Drive for 155

DuPage Pads' Race to End Homelessness

Some photos from last year's race!

While it doesn’t always feel this way (especially given our mid-May temps of a mere 50 degrees!), summer is indeed approaching. The season conjures up outdoor activities, vacations, and, of course, shorts and t-shirts. At Studio21 Architects, all the above are welcome aspects of the season, but summer also means that it is time to prepare for another Drive for 155 kart race!  This event is a favorite for the Studio21 Architects team, with 2025 marking our sixth year participating in the race. Because of the special place this event and the DuPage PADS foundation as a whole has in our collective hearts, we always like to devote some newsletter to Drive for 155 in advance of the race itself. Founded in 1985, DuPage PADS provides interim and permanent housing for those experiencing homelessness in DuPage County. DuPage PADS understands that homelessness is not a straightforward issue with a basic solution; each person PADS serves has their own story, goals, and needs, and the philosophy of DuPage PADS is not about just putting a band-aid over the issue but stopping the cycle as a whole.   In addition to housing, DuPage PADS offers supplemental support for mental health, resources for victims of domestic violence, case management, and employment support—just to name a few. One of the groundbreaking ways that PADS supports the community is in their IHC (Interim Housing Center). In 2022, the purchased what used to be a Red Roof Inn and, since then, have been renovating the space to transform this old hotel into a center for housing up to three hundred people, with a cafeteria, snack bar, and all of the supplementary support services this foundation offers. Last year, Bill toured the IHC with some of the DuPage PADS team to learn about how the center works, who it helps, and what we can do to help PADS bolster this facility. Click here to watch the YouTube video about the IHC!  ​This year marks the fifteenth annual Drive for 155, and the Studio21 Architects Racing Team is raring to go! Drive for 155 is a four-hour endurance karting race, where each team fundraises in the weeks before the event to hopefully gain a very special advantage at the starting line; we are up against some heavy hitters this year, so a donation to our team, and of course the ​​

Written By: Emma H. 

Emma works as the Marketing Manager for Studio21 Architects. She is the writer behind (almost) all of our newsletter articles, and she works hard to make sure all of our marketing materials reflect an architect-approved design quality! 

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A Closer Look At Woodharbor Cabinetry

Bespoke cabinetry is not the only way that Woodharbor sets itself apart from other manufacturers, but it certainly does warrant a bit more explanation. Both the hidden hand towel drawer and apothecary drawers are two options offered by Woodharbor, among a near-infinite number of other cabinet designs. The same goes for style, finish, and hardware; I simply could not do the arithmetic to provide a number of options one can choose from at Woodharbor. What if your dream cabinets aren’t in the catalogue? What if, perhaps, the kitchen of your dreams has hot pink cabinets? Not to worry—Woodharbor is happy to work with you on the customizations you want for all your cabinet-related desires. ​Beyond bespoke, all their cabinets are made in the USA, and a commitment to domestically producing their products offers better lead times and quality control (for your hot pink cabinets, of course!). They also place emphasis on sustainability, as shown by their admission to the KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program. To be admitted, a company must have documented and demonstrated practices for sustainable waste prevention, pollution reduction, and sustainable forestry practices. ​Woodharbor as a company has two distinct product lines. Their main line, Woodharbor, is the line with the “if you can dream it, we can do it” mentality, with hundreds of thousands of options for not only kitchen cabinetry but wherever in your home you see fit to put some cabinets. Of course, limitless possibilities are not always what a homeowner needs; endless options also have an associated cost. For that reason, there is also the Breeze line, which has a semi-custom offering of cabinetry choices (albeit not a limited selection, by any means) at a more economical price point. The Breeze line does not compromise on quality; as Woodharbor puts it: Breeze is “Affordable Elegance, Backed by WoodHarbor Quality”. ​A company really is a reflection of the sum of its parts, and this author would say that Woodharbor hits some of the most important points a manufacturer needs to hit––especially as a producer of products that

Written By: Emma H.

Emma works as the Marketing Manager for Studio21 Architects. She is the writer behind (almost) all of our newsletter articles, and she works hard to make sure all of our marketing materials reflect an architect-approved design quality! 

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Chasing the Dream - Our Forever Home

a note from bill

until next time,

Written By: Bill Styczynski

Bill Styczynski is the president of Studio21 Architects, as well as an architect in his own right. Every month, Bill writes an article for the Studio Pages newsletter about design topics that he believes will be informative, helpful reads for all of our clients, established and potential. ​

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