Looking Forward to the 2020 Designers & Architects Talk Series

Jan 13, 2020 By John Czarnecki

Here at IIDA Headquarters, we are thrilled to partner with AIA Chicago for the second consecutive year to co-present the Designers & Architects Talk series. This year, we offer four provocative Tuesday evening discussions that will address commercial interior architecture and design. Both architects and commercial interior designers will want to attend to learn from the speakers as well as to mix and mingle with the Chicago design community.

By John Czarnecki Jan 13, 2020

February 11
Lauren Rottet in Conversation with Cheryl S. Durst

The series kicks off on Tuesday, February 11 with acclaimed architect and designer Lauren Rottet, FIIDA, FAIA, president and founding principal of Rottet Studio, discussing her work and career with IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. Based in Houston, Los Angeles, and New York, Rottet has designed notable workplaces and beautiful hospitality interiors globally, including The Langham, Chicago. The first woman to be named a fellow of both AIA and IIDA, she has overseen Rottet Studio since 2008 after years of experience with firms including SOM.

March 10
Repositioned and Reimagined: Willis Tower, Tribune Tower, and Old Post Office

The second discussion will focus on three newsworthy Chicago projects, all of which are repositioning and reimagining prominent existing buildings: Willis Tower, Tribune Tower, and Old Post Office. Zurich Esposito, Hon. AIA, executive vice president of AIA Chicago, will moderate. The talk features Lee Golub, principal and executive vice president of Golub and Company and developer of the repositioned Tribune Tower as well as the proposed new, adjacent tower; Meg Prendergast, IIDA, principal at The Gettys Group, who is overseeing the interiors of the reimagined Tribune Tower; Todd Heiser, IIDA, principal at Gensler and designer of the interiors of the Willis Tower public lobby repositioning as well the Old Post Office adaptive reuse; and Sheryl Schulze, principal at Gensler who has been managing the Old Post Office renovation. Schulze and her Gensler colleagues that are overseeing the Old Post Office project were recently named Chicagoans of the Year 2019 by the Chicago Tribune in the architecture category.

April 14
New Design Firms Changing the Face of Chicago

For the April 14 talk, I personally look forward to moderating four Chicagoans who have recently started design firms. Why and how did each decide to start their practice? How did they attain their initial clients? What lessons can they share? The panelists will be Ross Barney, AIA, founder of Tumu Studio; Nina Grondin, partner and founder of Curioso; Julie Purpura, owner and creative director of Avenir Creative; and Chris Sommers, IIDA, partner at Harken Interiors.

May 5
Fulton Market: an Evolving City

The 2020 series will conclude in May with a conversation about the rapidly evolving Fulton Market neighborhood. Chicago-based architect Peter Exley, FAIA, co-founder of Architecture is Fun and 2021 AIA national president, will moderate the discussion with Kyle Kamin, executive vice president of CBRE who is orchestrating many Fulton Market tenant real estate transactions; Rick Kintigh, AIA, architect at Sterling Bay, which is the developer of a number of Fulton Market new buildings; Aracely Nevarz, AIA, partner at Hartshorn Plunkard Architecture and designer of many buildings and interiors in the neighborhood, including Soho House; and Sarah Oppenhuizen, IIDA, AIA, director of interiors at HOK who is managing the design of the new, massive 263,000-square-foot workplace for ad agency WPP.

Advance tickets are required for all talks. Visit designerstalk.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets and to see for full schedule details. Discounts are available for IIDA and AIA members, and a limited number of free student seats will be made available for each session. A series ticket is available for a seat at all four sessions.

For each talk, attendees will be able to obtain either 1 AIA-approved LU or 1 IDCEC-approved CEU.

A special thanks to our 2020 Designers & Architects Talk sponsors:

Host Sponsor:
Corporate Concepts / Knoll

Champion Sponsors:
Andreu World, Bernhardt Design, BIFMA, Caesarstone, Cosentino, J+J Flooring Group, Maya Romanoff, Mohawk Group, Mortarr, OFS, Patcraft, Shaw Contract, and Tarkett.

February 11Lauren Rottet in Conversation with Cheryl S. Durst

March 10Repositioned and Reimagined: Willis Tower, Tribune Tower, and Old Post Office

April 14New Design Firms Changing the Face of Chicago

May 5Fulton Market: an Evolving City

February 11
Lauren Rottet in Conversation with Cheryl S. Durst

March 10
Repositioned and Reimagined: Willis Tower, Tribune Tower, and Old Post Office

April 14
New Design Firms Changing the Face of Chicago

May 5
Fulton Market: an Evolving City