Fast Company — "Jeanne Gang is creating a better future by building on the past"

"Founded in 1997, when Gang was just 33, Studio Gang became famous for stunning new structures like the Starlight Theatre, in Rockford, Illinois, and the undulating 82-story Aqua Tower, in Chicago. The firm has matured into a global powerhouse (and a perennial Innovation by Design honoree), with work around the world, including New York’s Solar Carve, the Q Residences in Amsterdam, and the 101-story St. Regis Chicago, which will be the third-tallest building in a city known for its architectural feats. These projects have bolstered Gang’s reputation and helped her firm grow to 125 people, with four offices across the U.S. and one in Europe. Forthcoming projects include an aspen-tree-inspired mid-rise tower in Denver, a carbon-neutral center for the University of Chicago in Paris, and Assemble Chicago, a carbon-neutral residential community in the city’s Loop district.

Gang’s increasing focus on sustainability is gaining momentum. Construction and related activity account for nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the nonprofit Architecture 2030. When Beloit College wanted to re­imagine a former coal-burning power plant as a multifunctional student union and fitness center, Gang’s proposal topped the short list. Studio Gang’s competition-winning design preserved and adapted elements of the century-old plant’s industrial past, while targeting LEED Silver certification."

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