Sustainable Design, Architectural Design
Lauren Palumbo
Collective On 5th
Collective On 5th
Architectural Design
Lauren Palumbo
Staybridge Suites
Staybridge Suites

Interior Architecture

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Campus Colors

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Campus Colors


Design solutions for this mixed-use building, located in the geographic center of this active suburban “main street”, involved extensive renovations to transform a former Borders bookstore into an attractive, multi-tenant building. The highly transparent design solution creates a dynamic, flexible 130’ facade unifying the expansive streetscape.

Originally constructed in the 1920’s as four separate one- and two-story buildings, our designers focused on recapturing that scale by transforming the facade. The composition is organized around the existing divisions between buildings and is emphasized by a center canopy-covered entrance. The entrance is flanked by a punched opening volume and a curtain wall of regular rhythms.

Overall, the composition is grounded by its masonry mass, but creates movement through its snaking two-story stone banding. The simple material palette, textures, and detailing are subdued in order to provide the proper framework to effectively showcase each retailer.


 

Location:

Highland Park, IL

Market:

Retail

Stats:

Building Size: 20,500 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Campus Colors
Campus Colors
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American House | Oak Park

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American House | Oak Park


Through design American House, a sprawling seven-story LEED® Silver senior living community, exemplifies a commitment to providing residents with a vibrant and fulfilling lifestyle. Offering a comprehensive selection of living options, ranging from independent living to assisted living and memory care, the community caters to the diverse needs of its residents by blending aesthetics and functionality.

American House pays tribute to Oak Park's distinct architectural origins while introducing a modern and refined building facade to the Madison Street Corridor. The community hosts 174 residential units, designed with utmost care and attention. From cozy studios to spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments and shared units each living arrangement is tailored to ensure ease and practicality.

Dotted throughout the community are carefully curated amenity spaces. The fitness center, salon, and cinema are bolstered with formal and informal dining areas, social gathering spaces, and recreational activities ideal for interaction and creating lasting connections. One of the community's standout features is the thoughtfully landscaped outdoor terraces, which offer picturesque views and a specially designed memory care walking path. This serene and therapeutic environment provides solace and comfort to residents who require additional support.

 
 
 

Location:

Oak Park, Illinois

Market:

Residential

STATs:

Building Size: 256,725 sf
Stories: 7
Units: 174

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
BIM Modeling
Sustainable Design

 

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103 East Healey

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103 East Healey


This 65,175 sf five-story residential development is located near the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Illinois. An artful blend of glazing, brick veneer, woodgrain colored steel lap siding, and vertical metal panels articulate the façade and punctuate the structure among the surrounding streetscape.

Adjacent to the ground level main lobby is a fitness center; indoor bike parking and garage parking are also found on the ground level. The upper levels accommodate 96 units with 108 beds in studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom configurations.

 
 
 

Location:

Champaign, Illinois

Market:

Residential

STATs:

Building Size: 65,175 sf
Stories: 5
Units: 96

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
BIM Modeling
Sustainable Design

 

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National Concert Hall

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Vilnius National Concert Hall

The placement of the theatre on top of a hill provides the ideal location for embracing the somewhat familiar sloped terrain in the architecture. Speaking its own language, its jagged shapes are easily recognizable from any vantage point within the city.

The transparent facade allows for the life inside to be visible from the outside. Clad in Corten steel, the two theatre structures embrace the beautiful and varied rust color. They provide both a backdrop for the public spaces and glow on the hill like a piece of amber where the fossils cast inside are alive and changing with every evening’s performance.  

 
 
 

Location:

Vilnius, Lithuania

Market:

Cultural

STATs:

Building Size: 166,280 sf
Seats: 2,134

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Modern Ann Arbor Office

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Modern Ann Arbor Office

The preliminary master plan for this 562,178 sf site involved outlining short- and long-term goals for a development consisting of five separate buildings across three lots. Within close proximity to the University of Michigan football stadium and downtown Ann Arbor, this development provides commercial, office, and residential spaces.

Lots 2 and 3 are embodied by two commercial/office spaces - the first building is 49,415 sf while the second building is 70,033 sf. Parking is included for each of these developments.

