 class of MacArthur Fellows (often referred to as the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award). She is also the recipient of numerous other awards and has taught at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Rice, Columbia and IIT.

Studio Gang’s large-scale projects, such as Northerly Island (2015), have given people relaxing nature-rich spots to take in vistas of the Chicago skyline. Meanwhile, the firm’s seemingly small-scale projects, such as their book Reverse Effect, provide Chicagoans with research-based solutions for problems facing the city such as water quality, flooding and access to community resources.

Upcoming Projects:

• Vista Tower (expected completion in 2019), a 95-story tower currently under construction in Chicago.
• Gilder Center (expected completion in 2020), an expansion to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
• The new U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil.