WIP was created for two reasons. The first to serve as an outlet for all the great work and ideas that fling around the practice but, for one reason or another, might never see the light of day. Sketches. Ideas. Doodles. Those first sparks that crackle with energy, the ones that take your breath away because of their potential…but sadly get placed back in a drawer because, well, they’re just not right for this project or that client. In this regard, WIP has become a powerful recruiting tool for us because it celebrates a culture that truly believes good ideas can come from anyone and anywhere. We don’t care where you are in your career, or where you stand in the corporate hierarchy, the best idea wins. Always. WIP’s second purpose has always been to elevate the quality of design at RTKL—to create a public forum for our best work to be judged, assessed and critiqued by outside professionals. This is the soul-baring part, and it’s by far the most difficult and wrenching because it reveals who we are at a vulnerable and formative stage. Do we measure up? This year, we took this second purpose to heart and set out to raise the bar as much as we could. We made the submission requirements more demanding, more deliberate and more specific, especially with regard to performance metrics. Our goal is to push our designers to think more about why they do things and the impact their work has on the world. And, by and large, it worked. This year we received more entries than we have in the history of WIP. The usual geographic diversity is there, as is the range of project typology, but the quality and seriousness of purpose seem to be markedly higher than previous years. Indeed, what seemed to impress the jury the most were those projects that set out to make a difference in people’s lives—those that go beyond a purely creative or aesthetic pursuit to reflect a clear sense of purpose and exposition. This is a big step for a (largely) commercial practice like RTKL, and it could be the start of something quite wonderful. As always, the jury was Herculean. They fought their way through the first crop of entries but quickly zeroed in on the stand-outs. Sure, there were differences of opinion, and the conversation got heated, but that’s the thing about people who know what they’re doing—they know what they’re doing. Their insights and comments were spot on and, by late afternoon, they had their winners. And so have we. Enjoy. ZOKA ZOLA is a Chicago-based architect. In 2002, she MARĺA ARQUERO DE ALARCÓN opened her own practice, Zoka Zola Architecture + Urban Design, is an assistant professor of architecture, urban planning and design and gained notoriety for her Pfanner House design. Her portfolio at Taubman College at the University of Michigan. Her research, also includes three zero-energy houses, a solar tower and an urban JOHN NORQUIST serves as President teaching and practice focus on the design, representation and use plan for Chicago. Zoka has taught at numerous universities and and CEO of the Congress for New Urbanism. His work of public space both as environmental infrastructure and as a field organizations including Oxford Brookes University, Architectural focuses on promoting new urbanism as an alternative of experimentation to devise new forms of civic engagement. María works as a senior Association in London and the University of Illinois. to the problems caused by sprawl. John draws on his is also a founding partner of MAde-Studio, a research-based design DREW RANIERI project designer with Solomon Cordwell Buenz. He is the previous experience as mayor of Milwaukee and his practice focused on the development of environmentally and culturally former president of the Chicago Architecture Club and a contributions to national discussions on urban design sound urban design practices. frequent guest critic at the Illinois Institute of Technology and transportation policy. He is the author of “The Wealth and Virginia Tech. Drew’s portfolio includes a wide range of Cities” and has taught courses in urban policy and of domestic residential, retail and education projects. planning at the University of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Marquette University. A PLACE TO GO Machakos, Kenya 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sarah Cai* James Robertson Human and animal Waste products sit The waste products Meals are prepared Solid waste settles Waste slurry Waste slurry is Nitrogen-rich Food is consumed, Laura Ewan Cory Strischek waste is delivered to in the digestor, give off methane using methane to bottom of continues to break transported to an fertilizer is used to more waste is the digestion where pathogens gas (CH4) harnessed powered gas digestion chamber down in secondary auxiliary storage bin help grow corn, produced and Ian Marcus Patrick Willke chamber. are