In 2008, DONG Gong founded Vector Architects and has become one of the most active young architects in China. He received Bachelor & Master of Architecture from Tsinghua University, followed by a diploma at University of Illinois where he received the Master of Architecture. He also had an exchange experience at Technical University of Munich. Prior to establishing his own practice, he worked for Soloman Cordwell Buenz & Associates in Chicago, then at Richard Meier & Partners and Steven Holl Architects in New York. He was also appointed as the Plym Distinguished Visiting Professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Visiting Professor of Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy.
DONG Gong’s practice has earned international recognition by his representative works, including Seashore Library, Seashore Chapel, Yangshuo Sugarhouse, Renovation of the Captain’s House, Pingshan Art Museum, Haibing Center at Nankai University, Jingyang Camphor Court, and Liyuan Foreign Language Primary School.
In 2008, DONG Gong founded Vector Architects and has become one of the most active young architects in China. He received Bachelor & Master of Architecture from Tsinghua University, followed by a diploma at University of Illinois where he received the Master of Architecture. He also had an exchange experience at Technical University of Munich. Prior to establishing his own practice, he worked for Soloman Cordwell Buenz & Associates in Chicago, then at Richard Meier & Partners and Steven Holl Architects in New York. He was also appointed as the Plym Distinguished Visiting Professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Visiting Professor of Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy.
DONG Gong’s practice has earned international recognition by his representative works, including Seashore Library, Seashore Chapel, Yangshuo Sugarhouse, Renovation of the Captain’s House, Pingshan Art Museum, Haibing Center at Nankai University, Jingyang Camphor Court, and Liyuan Foreign Language Primary School.
In a few weeks the atrium will be buzzing with students once again. As we gear up for Final Reviews, let’s take a look back at the Midterm Reviews we had in October.
In a few weeks the atrium will be buzzing with students once again. As we gear up for Final Reviews, let’s take a look back at the Midterm Reviews we had in October.
ACSA Winner of the 2025 Design for Freedom Competition
2ND PLACE CATEGORY II: MATERIAL RESEARCH
Behind the Rubber Student: Xingyu Liu Faculty Sponsor: Patricia Saldaña Natke
Juror Comments: Behind the Rubber impressed the jury with the comprehensive research and strong emphasis on policy, presenting a well-developed and innovative concept that introduces fresh perspectives of unconventional thinking. The students demonstrate a clear commitment to consumer understanding, using thoughtful storytelling to make complex systems more transparent. A key strength of the design is the clear and thorough articulation of the proposed ecosystem.
ACSA Winner of the 2025 Design for Freedom Competition
2ND PLACE CATEGORY II: MATERIAL RESEARCH
Behind the Rubber Student: Xingyu Liu Faculty Sponsor: Patricia Saldaña Natke
Juror Comments: Behind the Rubber impressed the jury with the comprehensive research and strong emphasis on policy, presenting a well-developed and innovative concept that introduces fresh perspectives of unconventional thinking. The students demonstrate a clear commitment to consumer understanding, using thoughtful storytelling to make complex systems more transparent. A key strength of the design is the clear and thorough articulation of the proposed ecosystem....
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archatillinoisNov 18
ACSA Winner of the 2025 Concrete Masonry Student Competition
3RD PLACE FLASH POINT Student: Michael Zemaitis Faculty Sponsor: Erik Hemingway
Juror Comments Flash Point offers a thoughtful reinterpretation of the contemporary fire station’s role in regions vulnerable to wildfires. The use of concrete masonry is especially commendable, used and designed with intelligence and care. The student’s modern interpretation of a breeze block screen wall is masterfully articulated. The design creatively incorporates deployable pods and a luminous lookout tower, transforming the station into both a lifesaving command center and a welcoming community refuge.
ACSA Winner of the 2025 Concrete Masonry Student Competition
3RD PLACE FLASH POINT Student: Michael Zemaitis Faculty Sponsor: Erik Hemingway
Juror Comments Flash Point offers a thoughtful reinterpretation of the contemporary fire station’s role in regions vulnerable to wildfires. The use of concrete masonry is especially commendable, used and designed with intelligence and care. The student’s modern interpretation of a breeze block screen wall is masterfully articulated. The design creatively incorporates deployable pods and a luminous lookout tower, transforming the station into both a lifesaving command center and a welcoming community refuge....
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archatillinoisNov 18
ACSA Winner of the 2025 Design for Freedom Competition
Juror Comments: Peace Museum – Beyond the Scars is recognized as a first place winner for the powerful and deeply principled design that places ethical material sourcing and labor equity at the heart of the architectural design. By weaving the story through material choices and labor practices, the students ground their concept in a meaningful, real-world context. The use of cartoon bubbles is both inventive and engaging, offering a compelling way to communicate the project’s narrative that can be easily understood by a non-architect.
Juror Comments: Peace Museum – Beyond the Scars is recognized as a first place winner for the powerful and deeply principled design that places ethical material sourcing and labor equity at the heart of the architectural design. By weaving the story through material choices and labor practices, the students ground their concept in a meaningful, real-world context. The use of cartoon bubbles is both inventive and engaging, offering a compelling way to communicate the project’s narrative that can be easily understood by a non-architect....
