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As part of AIA Chicago’s Designight, the Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards have become a staple of architectural excellence and cast the spotlight on a diverse array of projects that showcase the outstanding design and innovation of local architecture firms.
The winners of the 2025 Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards, presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center, were announced as part of Designight 2025 last week, and celebrate the best in architecture across ten categories.
Community & Civic: City of Appleton Public Library
The Lerch Bates People’s Choice Award for Community & Civic went to the City of Appleton Public Library, a project that transformed the brutalist-style structure into a vibrant civic space with natural light that illuminates the once dim interior. The award was accepted by the team from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) whose design helped the library reemerge as a community hub for adults and children alike.
Cultural: Continuing a Radical Craft: Design Interventions at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
The Cultural award went to the team of Michal Koszycki, AIA and Titus Wonsey who introduced a reception desk and bookstore shelving into the historic interior of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in Chicago. The design embraces the Italianate architecture of the museum and deepens public engagement to transform the space into a more inclusive and functional experience.
Education: Ironworkers Local 63 Training Facility
The Ironworkers Local 63 Training Facility located west of Chicago took home the Education award where Gensler designed an architectural landmark that celebrates the union’s core values of craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability. In addition to being visually stunning, the interior supports training activities for both industry and community events including pressurized curtain wall installation, rigging, crane signaling and more.
Healthcare & Research: Humboldt Park Wellness Center
The Humboldt Park Wellness Center stood out in the Healthcare & Research category for its stunning facade and park views. The team at JGMA accepted the award for this project that provides state-of-the-art health and wellness services for the community and patients of the larger hospital campus.
Hospitality & Retail: The Alston and Journeyman Distillery at the American Factory
For the first time in Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards history, two projects have received the same number of votes and tied for the Hospitality & Retail award.
The team at Heidi Lightner Architects accepted the Hospitality & Retail category award for The Alston in Chicago. This project is Chicago’s newest luxury steakhouse restaurant that takes guests on a journey through several dining spaces including a champagne bar and private club to create a dynamic and indulgent experience.
Journeyman Distillery at the American Factory was also recognized in the Hospitality & Retail category, and the team at RATIO accepted this award. This stunning project in Indiana reimagines a century-old industrial complex as not only a distillery, but also a destination for dining, events and local gatherings.
Multifamily Residential: Embry
The Multifamily Residential winner, the Embry, is a 16-story condominium tower in Chicago’s West Loop that is redefining residential luxury. The team that accepted this award at Lamar Johnson Collaborative designed a tower that focuses on column-free interiors, oversized terraces and expansive city views.
Office: Boston Consulting Group
The Lerch Bates People’s Choice Award for the Office category went to the Boston Consulting Group, an office in Chicago that features interconnected spaces, biophilic elements and a nine-story staircase that anchors all floors of the office building. The project, designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative, redefines modern culture in the workplace.
Single Family Residential: Chatham Residence
Chatham Residence took home the award in the Single Family Residential category, designed by the team at Heidi Lightner Architects. This captivating residence located just outside of Chicago features a two-story library, central hall and a sweeping staircase to anchor the home. Every element, from Italian brick and limestone accents to bespoke millwork and soaring skylights create a home of refined comfort.
Tall Building: 360 North Green
The Tall Building Category was awarded to 360 North Green in Chicago which pays homage to the architectural lineage of the city through the facade and elevates the typical work environment through column-free work plates and landscaped terraces. The teams at Gensler and Sterling Bay Design Studio accepted the award for this project that redesigns wellness in the workplace.
Unbuilt: Bronzeville Evolve
The final Lerch Bates People’s Choice Award of the night went to Bronzeville Evolve, a project that celebrates the musical and cultural legacy of Bronzeville while also supporting its continued development in urban living spaces. JGMA accepted the award for their design that promotes equity, representation and authenticity.
The AIA Chicago Lerch Bates People’s Choice Awards highlight the incredible talent and creativity within the architectural community. Each project celebrated this year demonstrates how thoughtful design can enhance communities, foster cultural growth, and redefine living and working environments. Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions to the field of architecture!
Image Credit: Kai Brown Photography and Evening Cue
