Winners selected by the public in open voting starting today will be announced on September 18th at Designight 2025, AIA Chicago‘s signature award program, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park
AIA Chicago, the second largest local chapter of The American Institute of Architects and the collective voice of over 4,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, architecture students, and allied professionals, on Sep. 3 announced the finalists for the 2025 Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). The winners, as selected by the public in open voting, will be announced at Designight 2025, honoring Chicago architects’ global design achievements, which will be held at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
“Chicagoans are justifiably proud of their architecture, particularly the city’s instantly recognizable skyline and skyscrapers,” said AIA Chicago’s Executive Director Jen Masengarb. “But the finalists for this year’s Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards, like the finalists for our annual juried awards, show that our city’s pride in the work of our architects extends to an impressive set of creative design solutions for a range of challenges from single family homes to mass transit stations to tall buildings.”
These finalists’ designs were chosen by Chicago Architecture Center’s Docents and Volunteers in a round one jury review from more than 200 projects submitted for AIA Chicago’s Design Excellence Awards. Starting today, the public can vote for their favorite architectural designs in ten categories online at AIAChicago.org/PeoplesChoice. Voting ends at 11:59 pm on Friday, September 12.
“Architecture is ultimately about people—how we live, connect, and grow together,” said Lerch Bates CEO, Eric Rupe. “This event is more than a celebration of design excellence—it’s a tribute to the voices of the people who are defining the city of Chicago with their incredible visionary talents, and we’re proud to help amplify that work as sponsor of the Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards.”
The finalists for the 2025 Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards in ten categories are:
COMMUNITY & CIVIC
-City of Appleton Public Library, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Appleton, WI
-Damen Green Line Station, Perkins&Will; Chicago, IL
-Greater Chicago Food Depository, Partners by Design; Chicago, IL
-Homewood Illinois Intermodal Station, GFT; Homewood, IL
CULTURAL
-Architectural Head Games, Architecture for Public Benefit; Chicago, IL
-Continuing a Radical Craft: Design Interventions at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Michal Koszycki, AIA, and Titus Wonsey; Chicago, IL
-Lookingglass Theatre Lobby, Wheeler Kearns Architects + Working Group 1; Chicago, IL
-Pritzker Military Archives Center, Jahn/; Somers, WI
EDUCATION
-Ironworkers Local 63 Training Facility, Gensler; Broadview, IL
-McGrath Family Performing Arts Center, Krueck Sexton Partners; Wilmette, IL
-Neal Math and Science Academy, JGMA; North Chicago, IL
-Western Michigan University Student Center, CannonDesign; Kalamazoo, MI
HEALTHCARE & RESEARCH
-Cardiovascular Institute Expansion at Glenbrook Hospital, Eckenhoff Saunders; Glenview, IL
-Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center Expansion, HOK; Fairbanks, AK
-Humboldt Park Wellness Center, JGMA; Chicago, IL
-Northwestern Medicine – Old Irving Park, CannonDesign; Chicago, IL
HOSPITALITY & RETAIL
-The Alston, Heidi Lightner Architects; Chicago, IL
-Jackson Lake Lodge Restoration, Nurture Architects; Moran, WY
-Journeyman Distillery at the American Factory, RATIO; Valparaiso, IN
-Virgin Hotels New York, Stantec Architecture Inc.; New York, NY
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL
-The Ash, Hanna Architects; Chicago, IL
-Embry, Lamar Johnson Collaborative; Chicago, IL
-Mass Timber Office + Residences, DLR Group; Austin, TX
-Solverre, Valerio Dewalt Train; Chicago, IL
OFFICE
-Boston Consulting Group, Lamar Johnson Collaborative; Chicago, IL
-First Bank Headquarters, Lamar Johnson Collaborative; Saint Louis, MO
-Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, Fitzgerald Architecture Planning Design; Chicago, IL
-Nothing Design Co. Headquarters, Range Design & Architecture; Chicago, IL
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL
-Chatham Residence, Heidi Lightner Architects; Chicago, IL
-Galien River Retreat, Wheeler Kearns Architects; New Buffalo, MI
-Montgomery Ward Loft, ERA / Eric Rothfeder Architect; Chicago, IL
-Sawyer Retreat, Wheeler Kearns Architects; Sawyer, MI
TALL BUILDING
-160 Front, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Toronto, ON
-320 South Canal, Goettsch Partners; Chicago, IL
-360 North Green, Gensler and Sterling Bay Design Studio; Chicago, IL
-1000M, Jahn/; Chicago, IL
UNBUILT
-Bainbridge Island Concert Hall, Epstein; Bainbridge Island, WA
-Bronzeville Evolve, JGMA; Chicago, IL
-Silo Hotel, Epstein; Chicago, IL
-Turku Museum of History and the Future, Stantec Architecture Inc.; Turku, Finland
Other awards to be given at Designight 2025 on September 18 include the AIA Chicago 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award conferred upon Adrian Smith, FAIA, RIBA and the Design Excellence Awards, the Unbuilt Award, the Decarbonization Award and the Roberta Feldman Architect for Social Justice Award. Finalists for these awards are listed here.
Designight 2025
Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park
205 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601
Thursday, September 18, 2025
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with After Party to follow
To purchase Award Ceremony tickets call or visit:
Harris Theater Box Office: 312.334.7777
Harris Theater Website: https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/designight-2025
Harris Theater Address: 205 East Randolph Drive
Theater rental and services have been underwritten through support of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.
To purchase combined Awards Ceremony and After Party tickets visit: AIAChicago.org/Designight2025
About AIA Chicago
The American Institute of Architects Chicago (AIA Chicago) serves nearly 4,000 architect members in Chicago and is the second largest local AIA chapter in the country. AIA Chicago’s mission builds on the city’s architectural legacy by advocating for the profession, sharing knowledge among members, and partnering with communities. It fosters a culture of design excellence for equitable, sustainable places and spaces.
AIA Chicago offers lectures and continuing education courses; specialized, issue-specific Knowledge Communities; advocacy for architects; and help for consumers looking for an architect.
AIA Chicago is the local Chicago chapter of The American Institute of Architects. Based in Washington, D.C., The AIA has been the leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857. Learn more by visiting www.aiachicago.org.
About Lerch Bates
Lerch Bates, headquartered in Denver, CO., is a global technical consulting services firm with locations around the globe. For 75 years Lerch Bates has advised architects, developers, building investors, owners and managers on the design, construction, management optimization, modernization and sustainability of a wide spectrum of building systems for any size or type of building. Their specialties include vertical transportation, enclosures & structures, building logistics, facade access, and forensics. For more information, visit www.lerchbates.com.