With Dirk Denison Architects and Gilbane Building Company, the Illinois Institute of Technology has recently completed a $70 million housing project that has restored three Ludwig Mies van der Rohe buildings. With the completion of the Carman Hall residential facility, the three-building project has renewed Illinois Tech’s front door as it prepares for its highest recorded enrollment numbers—more than 25% higher than last year.
Located at the campus entryway and offering views of the Chicago skyline, all three buildings were designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of modernist architecture. Historic preservation was a top priority for the project, along with ensuring energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Dirk Denison, the project’s lead architect, is also an architecture professor at Illinois Tech. His students regularly visited the job sites for a hands-on, up-close learning experience—aligning with the school’s philosophy around learning by creating. Denison’s firm includes five Illinois Tech alumni, and two recent graduates who studied under Denison now work full-time at Gilbane. Founded in 1870, Gilbane provides comprehensive construction and facilities-related services and has more than 45 office locations worldwide.
“It was rewarding for students to have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills as part of this iconic project located on their campus,” Denison, founding principal of Dirk Denison Architects and professor and MCHAP Director at Illinois Tech, said in a statement. “It’s particularly gratifying to help deliver projects that acknowledge the timeless quality of modernist architecture and the value of preserving them. IIT has a respectful commitment to its Mies legacy and has led the way to recognize the original intent of the buildings by bringing them back to life through thoughtful reuse and sustainable strategies.”
On the Building Team:
Owner and developer: Illinois Institute of Technology
Architect: Dirk Denison Architects
Mechanical: State Mechanical Services, LLC
Electrical: Gurtz
Plumbing: The Hill Group
Structural engineer: Matrix Engineering Corp.
General contractor/construction manager: Gilbane Building Company
Related Stories
Contractors | Apr 11, 2019
The construction industry has a problem, and women are going to solve it
Women currently comprise 9% of the construction industry. Here’s how we will change this to solve one of the industry’s most pressing issues.
Building Tech | Apr 8, 2019
Factory-based construction with no siloes starts with a single source of truth
Working from a single source of truth means every factor of design, procurement, manufacturing, and assembly will be accounted for before the assembly line is turned on.
Contractors | Apr 8, 2019
Employers at risk when using construction equipment not sized for women
As more women enter male-dominated fields, gear supply has not kept up with demand.
Mixed-Use | Apr 7, 2019
Chicago-area joint venture antes up $1 billion for Opportunity Zone development investment
Decennial Group says it’s looking at 250 potential projects, primarily in America’s heartland and rural areas.
AEC Tech | Jan 9, 2019
Our robotic future: Assessing AI's impact on the AEC profession and the built environment
This is the first in a series by Lance Hosey, FAIA, on how automation is disrupting design and construction.
Great Solutions | Jan 2, 2019
Net zero construction trailer brings health and wellness to the jobsite
As AEC firms scramble to upgrade their offices to maximize occupant wellness and productivity, Pepper Construction asks, What about the jobsite office?
Building Owners | Dec 18, 2018
More-frequent catastrophes are exposing commercial real estate and properties to potentially higher insurance rates
A new report on the property and casualty market foresees modest rate hikes for construction projects.
Building Technology | Dec 18, 2018
Data and analytics are becoming essential for EC firms competing to rebuild America’s infrastructure
A new paper from Deloitte Consulting advises companies to revise their strategies with an eye toward leveraging advanced technologies.
3D Printing | Dec 7, 2018
Additive manufacturing heads to the jobsite
Prototype mobile 3D printing shop aims to identify additive manufacturing applications for construction jobsites.
Contractors | Oct 26, 2018
How three contractors expanded thin profit margins
If there’s one issue that every contractor is familiar with, it’s the challenge of finishing the job on time and on budget.
