bKL Architecture is an architecture practice in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

, United States, founded in 2010 by Thomas Kerwin with the support of James Loewenberg. Practicing primarily in the United States and China, the office has locations in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Washington DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, and

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

, China.

Overview

bKL Architecture has completed numerous projects in Chicago, including the award-winning GEMS Lower School, a 10-story, 83,000-square-foot flagship school. Additionally, the firm has completed the award-winning residential high-rise tower, Coast at Lakeshore East, a 515-unit residential building with retail and amenity space located on

Wacker Drive Wacker Drive is a major multilevel street in Chicago, Illinois, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River in the Loop.Hayner, Don and Tom McNamee, ''Streetwise Chicago'', "Wacker D ...

Honors and awards

Engineering News-Record ''Engineering News-Record'' (widely known as ''ENR'') is an American weekly magazine that provides news, analysis, data and opinion for the construction industry worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the construction industry's most authorita ...

Midwest Award of Merit K-12 Education,

GEMS World Academy-Chicago GEMS Education, founded as Global Education Management Systems (GEMS), is an Indian Emirati-based education company. It is a global advisory and educational management firm, and is the largest operator of kindergarten-to-grade-12 schools in th ...

Lower School *International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Illinois Chapter RED Award,

Lower School *

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

(AIA) Chicago Firm of the Year Award 2020

Selected projects

Residential

* Coast at Lakeshore East,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, completed 2013. **The building is known for its minimal glass exterior facade with continuous balconies along the north and south faces of the building. The exterior glass is composed of clear, translucent and fritted glass panels to establish an elegant facade with views towards downtown Chicago and

Millennium Park Millennium Park is a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago, operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. The park, opened in 2004 and intended to celebrate the third millennium, is a prominent civic center nea ...

. *Wolf Point West Chicago,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, completed 2016. **The 510-unit residential building is a high-rise building located on

Wolf Point, Chicago Wolf Point is the location at the confluence of the North, South and Main Branches of the Chicago River in the present day Near North Side, Chicago, Near North Side, Loop, Chicago, Loop, and Near West Side, Chicago, Near West Side Community area ...

and is one of three proposed buildings from

Pelli Clarke Pelli Pelli is the surname of: * Arttu Pelli (born 1996), Finnish ice hockey * César Pelli (1926–2019), Argentine architect * Denis Pelli (born 1954), Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University * Fulvio Pelli (born 1951), Sw ...

's masterplan. The project is a joint venture development from Magellan Development Group and

Hines Interests Limited Partnership Hines Interests Limited Partnership is a privately held company that invests in and develops real estate. The company has developed, redeveloped or acquired 1,450 properties, comprising over 485 million square feet. The company currently manage ...

Commercial

*645 West Madison,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, designed 2014. **The 19-story building, proposed on a site west of the

Chicago Loop The Loop, one of Chicago's 77 designated community areas, is the central business district of the city and is the main section of Downtown Chicago. Home to Chicago's commercial core, it is the second largest commercial business district in Nort ...

, features precast concrete construction that establishes a rational grid on the building facade.

Cultural/institutional

Lower School,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, completed 2014. **The GEMS Lower School, located in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Lakeshore East Lakeshore East is a master-planned mixed use urban development being built by the Magellan Development Group in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located in the northeastern part of the Loop, wh ...

is a 10-story building with approximately 83,000 square feet of space. The building's vibrant facade features bold splashes of

primary color A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a ...

s and the lively color palette continues on the interior.

References

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External links

bKL Architecture websitebKL Architecture Chinese website
Architecture firms based in Chicago