Studio Gang Architects is founded and led by Jeanna Gang, is an architectural and urban design studio. The studio operates from Chicago, with offices in New York, San Francisco and Paris. The studio is known for its works on material research and experimentation, collaboration across a wide range of disciplines and focus on sustainability.
The firm works on different projects scaling from 82 storey Aqua Tower to 10,000 sq. ft. Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. The studio has also won numerous amounts for design excellence with the 2016 Architizer A+ Firm of the Year Award and the 2013 National Design Award for Architecture from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, as well as various awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and AIA Chicago.
Here are 25 iconic projects by Studio Gang Architects:
1. Mira, USA | Studio Gang Architects
Year: 2017
Type: Residential condominiums
Location: 160 Folsom Street, San Francisco, California
MIRA Tower is a 40-storey dynamic twisting built-form ideated from a contemporary philosophy. The eye-catching flamboyant twisted form of façade is a sophisticated curtain wall. Inspired to reinterpret the classic bay windows of San Francisco, the interior of every unit has an outlook of almost 180 degrees offering sweeping views. The high-performance façade is only a 55% opaque and thus, contributes to offer solutions against environmental problems. The open plans allow plenty of natural light due to large-windows. The environmental problem has been central to design and isintegrated with VRF Cooling systems, green roofs and greywater harvesting system.
2. Vista Tower, United States
Year: 2019 (Under Construction)
Type: Mixed-Use
Location: 363 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Located near Chicago river and Lake Michigan, 101-storey high tower presents itself as three interconnected volumes of varied heights. Upon completion, it shall become the 3rd tallest building in Chicago. The prime river-front site will have an eye-catching geometry of tapering stacks and truncated pyramids that move rhythmically in and out of the plane. The engineering of the core structure is in 2 parts: “Spine wall” – the concrete wall in the midsection links the two outer cores helping the two towers to act as one unit. That wall is perforated so doors and hallways go through, and “Buttress core” – two outer stacks are built out to the outer edge of the building. Outer walls are also perforated, leaving opening for windows.
3. Solstice On The Park, USA | Studio Gang Architects
Year: 2018
Type: Residential
Location: Chicago, USA
A 26-storey residential building houses 250 dwellings crowned with a green roof on its head. The intriguing name of this building is due to the angular cut of building’s façade. The intention was to explore the idea of solar caring for environmental advantages. The form birthed using the sun diagrams taking sun at its highest point hitting the building at 72 degree and orient surfaces to the optimum. In this way, maximum sunlight in winter is achieved for passive solar warming and minimum light& heat gain during summer reduces air-condition usage. This building has completely reflected the Gang’s philosophy of consistently viewing innovation, sustainability and design as one entity.
4. O’Hare Global Terminal & Global Concourse
Year: 2019 (Competition Design)
Type: Civic
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
The iconic y-shaped scheme brings the unique form, efficient function and intriguing structure to the project. Like the confluence of Chicago river, the design converges its 3 branches to create a central hub that establishes a vibrant new neighbourhood. The prolonged layout was chosen to increase efficiency, way finding and connectivity. The tripartite merges terminal and concourse into a single building. The oculus located at the centre at the core is a circle skylight. A unique geometric arrangement at the core formed by a 6-pointed-glass design that refers to the Chicago’s flag. Y-shaped columns are spaced 30mt apart to support a dynamic ribbed and fin-like roofline with panels and skylights. Numerous trees and plants are planted in the atrium-like spaces to dilute the inside and outside.
5. University Of Chicago, France | Studio Gang Architects
Type: Educational, Mixed-Use Residential
Location: Paris, France
Scheduled to open in 2022, the proposal covers more than 9400 sq.mt. with an aim to focus the environmental strategies of minimizing carbon footprint and optimize energy performance. The concept is to birththe project that physically and intellectually weaves the blockinto the existing urban fabric. The combination of active-passive strategies caused the locally sourced materials to interplay with sustainably harvested materials. Outdoor green spaces, central courtyard, rooftop gardens and daylit interiors selectively cultivates biodiversity and encourages social interaction. The central staircase acts as a vertical campus quadrangle by connecting the indoor spaces.
6. Writers Theatre, USA
Year: 2016
Type: Cultural
Location: Glencoe, IL, USA
Located in Glencoe, a suburb about 32km north of Chicago is a 2-storey elevated glass box building that is beautifully wrapped in bands of cedar. It encompasses about 3345 sq.mt to house a 250-seat main stage, a 99-seat black box, a rooftop pavilion, green roof and even offer additional event space. The form draws inspiration from the timber constructions that coincide with the early modern period of English Drama to reflect a modern Tudor-style design. On the 2nd floor, a gallery to walk provides views of Chicago’s skyline in the distance and of a nearby lake thus, fulfilling the architect’s aim to create an intimate environment.
7. City Hyde Park, USA
Year: 2016
Type: Residential
Location: IL, United States
Located at a busy community intersection near Lake Michigan and adjacent to a commuter rail stop, the design emphasizing the structure is birthed from this challenge. Gang managed to stack a playful array of concrete panels forming columns, bays, sunshades and balconiescovering a total of 46,000 sq.mt. mixed-use project. The visually exciting exterior connects to the surrounding neighbourhood and the city offering multiple opportunities for the residents to socialize. The design is intended to become a pedestrian-friendly hub that helps the greater urban evolution of its neighbourhood. It distinguishes itself by creating a new architectural language among other flat residential blocks and allows oblique sightlines between neighbours.
8. Aqua, USA
Year: 2010
Type: Hotel, Residential, Retail, Office
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Aqua tower is a 250-meter, 82-storey tall building conditioned as a sculpture. Inspired by striated limestone outcroppings, the curved edges of each slab create a topography on outside of the building. The basic structure – a standard box is surrounded by slow-ripple concrete balconies which then give it a sculpture feature. Each individual balcony is unique in size, shape and protrusion. The sinus shape is not a mere formal gesture, but also a strategy to extend views and maximizing solar shading. It also helps to break up wind vortices minimizing wind shear. The sightedness between neighbouring terraces encourage social interactions and explore social capacities of balconies. The views from the balcony are targeted to the specific landmarks of the city.
9. One Hundred, US
Year: 2020 (Under construction)
Type: Residential
Location: St. Louis, MO, US
An innovative 36-storey structure dominates the eastern skyline of Forest Park. The building is planned in a leaf’s shape is tiered to maximize the performance. The façade is angled to create generous outdoor spaces on top of each tier providing terraces for a quarter of the apartments. Multiple green roofs collect and store rainwater for irrigation and reduce stormwater run-off. The tilted glazing not only captures and enhances the quality of daylight within the units, but also self-shade the building. Stunning panoramic views are offered framing the Park to the west and the Gateway Arch to the east.
10. National Aquarium, Baltimore | Studio Gang Architects
Year: 2015
Type: Civic & Educational, designed by Studio Gang
Location: Baltimore, MD
A 33,500 sq.mt. plan identifies opportunities for sustainable growth and bring the connection between urban and aquatic life. This project is intended to fundamentally change the people’s view and care for the ocean and to give the visitor’s an unforgettable experience being the first “sanctuary” for dolphins. The plan simultaneously improves local ecology, creates a campus identity strengthens connectivity, extends aquarium’s growing conservation work in the region. Between the two main buildings lies a narrow slip of water that would support an “urban wetland” capable of attracting wildlife, and thus, increasing biodiversity within the campus.