 
 
 

LOCATION:

Ann Arbor, MI

Market:

Office

Stats:

Building Size: 562,178 sf
Stories: 4

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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MA Design Studio

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MA Design Studio

In early 2018, Myefski Architects made a momentous move from the Chandler's Building in downtown Evanston to the historic Wrigley Building in downtown Chicago. Situated between the Magnificent Mile and the Chicago Riverwalk, the new studio boasts spectacular views and plenty of natural sunlight.

When building out the new office, the goal was to create a modern workspace that promotes creativity and teamwork. The primary color and material palette feature classic neutrals with Quartz and French oak accents, providing a clean contrast to the cityscape backdrop.

The open studio was created out of what was originally the Allstate Insurance office suite, which also happened to be one the building's first tenants. The columns and ceilings were left exposed to reveal the original concrete structure. These elements are intermixed with new mechanicals, which celebrates their function and visibility.

 
 
 

LOCATION:

Chicago

Market:

Office

Stats:

Building Size: 3,183 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Wilderness Escape

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Wilderness Escape

Situated on a 1.5 acre island in the Minnesota wilderness, this 1,684 sf summer home is a quaint and beautifully-crafted retreat.

Custom-made wooden trusses add a unique level of craftsmanship to the vaulted ceilings of the open plan living room. The West-facing sun room provides panoramic lake views set against breathtaking sunset backdrops.

Follow a beautiful stone pathway to find a custom cedar sauna including indoor and outdoor showers within steps of the boat dock.

Also included in the property is a heated tent, gazebo, and sun deck to add to the tranquil feeling of this secluded island.

 
 
 

Location:

Cook, MN

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 1,684 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Royal Danish Theatre

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Royal Danish Theatre

Located in the heart of a city surrounded by sea, the Royal Danish Theatre sought to combine the elements of land and water that make Copenhagen unique. Pulling inspiration from the maritime setting, the multi-functioned building impressionistically extends along the pier, floating amongst ships and sailboats like a vessel at berth.

The Royal Danish Theatre was designed to bring its inhabitants to life, similar to the theater performances that take place within its walls. The façade gently curves along the water, filtering sunlight while also providing deliberate openings that give inhabitants a glimpse of the beautiful views outside. More than just an enclosure for multiple stages, the building is a working theatrical machine that puts on its own performance every day and night.

The crown of the Royal Danish Theatre is an expansive wooden framework that encapsulates and bears the weight of the main stage and foyer. Boasting uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape, this grand space becomes the patron’s proscenium – placing inhabitants in the spotlight of social attention. Penetrating through the roof, the circular crown structure shelters the fly tower while glowing from within like a lantern reflecting across the harbor.

RECOGNITION

Gold Award 2019, International Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Market:

Cultural

Stats:

Building Size: 330,000 sf
Seats: 1,100

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Riga Exposition Centre

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Riga Exposition Centre

In an effort to provide sensational experiences for visitors, the Exhibition Centre sought to expand their facilities to include an auditorium, additional conference rooms, offices, and an additional exhibition space. The resulting design is prescribed to become an internationally recognizable landmark befitting the city of Riga’s 800 years of history blending the medieval with the modern.

Entering Riga by water, the landscape of the city reflects across the Daugava River with iconic buildings towering skyward similar to the tall trees in the vast Latvian forests. During the design process, we took inspiration from this initial impression, establishing a thriving public plaza and transcending the exposition center to rise above Kipsala Island.

When designing the Riga Exposition Centre, the goal was to create a multi-functional landmark on Kipsala Island that would replace the outdated design and functionality of the existing development.

RECOGNITION

Merit Award 2017, SARA Architecture & Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Riga, Latvia

Market:

Cultural

STATs:

Building Size: 300,000 sf
Seats: 1,000

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Upper Peninsula Health Plan

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Upper Peninsula Health Plan

On the east end of the three-acre Liberty Way development is an office building which houses the corporate headquarters for one of the Upper Peninsula’s largest healthcare providers, Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP). The design includes a mix of private and open office spaces disbursed among formal and informal meeting and conference areas. This robust mix accommodates generous office and meeting spaces for the corporation’s key management and administration professionals.

