Merit in Architecture Winner

Prairie Oak Elementary School, Berwyn, Illinois

FGM Architects Engineers

Student population growth and the condition of this school district’s original 1890s school building necessitated this new K-5 school. With a buildable area of 1.3 acres, the 125 foot wide site sits beside a busy street. Portions of the original school needed to remain available for use during construction, requiring a stacked classroom block to allow the academic program to fit within half of an already small site. The school’s design reflects its mature residential surroundings. The three-story classroom block aligns with neighboring homes while the ‘front porch’ elements—library, administration and entry—invite the community and soften the bulk of the classrooms behind it.

Jury Comment:

• Well proportioned use of complex forms
• Great use of natural light with the Library
• Forms of a big building broken scaled down to neighborhood and kids

2008 AIA NEI Sponsors

Platinum
AMSCO Engineering
M.G. Welbel & Assoc.

Gold
Berg Engineering Consultants, Ltd.

Silver
20/10 Engineering Group, LLC
AVI Midwest
Degler Design, Inc.
Design Perspectives
Drucker Zajdel Structural Engineers
ECS Illinois, LLC
Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd.
Euclid Insurance
Illinois Brick Company
R. I. Johnson & Associates
Northfield Block Co.
W.B. Olson, Inc
Ragnar Benson Construction, LLC
The George Sollitt Construction Co.
W-T Engineering

Contributor
Aerotek Architecture & Engineering
Aucutts - A Robinson Brick Co.
Building Stone Products
City Five Development
Clay Products
McCluskey Engineering Corp.
Metro Design Associates, Inc.
RAMM Brick & Supply

We extend a special “Thank you!” to our new and returning 2008 sponsors. Sponsors enable AIA Northeast Illinois to provide many of the programs and events that are held during the year. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please call the chapter office at 630/527-8550.