Firm News - Studio21 Architects

1/3/2024

Best of 2023

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Best of 2023

A Look Back on This Year's Spotlights

Crazy and interesting things tend to happen annually, and 2023 met those expectations through and through. In the world of architecture, amazing feats were completed. Malaysia’s 118 Merdeka became the second tallest building in the world, shorter in stature only to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. In Las Vegas, “The Sphere” opened its doors, merging arts and technology into a globular events venue and new staple of the Las Vegas Strip. Closer to home, in residential design and construction, we too witnessed many changes and revelations. This year, we noticed a rise in clients enlisting Studio21 Architects to turn their existing homes into domiciliary paradises. Many clients still opt to start from scratch with new builds, of course, but no matter the method, we are always in the business of dream homes.

1/3/2024

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

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A Note From Bill

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

As the year winds to a close, it is again time to reflect on all that has happened in 2023. As always, I am grateful for all the people I am surrounded by, including my family, friends and business associates. Time seems to fly by these days; I believe it must be a product of getting a bit older. The winter days may feel dreary and dark but before you know it, the days will get longer, and Spring will once again be back.

11/13/2023

chicago: defining the architecture of today

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chicago

defining the architecture of today

As Chicagoans, we tend to have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the place. Brutally cold winters that go on forever and come April, just when you begin to feel the sun’s warmth after who-knows-how-long, can lapse straight back into snow the next day; the unparalleled city skyline poetically balanced by the road construction that has gone on for seemingly decades; the unbeatable food on almost every block. Many of us feel a charged loyalty to Chicago and its rarity; we take the good along with the bad, just like the truest of loves. Chicago’s uniqueness shines in many ways, but today we want to focus on the individuality of her architecture.

11/13/2023

Bad, Bad Bathrooms!

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A note from bill

bad, bad bathrooms!

This year, I have had the pleasure of traveling often, staying in many hotels and rental homes throughout the United States, as well as a quick trip to Ireland where I stayed in a stone castle. Sightseeing aside, I am an architect, so I am always on the lookout for design no matter where in the world I am. As I look back at the design-related memories of these trips, I remember all the ingenuity and beauty of brilliant design, like the New American Home at the International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. But design marvels are two sides of the same coin: just as much as one can marvel at good design, awful design choices can stop you in your tracks. In their own strange way, these bad design practices can burn into your brain even more so.

11/1/2023

revisiting the stahr renovation

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Project Spotlight:

THE STAHR RENOVATION AND BEING YOUR OWN architect pt. ii

Our devout readers probably remember the beginning of this Project Spotlight saga, where one of our own architects, Gregg Stahr, has embarked on a project journey of his own. It may have begun to feel like the ending to this story would never come, but do not fear! We have returned to deliver the epilogue of the Stahr Renovation and the story of being your own architect. When we last left off, the Stahr home was beginning to take shape; the

walls were framed, the roof was up (to prevent any further weather-related catastrophes), and windows had been installed. While this was a great starter course, it certainly could not compare to the final product.

8/16/2023

Cheers to 24 years, tom!

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cheers to 24 years, tom!

We have some bittersweet news from the Studio21 Architects office: after twenty-four years at our firm, Tom Fend is retiring. While this is sad news for us, as we will sorely miss the sharp wit Tom brings to the office every day, it is still joyful news for Tom. He will officially retire on September 8th, fittingly chosen to correspond with his twenty-fourth-year anniversary at Studio21 Architects. So, let’s break out the champagne and spend some Studio Pages time looking back at the greatest hits of Tom’s time at the firm!

8/16/2023

The cross's "just right" Design+build home

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project spotlight

the cross's "just right" design+Build home

Last month, we talked about dream homes—crafting, curating, and constructing the home of your dreams from the ground up. However, to say this is the unequivocal route to achieving a dream home wouldn’t really be true. Many other roads lead to Dream-Home City, and to celebrate this sunny (and rainy) August, we are excited to shine the Studio Pages spotlight onto a home that embodies this exact path.

8/14/2023

Let's Talk Timelines

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A note from bill: let's talk timelines

So, you want to be done by Christmas?

The winter holidays may seem far off while we’re in August, but when it comes to my topic of interest this month, you can never start planning too early. Let’s talk about timelines.

7/12/2023

DESIGNS THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME: NORTHWOODS

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DESIGNS THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

A RUSTIC & REFINED NORTHWOODS HOME

Unwittingly, the theme of this month’s newsletter has turned into the Dream Home. Speaking for myself, building a dream home lands among the top three dreams of mine, and I doubt that I am alone in admitting that my dream home has been carefully cultivated in my mind since I was very young. The idea of a dream home may even be a universal human desire; a home provides a sense of safety and security, can act as a canvas to

reflect one’s personality, and can make daily life more comfortable and more joyous. When I was younger, anytime I saw a design that I loved or a home feature that piqued my interest, I mentally filed it away for that time in the future when I could build a dream home of my own.

7/10/2023

Welcome to the studio, Emma!

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welcome to the studio

emma — MARKETING COORDINATOR

Another month, another introduction to a new member of the Studio21 Architects team! We are delighted to introduce our talented new Marketing Coordinator, Emma, who has been making waves (in the best way, we promise!) in our architecture firm since joining the team. Even though Emma is the newest member of the team, having started in January of this year, she hit the ground running and with her remarkable skills and passionate approach to marketing, she has revitalized our brand’s presence, enhanced client communication, and boosted our online visibility.

Communication is one of Emma’s standout strengths and is an aspect of her role that she takes very seriously. Just like the belief at Studio21 Architects, she believes that honest and compassionate communication is at the heart of building long-term partnerships. With her personable and attentive approach, she ensures that each and every interaction is handled with the utmost care and professionalism—a vitally important aspect of a firm that truly values its clientele.

Recognizing the impact of visually captivating and easily absorbable marketing materials, Emma’s attention to detail and a keen eye for design have revitalized (or as we say in the office, “pretty-fied”) our printed materials, including each piece of our client folders and informational handouts. Her creative touch has breathed new life into our visuals, making our printed marketing not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly effective in showcasing our firm’s expertise and capabilities. One of Emma’s most recent results of “pretty-fying" comes in the form of our newly-redone Studio21 Architects website. You should check itout—Emma would love to show it off, even if she won’t admit it!

In addition to her design skills, Emma consistently showcases her exceptional writing abilities through the reintroductions of this very newsletter. And although she did flat-out refuse to write this article about herself (let's call it humility), Emma uses her knack for storytelling and insightful content curation to turn newsletters into veritable must-reads. Through the newsletters, she has expertly translated our firm's vast experience, project updates, and industry insights into an informative yet interesting leisure read, solidifying our position as a trusted authority in the field.

Another crucial pillar of Emma's role lies in the social media realm. Recognizing the immense potential of online platforms, Emma took charge of reinvigorating our company’s social media presence. With her strategic planning, she’s revamped our social media strategy, creating engaging and shareable content to showcase our projects, expertise, and company culture. Through her efforts, our firm has regained its momentum in the digital universe, attracting a new audience and fostering meaningful online interactions.

As we move forward, we eagerly anticipate the impact Emma will continue to make in shaping our firm’s marketing. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Emma and celebrating her contributions to the team. We are sure that Emma has many more efforts up her sleeve, so stay tuned to see what’s next!

written by: karen hart

Karen is the Office Manager for Studio21 Architects. Although she doesn't typically write articles for the Studio Pages newsletter, she works closely with the marketing team in all client-facing responsibilities. Because our Marketing Coordinator, Emma, felt shy about writing an article about herself, Karen took charge and wrote this wonderful piece about her.