In addition to on-grade parking, Liberty Way also includes a two-level underground parking structure. Accessible via a vertical circulation tower, the parking structure extends below an on-site driveway to connect all buildings within the development. These parking options provide plentiful spaces for employees and guests while adapting to extreme weather conditions prevalent in the Upper Peninsula.

 
 
 

Location:

Marquette, MI

Market:

Office

Stats:

Building Size: 28,491 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Bodo Kommune

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Bodo Kommune

Building on existing cultural and commercial assets in the city center, the award-winning Bodo Culture House is strategically designed to enhance program functions, activate adjacent streets and the harbor front, and create visually dynamic volumes from a variety of vantage points. The design results in an iconic theater comprised of interlocking forms.

The arced layers of translucent skin reveal the life of the building between its structural ribs, while light passing through its varying layers of opacity creates a sculptural beacon across the water.

The primary entrance allows patrons to enter between layers of glass curtain wall that arc like a boat’s hull. To access the theater halls, patrons ascend the grand stair that leads to the third floor interior terraces. The main theater’s seats cascade downward, showcasing the performance stage. The more experimental small theater is strategically placed to allow its activity to be viewed from within the grand processional.

RECOGNITION

Merit Award 2009, Association of Licensed Architects Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Bodo, Norway

Market:

Cultural

Stats:

Building Size: 66,736 sf
Seats: 1,250

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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North Shore Shingle-Style

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North Shore Shingle-Style

After collaborating on the design of a new summer home for this family, our client asked that we again work together to conceive a new primary residence evoking the same level of architectural significance. Featuring a traditional/classic shingle-style aesthetic, this residence accommodates the family’s everyday needs within two-stories plus a 4,500 sf finished basement and 400 sf, two-car garage.

Through the first-floor entry foyer, a great room with a grand fireplace and views to the rear terrace creates an axis by which the floor plan evolves. Entertaining comfortably, the kitchen, dining room and sitting area are all organized off the west side of the great room, while the primary bedroom suite, outfitted with a fireplace, separate closets and master bath, is organized off the east side of the great room.

Three bedrooms with attached full baths and two guest bedrooms are found on the second floor joined by family-oriented spaces including a play area and sitting area.

One more guest bedroom with an attached full bath is located on the basement level along with a variety of specialty spaces that meet the needs of this active and growing family. The specialty spaces include a recreation room with a fireplace and bar, a wine cellar and tasting room, a craft room, and a children’s play area.

RECOGNITION

Merit Award 2018, Association of Licensed Architects Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Winnetka, IL

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 12,000 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Lakeside Residence

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Lakeside Residence

By utilizing a mix of natural stone and slate with traditional forms, this lakeside home portrays an elegant, casual architectural character.

The two-story single-family residence features an entry courtyard element, fireplaces throughout the interior, and a gallery-feel at all major hall expanses. The home’s grand living and dining areas on the first floor offer spectacular views of Lake Geneva. With seven bedrooms, a theatre, game room, and an expansive garage, the home is designed with retreat and hospitality in mind.

 
 
 

Location:

Williams Bay, WI

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 12,000 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Modern Sustainability

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Modern Sustainability

The goal of this remodel focused on updates to the interior and exterior of the home that reflect a clean and contemporary feel while creating a deeper sense of family and togetherness. This was achieved through room reconfigurations that lean on the advances of green technologies and sustainable practices. In an effort to respect generational lifestyle and privacy preferences, differing and subtle design solutions were employed.

The resulting design of this 2,000 sf remodel and addition ties seamlessly into the architectural character of the original home. The remodel involved renovating the entire interior and exterior of the home and incorporating new spaces such as a breakfast nook and in-law suite above the two-car garage. The first floor renovation involved modifications for an open floor plan to combine the family room, kitchen, and breakfast nook. Further renovations involved updating the dining room, living room, and study. On the second floor, renovations expanded the primary bedroom suite and added two new bedrooms.

