Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Student Center Addition to Historic High School Honored by AIA Northeast Illinois

  • 10/18/17
Joliet High SchoolOctober 18, 2017 – The design of a new student center by Wight & Company (Wight) for a castle-like Collegiate Gothic high school was recognized with a Preservation/Adaptive Reuse Award from the Northeast Illinois chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) this month. The AIA Northeast Illinois recognition is the seventh award for this transformative student center on a campus that dates to the early 20th century.

Built in 1901, Joliet Central High School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The limestone building features arched Gothic entrance doors and an elaborate interior with plaster relief panels, marble wainscoting and decorative cast iron staircases. "We designed this addition to be the heart of the school, one that honors the history and elegance of this extraordinary building," explained Kevin Havens, director of design for Wight.

"Our solution showcases a limestone façade of the historic school and treats it like artwork on the interior of the new structure," said Havens. Wight's design includes a three-story glass curtain wall façade that leads into a light-filled student center and open plan cafeteria that can seat up to 600 people. The focal point is a soaring structure of tubular steel.

"Our atrium design references elements of the Collegiate Gothic style, but does so in a modern way that is light and airy," said Havens. In addition to the AIA Northeast Illinois award, Wight & Company's work on the Joliet Central High School Student Center has earned the firm recognition from multiple organizations for design, engineering and preservation. Recent awards include:

  • 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, Restoration, Landmarks Illinois
  • 2017 Merit Award, New Construction, Suburbs, Chicago Building Congress
  • 2016 Honorable Mention, Excellence in the Design of Educational Environments, Illinois Association of School Boards
  • 2016 Best Projects Award, K-12 Education, ENR Midwest
  • 2016 11th Annual Preservation Award, Joliet Historic Preservation Commission
  • 2016 Award of Merit, Excellence in Structural Engineering, Best Project - $5M to $50M, Structural Engineers Association of Illinois

About Wight & Company
Established in 1939, Wight & Company is a leading Design & Delivery firm based in Chicago. With a professional staff of specialists, including 60 LEED® Accredited Professionals, Wight & Company effectively connects its planning, architecture, engineering, construction, and transportation and infrastructure services to provide clients in the public and private sectors comprehensive solutions. As the first firm to receive Green Firm Certification from the Sustainable Performance Institute (SPI) and the architect of more than 80+ LEED certified or registered projects including silver, gold and platinum designations, Wight & Company is committed to sustainable planning, design and construction principles. For more information, visit www.wightco.com

Featured

  • R.I. District Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New Elementary School

    Cranston Public Schools in Cranston, R.I., recently announced the completion of Gladstone Elementary School, according to a news release. The 100,000-square-foot facility serves as a replacement for the 1950s-era former building, and it consolidates the student, faculty, and staff populations of Gladstone and Arlington Elementary Schools.

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.