The YMCA commissioned the creation of a new bath and shower house, known as the “Kybo,” for Camp Minikani in Hubertus, 18 miles northwest of Milwaukee. Designed to serve the Explorer Unit of campers, the Kybo addresses the urgent need for nearby communal shower and restroom facilities, replacing the previous arrangement that required campers to...
The Shechem (pronounced shek-uh-m) community center, an offshoot of the adjacent Hope Street housing, takes its name from an ancient city in the West Bank near present-day Nablus, drawing inspiration from the biblical significance of Shechem as a pivotal setting for numerous events in the story of Israel. This historical allusion underscores the center’s mission...
Adventure Rock, a community climbing gym located in a repurposed industrial warehouse on Milwaukee’s south side, exemplifies the transformative potential of adaptive reuse in architecture. Originally an introverted, utilitarian structure from the 1940s, the warehouse was slated for demolition until a feasibility study revealed it could be salvaged and reimagined as a bouldering center. The...
The renovation of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Student Union aimed to revitalize the existing Brutalist structure built in phases between the 1950s and 1980s. With a budget of $40M, the renovation focused on admitting daylight and views into windowless areas, improving wayfinding, creating new student spaces, and updating the mechanical systems. The design incorporated student...
A leader in window treatment design and manufacturing for 80 years, this window treatment manufacturer’s 1964-facility was outdated, undersized, and, ironically, lacked windows. An extensive renovation of both the interior and exterior of the corporate office included a conversion of 8,600 square feet of shop floor into a mix of open and private offices, new welcoming focal-point lobby, and a...
The University of Wisconsin campus is uniquely integrated into the urban fabric of Madison’s isthmus. Here, the geography forces a patchwork of busy streets, pedestrian thoroughfares, and mixed-use high-rise buildings—providing a unique density of people. The campus itself has a storied tradition of buildings that reflect their time and place. These buildings serve as a...
The building at 347 Ward Street in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood was the type of structure that is nearly invisible to the undiscerning passerby. Windowless, and last renovated in 1973, the building disappeared into the context of the more vibrant neighborhood surrounding it. The multi-generational family book bindery inside had slowed production and was closing...
Block 27 is a small, four-unit rental apartment building in the Newton Booth district on Sacramento’s east side. The compact structure sits on an empty infill lot at the boundary between an area of distribution centers, warehouses, and light-industrial buildings on one side, and a dense residential neighborhood with treelined streets on the other. In response...
This vibrant, multipurpose new 40,000 square foot public library serves as a space for the community to gather, collaborate, and celebrate through a design that embraces openness. The lobby establishes a dramatic entry and unites the two intersecting rectangular volumes representing the library and a community hall. Sited on an abandoned brownfield site, paralleling a...
Overview The population of Manitowish Waters, a town of less than 600, swells in the summer season with tourists and temporary residents from around the region who are drawn to its chain of lakes and variety of outdoor activities. The company is one of the last remaining volunteer fire companies in the state, providing its...
