Borrowing from Chicago’s rich art and architectural history, 
the design concept echoes forms found in the city’s 
skyscraper window vernacular and iconic sculptures. The 
design of the feature rug inset within the reception and 
conference center is a visual metaphor of the city’s river 
that runs through downtown. Its ripples radiate outwards 
from the reception towards the view capturing Chicago’s 
skyline and surrounding Great Lakes.
The practice area is sequestered from the conference 
center, centralizing support staff at the east and west arcs 
of the elliptical-shaped building. The work wall that defined 
the existing private offices along the building’s perimeter 
was replaced with a glass store-front system. The new 
glazing wall was installed two feet inside of the old wall to 
reduce the “dead space” in each office and expand the 
common corridor, creating a more open environment and 
allowing more natural sunlight to pierce deeper into the 
core of the building.