broken down by to power school ranges. and gradually collection tank for until ready to be beans and trees. process begins Mark Palmer Bryant Yee microbes and heat. kitchen. moves into 60–90 days until used at fertilizer. again. secondary collection inert. tank as slurry. Making a better, more sustainable world isn’t just a tagline; it’s a mission. Architecture The impact of good design goes far beyond creating statuesque skyscrapers or bustling mixed-use developments. This team took that message to heart for an everyday in order to make conditions better for students of the Jitegemee School in Machakos, Kenya. The team is working to design, fund and build a sustainable biogas toilet facility to replace the existing single pit latrine currently used by occurrence. RESTROOM KITCHEN CONSUMPTION all 200+ students. The $15,000 unit will help save energy, eliminate the need — DREW RANIERI for costly and dirty charcoal, provide compost for the school garden, recycle 4 waste and produce biogas to fuel stoves in the school kitchen. By embracing a new way of thinking about toilet design, the school can improve the quality 7 of life for students and the surrounding community. 1 AUXILLARY INLET 8 9 GAS AUXILIARY CROPS OUTLET STORAGE BIN PIPE COLLECTING TANK 6 3 DIGESTION CHAMBER 5 CH4 Visit WIP in the RTKL Publications app to 2 see how the toilet waste becomes a viable energy source for the Jitegemee School. DA’MING PALACE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL Xi’an, China Keith Campbell Keith Lee The varied building Tom Demetrion Mei Shao Alex Kang Jonathan Zee heights create a sense Considered by some to be the economic and cultural hub of central China, this emerging city was in need of an equally impressive landmark to help continue of place and give the its meteoric rise. Giving only basic requirements, the client gave the team full freedom in determining the best solution for the site. This rare opportunity provided a unique design process and resulted in a range of schemes that development context sought to establish identity, optimize efficiency and reduce consumption. The tower and supporting mixed-use spaces represent the vibrancy and prosperity within the cityscape. of Xi’an through its unmistakable presence, function and design. — DREW RANIERI 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 EXTRUSION OF MASS CORRESPONDING RE-SHAPE TAPER & CONNECTIONS 1 Massing extrusion based on 1 Shift the tower to 1 Rotate the tower to dialog with 1 Taper the tower and lift EXTRUSION6.25 FAR / 35% OFsite MASScoverage introduceSHIFT &entry CONNECT plaza theRESHAPE existing infrastructure TAPERup the front & CONNECTfacade Massingrequirement extrusion based on Shift the tower to introduce Rotate the tower to connect Taper the tower and lift up the 1 1 Extend and reshape the 1 Create atriums to maximize 1 Connection between urban 6.25 FAR / 35% site coverage 2 entry plaza 2 with the existing infrastructure 2 front façade podium to generate the the views and to introduce fabric and tower facade requirement 2 circulationsExtend and reshapeand correspond the 2 theCreate natural atriums light to maximize 2 Connectthrough urban the podium setting to tower topodium the surrounded to generate neighbors circulation views and introduce natural light façade through the podium patterns and connect to surrounding neighbors HALO Chicago, Illinois, USA Keith Campbell Kiyomi Negi-Tran The team was able Blaise Durio Jason Peters Bryan Finnegan Jose B. Rodriguez* Todd Kaiser Amie Sell to achieve synthesis Greg Lakota* Tom Willoughby* Mark Lauterbach Jonathan Zee through the design. Shu-han Liao Danxi Zou — ZOKA ZOLA Transportation infrastructure is a major concern for cities around the world as populations continue to increase. Public systems can offer a reprieve on the roadways, but present a set of challenges all their own. High development costs and community opposition sometimes put these projects on the shelf. As part of a competition for the Chicago Transit Authority and Chicago Architecture Foundation, this team set out to create a solution that could benefit residents and add value to Chicago’s urban landscape. Dubbed Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, this station prototype offers an enhanced, light rail-like transit experience at approximately 1/3 the cost per linear mile. Utilizing existing roadways, the BRT system stitches existing transit modes and corridors together, while rejuvenating neighborhoods at the pedestrian scale. But don’t confuse them with bus shelters; they increase the comfort, speed and ease of travel for users. The incorporation of energy-saving features is projected to save the transit department 40% on energy costs annually. The end result is a design that enhances the commuter experience without driving up costs for transportation operators.