UrbanLab
| UrbanLab | |
|---|---|
 Growing Water masterplan in Chicago | |
| Practice information | |
| Key architects | Martin Felsen, FAIA |
| Founded | 2001 |
UrbanLab is an American architecture and urban design firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded by Martin Felsen, FAIA and Sarah Dunn in 2001, the office is known for its focus on sustainability, creative experimentation and a collaborative approach to buildings, spaces and cities.
Background
UrbanLab's projects range in scale from houses such as the Hennepin, Illinois Residence,[1][2] mixed-use residential and commercial buildings such as Upton’s Naturals Headquarters,[3][4] public open spaces such as the Smart Museum of Art Courtyard [5][6] at the University of Chicago, and large scale, urban design projects such as Growing Water in Chicago[7][8] and a masterplan (13 square kilometers / 5 square miles) for the Yangming Lake region of Changde, China. UrbanLab was awarded the 2009 Latrobe Prize [9] by the American Institute of Architects, College of Fellows.
Growing Water
UrbanLab won a competition for the History Channel's City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge.[10] The competition asked architects in three cities, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to develop a conceptual plan for their city 100 years from now. The teams competed and a finalist for each city was named. In the final round of the competition, with acclaimed architect Daniel Libeskind serving as master of ceremonies, UrbanLab was announced the national winner after a monthlong online vote.
UrbanLab's project, Growing Water,[11] starts with the assumption that in 100 years that "water will be the new oil"[11] and envisions a Chicago that recycles 100% of its waste water back into Lake Michigan. The project is inspired by Chicago's rich history including its boulevard system, the reversal of the Chicago River and the Deep Tunnel project.[11] The plan calls for new boulevards to be created that would channel waste water from buildings into greenhouse and wetland systems that would clean the water and send it back the lake while creating a new network of social and recreational spaces, new parks, and corridors. These new corridors would be termed "eco-boulevards" and be spaced about every half-mile in the city.[12]
Bowling
UrbanLab: Bowling is a new book about UrbanLab’s work authored by Martin Felsen and Sarah Dunn, published by Applied Research + Design.[13] The book explores relationships and realities between cities, architecture and water. As populations steadily increase in cities, the world’s natural resources are consumed at ever-faster rates. The majority of the world’s populations live in countries where clean water supplies are dwindling, and these water shortages are also quickly translating into food shortages. What can designers do to avert looming water-related realities? UrbanLab: Bowling views potential water crises as opportunities to speculate on future urban design possibilities, especially in cities. Several projects are presented that take an ecological approach to re-thinking received urban design methodologies of addressing the design of water-related infrastructures in existing and new cities.
Awards and honors
- 2016 AIA Regional & Urban Design Honor Award [14] – Masterplan for Changde, China
- 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennial,[15] The State of the Art of Architecture
- 2014/15 MCHAP: Mies Crown Hall Architecture Prize, Nominated Work[16] – Mohawk Residence
- 2014 AIA Distinguished Building Honor Award [17] – Morgan Street Live/Work
- 2014 AIA Unbuilt Design Award, Special Recognition [18] – MoMA PS1
- 2014 Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts Publication Grant
- 2013 AIA Sustainability Leadership Special Recognition Award [19] – MoMA PS1
- 2012 Venice Biennale of Architecture,[20] the 13th International Exhibition
- 2012 AIA Small Project Award - Video Arcade, Merchandise Mart
- 2011 AIA Regional & Urban Design Honor Award [21] - Vertical Farming the Union Stock Yards
- 2010 AIA Interior Architecture Honor Award [22] - Hennepin House, Hennepin, Illinois
- 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge, Honorable Mention[23]
- 2010 Emerging Voices,[24] Architectural League of New York - lecture delivered at the New Museum
- 2010 Venice Biennale of Architecture,[25] Archeworks at the 12th International Exhibition
- 2009 AIA Distinguished Building Award [26] - Hennepin House, Hennepin, Illinois
- 2009 AIA Urban Design Award [27] - Growing Water, Chicago
- 2009 Latrobe Prize,[28] from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows.
- 2009 Global Visionary [29] by WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio
- 2008 AIA Unbuilt Design Award,[30] Growing Water, Chicago
- 2008 Excellence in Education Award, American Institute of Architecture Students
- 2007 Dubin Family Young Architect Award,[31] AIA Chicago
- 2007 AIA Divine Detail Award [32] - Hannah’s Bretzel
- 2007 National Grand Prize, The City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge,[33] The History Channel
- 2003 Emerging Visions Competition Prize, Chicago Architecture Club
- 1995 Lloyd Warren Fellowship: 82nd Paris Prize, Van Alen Institute
References
- ↑ Ryan Blitstein (November 2009). "New Grass Roots". Dwell magazine. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Hennepin House". UrbanLab. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Luke Hopping (June 2015). "In just 48 hours". Dwell Magazine. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Upton's Naturals". UrbanLab. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Sculpture Garden and Reception Hall". University of Chicago. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Courtyard at the Smart Museum". UrbanLab. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ David Sokol (2008-09-29). "Momentum Grows for Futuristic Scheme". Architectural Record. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Growing Water". UrbanLab. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Matt Tinder (August 11, 2010). "AIA College of Fellows announces winner of 2009 Latrobe Prize". Building Design+Construction. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Engineering an Empire: A Design and Engineering Challenge
- 1 2 3 Growing Water presentation
- ↑ Henderson, Harold, Close Deep Tunnel," Chicago Reader, 2007 May 11
- ↑ book
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2014. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Matt Shaw (October 2015). "Bold New Visions". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "MCHAP Awards". 2015. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-05-15. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Jayne Merkel (June 19, 2012). "Preview: Americans in Venice". Architectural Record. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2010. Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge Finalists". Bustler.net. April 29, 2010. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Julie Iovine (2010-03-03). "UrbanLab". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Workshopping at the 2010 Venice Biennale". Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2009. Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2009. Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Matt Tinder (August 11, 2010). "AIA College of Fellows announces winner of 2009 Latrobe Prize". Building Design+Construction. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "Global Visionaries WBEZ Press Release" (PDF). March 2, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2008. Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Blair Kamin (December 12, 2007). "Pitt making celebrity work for homes". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ "AIA Awards". 2007. Archived from the original on 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ Robin Pogrebin (February 9, 2007). "Chicago Firm Urban Design Winner". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
External links
- UrbanLab UrbanLab’s official website
- Growing Water UrbanLab's Growing Water project