RECOGNITION

Merit Award 2012, Association of Licensed Architects Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Evanston, IL

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 2,000 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Silent Meditation Forest Cabins

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Silent Meditation Forest Cabins

Located between Lake Bezdibene and the Ozolini buildings, a dynamic collection of cabins provide spaces for exploration, solitude, and focus. For those seeking internal balance in an increasingly fast-paced world, the spatial and physical qualities of each cabin conjure a greater sense of self and surrounding.

The cabin strives to touch the ground lightly, both in terms of physical construction and environmental impact. Constructed with vernacular materials, such as plywood and timber, the building is simple and easy to maintain.

Replicable and versatile, minimal adjustments to the orientation and apertures allow a range of experiences from complete exposure to isolated concentration. A central core accommodates the basic needs of sleeping, cooking, and creating while maximizing space for meditation and focus on a sky-lit platform above. Enclosed by a dynamic shell, the operable walls and windows expose the core to the outside, blurring the distinction between personal space and wilderness.

 
 
 

Location:

Riga, Latvia

Market:

Cultural

Stats:

Building Size: 50 sf (per cabin)

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Mid-Century Treehouse

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Mid-Century Treehouse

This single-family residence was originally designed in the 1950’s by famed architect Edward Dart, and is a fine example of Mid-Century modern design. Our efforts involved extensive rehabilitation work and two separate additions to the original home.

Rehabilitation and Phase I addition work maintained much of the essential original interior and exterior character, while expanding living areas, improving energy efficiency, and updating select finishes and mechanical systems. The Phase II addition was a more radical departure from the original structure, dramatically expanding the size of the home while maintaining its integrity through sympathetic, yet dynamic volumes.

RECOGNITION

Gold Award 2010, Association of Licensed Architects Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Highland Park, IL

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 5,900 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Lakefront Luxury

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Lakefront Luxury

For this single-family home, our clients expressed interest in a design similar to the home featured in the motion picture 'Something's Gotta Give’. The exterior of the home has been carefully designed to reflect the shingle-style our clients desired. The shingle-style is made unique through seamless attention to detail – including bracketed gables, balcony capped bays, stone chimney tops and numerous porches and terraces.

The first floor encompasses an entry foyer, study, sitting room, great room, kitchen, breakfast/dining area, mudroom, laundry, one full bath, one family bath, screened porch, an attached two-car garage with a storage bay, and a primary bedroom suite with separate walk-in closets and bathrooms. The home features numerous porches on the first floor; some covered and others terraced. The second floor has two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a separate family area, and an outdoor porch.


 
 
 

Location:

Linn, WI

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 5,800 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Contemporary Ribbon

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Contemporary Ribbon

This two story single-family residence is located on a prominent corner parcel close to the village center in a North Shore suburb. It is one of three similarly sized homes on adjacent sites, each with its own unique architectural style. This three bedroom, three and one-half bath home has contemporary exterior features, a combination of masonry and stucco walls, linear fenestration, and flat roofs accentuated by deep overhangs that enhance the structure's linearity.

The main vertical circulation bisect the building, topped with clerestory windows. This ribbon of windows also extends vertically at the rear, beyond the main rectangular mass of the building, where it terminates at the base of the second floor to form two exterior terraces which overlook the rear garden. The detached garage is designed as an integral component of the site composition, both shielding occupants from the street and adding structure to the raised garden terrace. The first floor features a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The second floor includes a master suite with two additional bedrooms. The finished basement has a recreation room and guest bedroom.

RECOGNITION

Merit Award 2009, Association of Licensed Architects Design Awards

 
 
 

Location:

Glencoe, IL

Market:

Single Family

Stats:

Building Size: 2,600 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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Go Global

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Go Global

The design of this 31,500 sf three-story office building takes full advantage of its triangular site and effectively engages its suburban downtown setting. The facade is defined by a composition of boxed bay windows grounded by corner elements that screen mechanical equipment.

The interior includes 44 private office suites, conference spaces, kitchenettes and bathrooms, as well as a 15 car secured parking garage and a 2,200 sf restaurant space.

RECOGNITION

Chairman’s Award 2009, National Commercial Builders Council Awards of Excellence

 
 
 

LOCATION:

Northbrook, IL

Market:

Office

Stats:

Building Size: 31,500 sf

Services:

Architectural Design
Interior Architecture
Sustainable Design

 

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