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Perkins&Will Chicago Studio

@perkinswill_chi

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What if a public restroom wasn’t just “necessary,” but inspiring?

The Pause Ideas Competition, led by Cultural Stadium’s Team Culture and hosted by Perkins&Will, asked participating teams from @daamprojects, @converge_architecture, @civicprojectsarchitecture, and @perkinswill to reimagine the public toilet as safe, dignified, and architecturally inspiring – elevating an everyday need into an experience of beauty, welcome, and belonging.

The competition kicked off with a two-week design sprint, followed by an in-person gathering where teams presented their ideas and received feedback from an invited panel of reviewers including Reed Kroloff (@iitarchitecture), Jill Snyder (Synder Consultancy), Julie Michiels (@mas.studio.chicago), and Michael Wood (@chiarchitecture).

The proposals explore a wide range of possibilities: a museum-like structure that makes the restroom a cultural destination or a deployable pod system that can work independently or connect as a modular kit of parts. Another focused on iconic expression as a beacon of light and color. Several ideas leaned into shared civic programming, pairing restroom facilities with everyday uses to create spaces that are practical, welcoming, and active. Across every proposal, the intent remained clear: elevate an everyday need into public infrastructure that prioritizes safety, dignity, and genuine comfort for everyone.

A huge thank you to the participating teams. Your creativity pushed the conversation forward and reminded us that public spaces deserve extraordinary design.

Learn more about The Pause and Chicago Cultural Stadium at the link in our bio.

#ideascompetition #chicagoarchitecture #publicarchitecture by @perkinswill_chi

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5 months ago

Standing room only at @chicagoarchitecturebiennial's (CAB) New Firm Roundtable. Presented by CAB and moderated by Mark Sexton, Krueck Sexton Partners, the roundtable brought together four Chicago-based practices: @daamprojects, @kwongvonglinow, @converge_architecture, and @yuacollab to speak directly about founding a firm today and building a practice under real conditions of production. by @perkinswill_chi

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8 months ago

DAAM is thrilled to announce that our project LYTE Lounge is a finalist for the @aiachicago Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice Award!! We are grateful to have had such amazing partners on this project - shout out @lytecollective, @bowaconstruction, Rockey Structures, Blake MEP and everyone else who helped LYTE Lounge come together 🌟

Join us at #Designight2025 on September 18th at the Harris Theater to see if we win!

Photo by @balloggphoto by @perkinswill_chi

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a year ago

Permission to snoop.

Guild Row is opening its doors for Open House Chicago, October 17–18.

We’re joining more than 200 sites across 30+ neighborhoods for the Chicago Architecture Center’s annual free architecture festival.

Come see what’s back here.

#ohc2026 @chiarchitecture by @perkinswill_chi

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22 days ago

The building was made with plans. Members have made the place.

Work here. Meet someone there. Move outside because the weather’s good. Order something. See someone you know. Lose forty-five minutes. Decide you might as well stay for dinner.

None of that appears on an architectural drawing, and all of it is core to what this building has become.

@guildrow co-founder and @daamprojects founding principal Elyse Agnello writes about what happens after the drawings are put away in the latest Notes from Elyse & Jim.

We’re resending #Sunday. Newsletter signup at the link in bio. taken in Guild Row by @perkinswill_chi

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2 months ago

Burnham Prize 2026: The Future of State:

Last week, a group of our jurors walked State Street together, observing, discussing, and reflecting on its past, present, and future. We asked them: "What assumptions about State Street do you hope competitors will challenge?"

Swipe through to hear their thoughts!

#BurnhamPrize #FutureofState #ChicagoArchitecturalClub #competition #Chicago #StateStreet taken in Chicago, Illinois by @perkinswill_chi

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4 months ago

Before Guild Row was a space, it was a question.

Elyse Agnello—co-founder of Guild Row and principal at @daamprojects—has built her work around how rooms influence behavior, attention, and use.

Her participation in the @chicagoarchitecturebiennial’s New Firm Roundtable places that thinking inside a broader conversation about where architecture is headed next.

Chicago Architecture Biennial, New Firm Roundtable. Free tickets in bio.
——
Image courtesy of Murmur Ring (@mur.mur.ring) / Dylan Chandler (@dylanfchandler) taken in Guild Row by @perkinswill_chi

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9 months ago

It's been a good DAAM year.

Big ideas, built work, hands-on design, new partnerships, and a community we're grateful for everyday.

Onward.

#dotheDAAMthing by @perkinswill_chi

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9 months ago

Proud to see a recently completed project named one of @modernluxury 's top new restaurants in Chicago! If you’re looking for a new spot, check out @littlelarkchicago for handcrafted furniture, cozy vibes and some DAAM good pizza 🍕
📸Slide 4: @livefirecook taken in Guild Row by @perkinswill_chi

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a year ago

Congrats to all the awardees and honorees from this past week's AIA Chicago Designight 2025 at the Harris Theater! Proud to have DAAM's LYTE Lounge project take home a Citation of Merit in the Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice category 🌟

Many thanks to our partners @lytecollective and @bowaconstruction who helped make this project happen! by @perkinswill_chi

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a year ago

last week we celebrated DAAM summer intern Elliot's final day! He's been working hard alongside Elyse, Nash, Jim and the rest of the crew to get @littlelarkchicago up and running. We wish him an awesome year at @umich.taubmancollege Ⓜ️ by @perkinswill_chi

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a year ago

Shots from this year's @exhibitcolumbus. A lovely (humid) weekend ☀

#exhibitcolumbus #landmarkcolumbusfoundation by @perkinswill_chi

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a year ago