Steven M. Nilles, FAIA, LEED AP; James E. Prendergast, FAIA, LEED AP; and Leonard Koroski, FAIA, LEED AP, have all been elected to the distinguished College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. All three are senior leaders at architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) and represent half of the six Chicago-based architects that were elevated this year, out of a total of 105 nationwide.
- Steven M. Nilles, FAIA, LEED AP, is the partner in charge of the firm’s Abu Dhabi office, leading the firm’s activities in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf States. Nilles specializes in the technical design of high-rise buildings that integrate advanced engineering concepts, innovative use of materials, and sustainable design strategies. He has worked on projects throughout the U.S. as well as in China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Nilles holds a professional Bachelor of Science degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame.
- James E. Prendergast, FAIA, LEED AP, is the partner who leads the interior architecture practice, specializing in the strategic planning and design of workplace environments. He has served some of the world’s leading companies and forward-thinking clients, providing intelligent solutions. Prendergast frequently presents at client and professional forums, and lectures as part of university curriculums on design and its impact on client culture and performance. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Cincinnati.
- Leonard Koroski, FAIA, LEED AP, is a principal in the firm and a senior project architect, with expertise in the renovation, preservation, repositioning and adaptive reuse of older buildings. His work spans a range of building eras and styles. Koroski has also held key volunteer roles in the American Institute of Architects, serving as the president of AIA Illinois, a member of the AIA national board of directors, and co-chair of the AIA national Committee on the Environment. Koroski received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
The Fellowship program recognizes architects who have made a significant contribution to the profession and to society and who have achieved a standard of excellence. Out of a total AIA membership of more than 80,000, there are just over 3,000 members distinguished with this honor.
The Investiture of Fellows Ceremony takes place May 17 at the AIA 2012 National Convention and Design Exposition in Washington, D.C. BD+C
Related Stories
| Mar 30, 2011
China's low-carbon future city
In 2005, the Chinese government announced its target to reduce energy consumption per GDP unit by 20% by the year 2010. After a multi-billion investment, that target has been reached. The Chinese Climate Protection Program’s goal to increase energy efficiency, develop renewable energies, and promote energy savings while reducing pollutant emissions and strengthening environmental protection is reflected in the “Future City” by SBA Design.
| Mar 30, 2011
Is the AEC industry at risk of losing its next generation leaders without better mentoring?
After two or three horrifying years for the AEC industry, we are finally seeing the makings of a turnaround. However, data developed by Kermit Baker as part of the AIA Work-on-the-Boards survey program indicates that between 17% and 22% of design firms are eliminating positions for interns and staff with less than six years of experience. This data suggests the industry is at risk of losing a large segment of its next generation of leaders if something isn't done to improve mentoring across the profession.
| Mar 29, 2011
City's design, transit system can ease gas costs
Some cities in the U.S. are better positioned to deal with rising gas prices than others because of their design and transit systems, according to CEOs for Cities, a Chicago-based nonprofit that works to build stronger cities. The key factor: whether residents have to drive everywhere, or have other options.
| Mar 29, 2011
Chicago’s Willis Tower to become a vertical solar farm
Chicago’s iconic Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is set to become a massive solar electric plant with the installation of a pilot solar electric glass project.
| Mar 29, 2011
Read up on Amazon.com's new green HQ
Phase IV of Amazon’s new headquarters in Seattle is nearly complete. The company has built 10 of the 11 buildings planned for its new campus in the South Lake Union neighborhood, and is on-track for a 2013 grand opening.
| Mar 29, 2011
Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura wins Pritzker Architecture Prize
Portugese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, whose precisely-honed buildings reflect the influence of the late Chicago modernist Mies van der Rohe, is the 2011 winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the field's highest honor.
| Mar 25, 2011
Qatar World Cup may feature carbon-fiber ‘clouds’
Engineers at Qatar University’s Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering are busy developing what they believe could act as artificial “clouds,” man-made saucer-type structures suspended over a given soccer stadium, working to shield tens of thousands of spectators from suffocating summer temperatures that regularly top 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
| Mar 23, 2011
AIA adds 13 new contract documents to Documents-on-Demand service
Web-based solution adds 13 popular Architect’s Scope of Services Documents to AIA Documents-on-Demand, providing easy access to documents anytime, anywhere.
| Mar 23, 2011
After 60 years of student lobbying, new activity center opens at University of Texas
The new Student Activity Center at the University of Texas campus, Austin, is the result of almost 60 years of students lobbying for another dedicated social and cultural center on campus. The 149,000-sf facility is designed to serve as the "campus living room," and should earn a LEED Gold certification, a first for the campus.