By William Olson
Introduced by the Office of Richard M. Daley in 2001, the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP) is a plan to reconfigure O’Hare International Airport’s intersecting runways into a more modern layout and bring a new western terminal facility with additional airline gates and parking. The $6.6 billion program is intended to substantially reduce delays [...]

By Shafaq Choudry
Project Website: http://www.wrightwoodcrossing.com
Location: 1307 W. Wrightwood Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Developer: G.Corp Development
Developer Website: http://www.gcorpdevelopment.com
Architect: Andrew Wilson, [1016] Architecture, Inc
Architect Website: http://www.1016architecture.com
Status: Broke ground early September 2009 (under construction)
Completion Date: Spring/Summer 2010
Project Type: High Performance Residential Condominium
Project Size: 4 stories, 37,000 square feet
When [1016] Architecture seized the opportunity to design a four-story, 19-unit residence [...]

This home features several sophisticated green technologies such as geothermal HVAC and a grid-tied, battery backup 2.5 kW photovoltaic system.

The Haworth Merchandise Mart showroom was chosen as one of 104 projects to participate in the U.S. Green Building Council’s nationwide LEED-CI pilot program. In 2005, the Haworth showroom became the first LEED-CI Gold certified showroom in the Merchandise Mart. This project set the bar for at least eight other showrooms seeking LEED-CI or LEED-EB certification within the Merchandise Mart.

“Little Big Home” was coined to describe this 3,050-square-foot home, designed around a young family of four. From the insulated concrete foundation to the green roof, the home incorporates features aimed at practical comfort for a busy family.

The thick concrete panels of the old warehouse were ripped away and replaced with windows, creating an open, very light-driven, contemporary structure like sitting in a terminal at O’Hare Airport. The building was also equipped with an overhang protecting the glass walls from emitting too much light in the wrong areas. The orientation of the building takes advantage of morning sunlight. “I don’t really consider it a loss. We feel that considering this is the first Gold Certified Police building in the country, and that there were no renewable technology added to the building, we did very well.”