Village of Wilmette Wins Patron of the Year Award for Public Works Expansion

Dec. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) has awarded the Village of Wilmette a 2010 Patron of the Year Award for its Public Works Facility expansion, designed by Epstein | Metter Studio (design architect) and Legat Architects (architect of record). Wilmette, one of five winners out of 29 submissions, received the award in the Governmental category.
   
The CAF commented, “Unusual for a government facility, this project inserts a modernist jewel-box into a suburban setting. The result is a beautiful, understated building rendered in the Chicago modern tradition. The building’s appearance simultaneously reveals and conceals its function, and livens up the community.”

The announcement was made last week at a CAF luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. “I was thrilled to discover that the Village of Wilmette Board of Trustees and residents received the award,” says Wilmette’s Director of Public Works Donna Jakubowski, also a design team member. “The Board, architects, and staff succeeded with the vision to create an exceptional sustainable building that is now a showcase in our community. When residents stop by to discuss services with our staff, they often comment on the beauty of the facility, and how practical it really is.”  

The CAF presents the prestigious Patron of the Year awards to outstanding patrons of architecture in the Chicago area. The seventh annual awards recognize clients: individuals, businesses and institutions that commission and finance architectural projects. The distinguished jury, chaired by Stanley Tigerman, FAIA, was comprised of prominent members of the architectural, business, civic, and philanthropic communities.

The Public Works Facility is Wilmette’s first building to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Additionally, the facility joins only a handful of public works buildings in the country to achieve the LEED Gold certification level.

The LEED system recognizes building strategies that maximize performance across several metrics categories: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

# # #

Epstein was formed in 1921 and provides architecture, interior design, engineering, and construction services worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm maintains offices in New York, New York; Warsaw, Poland; and Bucharest, Romania. The firm is well-known for its commercial, industrial, high-rise office, residential, municipal, and transportation projects. Epstein is also a leader in sustainable design, developing "green" solutions and technologies across all building types. More information is available at www.epsteinglobal.com

Legat Architects (www.legat.com) is a leading sustainable architectural and interior design practice specializing in commercial/mixed use, corporate office, higher education, healthcare, K-12 education, and municipal facilities. It serves clients regionally and nationally from its Illinois offices (Chicago, Crystal Lake, Oak Brook, Waukegan) and
its joint venture firm in Columbus, Ohio.