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archatillinoisNov 15
Thank you to all who viewed “Édifices de Rome Moderne” hosted by the School of Architecture Exhibit Committee. This exhibit featured the reproductions of engravings and original photographs documenting buildings of Renaissance and Baroque Rome as depicted by Paul Marie Letarouilly in his three volume Édifices de Rome Moderne. The main body of research was done from 2003- 2006. An exhibition of 100 black and white plates and 5 oversized color images has been created to tour the United States beginning in the fall of 2008. Plates are 17” x 22” framed images. A hyperlinked matrix including project, plate and rione (district in Rome) information, address location and photographs has been compiled to accompany the investigation.
Édifices de Rome Moderne forms the basis for an investigation of Rome – then and now, a comparison of the Rome depicted by Paul Marie Letarouilly and the existing state of the edifices. The research conducted by Kevin Hinders with Research Assistants Carole Pekney, Michael Waters, Cory Colman and Magdalena P. Zdankiewicz locates and documents the existing structures and the present state of the buildings depicted in 354 plates. The subsequent investigations illustrate both historic changes and original misrepresentations.
Thank you to all who viewed “Édifices de Rome Moderne” hosted by the School of Architecture Exhibit Committee. This exhibit featured the reproductions of engravings and original photographs documenting buildings of Renaissance and Baroque Rome as depicted by Paul Marie Letarouilly in his three volume Édifices de Rome Moderne. The main body of research was done from 2003- 2006. An exhibition of 100 black and white plates and 5 oversized color images has been created to tour the United States beginning in the fall of 2008. Plates are 17” x 22” framed images. A hyperlinked matrix including project, plate and rione (district in Rome) information, address location and photographs has been compiled to accompany the investigation.
Édifices de Rome Moderne forms the basis for an investigation of Rome – then and now, a comparison of the Rome depicted by Paul Marie Letarouilly and the existing state of the edifices. The research conducted by Kevin Hinders with Research Assistants Carole Pekney, Michael Waters, Cory Colman and Magdalena P. Zdankiewicz locates and documents the existing structures and the present state of the buildings depicted in 354 plates. The subsequent investigations illustrate both historic changes and original misrepresentations.
As founder and principal of Ross Barney Architects, she has maintained that dedication to a socially responsible vision for the built environment. Among her many accolades, she won the 2015 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois’ prestigious Gold Medal, the organization’s highest honor, for outstanding lifetime service to architecture.
Ross Barney’s portfolio ranges from large government and educational projects to the smaller, overlooked spaces of everyday life. “Lately, my studio has been interested in infrastructure: bus stations, power stations—the ‘guts’ of a city. We can make those spaces look and feel ordered.” Indeed, if you’ve ever waited at the Cermak-McCormick CTA station or strolled the Chicago Riverwalk, you have experienced her work.
As founder and principal of Ross Barney Architects, she has maintained that dedication to a socially responsible vision for the built environment. Among her many accolades, she won the 2015 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois’ prestigious Gold Medal, the organization’s highest honor, for outstanding lifetime service to architecture.
Ross Barney’s portfolio ranges from large government and educational projects to the smaller, overlooked spaces of everyday life. “Lately, my studio has been interested in infrastructure: bus stations, power stations—the ‘guts’ of a city. We can make those spaces look and feel ordered.” Indeed, if you’ve ever waited at the Cermak-McCormick CTA station or strolled the Chicago Riverwalk, you have experienced her work.
Congratulations to our talented students for their outstanding achievements at the 2025 Society of American Registered Architects (SARA), New York Council Design Awards! Their creativity and dedication have earned top honors across multiple categories: a true reflection of innovation and design excellence.
Design Awards of Excellence -Anish Sahu, Zhe Tan, Jiren Zhou, & Samruddhi Shridhankar | Where the Creatures Play -Nupur Agarwal, Himanshi Rathod, & Aditi Narayan Panji | The Aviary
Design Awards of Honor -Muntasir Hakim & Ryan Chip | Peace Museum
Design Awards of Merit -Muntasir Hakim, Michael Zemaitis, & Anam Haque | Dwell78 -Arpit Amarseda, Khwaeesh Desai, & Shengjie Li | Cradle – A Visionary Multispecies Design for Migratory Birds
We’re so proud of your creativity, vision, and impact in shaping the future of design.
Congratulations to our talented students for their outstanding achievements at the 2025 Society of American Registered Architects (SARA), New York Council Design Awards! Their creativity and dedication have earned top honors across multiple categories: a true reflection of innovation and design excellence.
Design Awards of Excellence -Anish Sahu, Zhe Tan, Jiren Zhou, & Samruddhi Shridhankar | Where the Creatures Play -Nupur Agarwal, Himanshi Rathod, & Aditi Narayan Panji | The Aviary
Design Awards of Honor -Muntasir Hakim & Ryan Chip | Peace Museum
Design Awards of Merit -Muntasir Hakim, Michael Zemaitis, & Anam Haque | Dwell78 -Arpit Amarseda, Khwaeesh Desai, & Shengjie Li | Cradle – A Visionary Multispecies Design for Migratory Birds
We’re so proud of your creativity, vision, and impact in shaping the future of design.
Five Program Areas shape our curriculum, giving students the opportunity to think about architecture and design at different scales and through different media.
We have exchange programs with Munich and Switzerland.
Discover Architecture
Discover Architecture is a summer program on the University of Illinois campus. It is open to high school and pre-college students. The program is organized around the design studio and provides a studio-focused, design-intensive workshop over the course of a week.
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