Gertrude Kerbis facts for kids

Gertrude Lempp Kerbis (born 1926 – died June 14, 2016) was an amazing American architect who designed modern buildings. She studied at many universities, including Harvard and the Illinois Institute of Technology. She learned from famous architects like Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Gertrude Kerbis worked for big architecture firms before starting her own company, Lempp Kerbis, in Chicago in 1967. She believed that even the inside design of a building is a form of architecture.

Gertrude Kerbis was a lead designer for several important modern buildings. These include Mitchell Hall at the United States Air Force Academy, the Seven Continents Restaurant at O'Hare International Airport, and the Skokie Public Library. In 1973, she started a group called Chicago Women in Architecture. She was also a proud member of the American Institute of Architects and became a special "AIA Fellow" in 1970.

Early Life and Education

Gertrude Lempp Kerbis grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents, Eugene and Emma Lempp, were immigrants from Germany and Belarus. They worked hard to support their family. Gertrude went to public schools in Chicago and graduated from Foreman High School.

She started college at Wilbur Wright College. Later, her family moved to Wisconsin, and she transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Gertrude became interested in architecture after reading about Frank Lloyd Wright and visiting his famous studio, Taliesin East.

Since the University of Wisconsin did not have an architecture program, Gertrude moved to the University of Illinois. There, she studied architectural engineering and earned her bachelor's degree in 1948. She then went on to study architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design with Walter Gropius.

Gertrude returned to Chicago to continue her studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). She learned from another famous architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. She received her master's degree in 1954. While at IIT, she met Walter Peterhans, and they got married and had a son named Julian. Later, she married tennis player Donald Kerbis and they had a daughter named Kim.

What Kind of Work Did She Do?

Her First Jobs

While studying at Harvard, Gertrude Kerbis began her first job. She worked in the studio of Carl Koch. After finishing her studies at IIT in 1954, she was hired by Walter Netsch. She joined the well-known firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).

At SOM, Gertrude Kerbis helped design important buildings. These included Mitchell Hall and the Skokie Public Library. She worked at SOM until 1959. Then, she moved to C.F. Murphy Associates. There, she designed the Seven Continents Restaurant. She stayed at C.F. Murphy Associates until 1963. In 1967, Gertrude Kerbis opened her own architecture firm, Lempp Kerbis. She also taught at Harper Community College for 25 years.

Her Design Style

Gertrude Kerbis was known for her unique design style. She often used "long-span structures." These are designs that allow for very open spaces inside buildings, without many columns getting in the way. This created flexible rooms that could be used for many different things.

Some of her best examples of this style are Mitchell Hall and the Seven Continents Restaurant. Gertrude focused on the main structure of a building. She wanted to be known as a strong woman architect, not just someone who picked furniture or colors.

Important Projects

Here are some of the major buildings Gertrude Lempp Kerbis helped design:

• Mitchell Hall, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
• Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL
• Seven Continents Restaurant, The Rotunda Building at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL
• Don Kerbis Tennis Club, Highland Park, Chicago, IL
• Greenhouse Condominium, 2131 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL
• Lake Meadows Clubhouse

Awards for Her Projects

Gertrude Kerbis's work won several awards:

• 1960: AIA Citation of Merit for the Lake Meadows Clubhouse.
• 1962: AIA Honor Award for the Skokie Public Library.
• 1976: AIA Distinguished Building Award for the Greenhouse Condominium.

Professional Achievements

Gertrude Kerbis received many honors for her work as an architect:

• 1970: She was the 11th woman ever to be chosen for the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. This is a very high honor.
• 2008: She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Chapter of the AIA.
• 2014: The Chicago Architecture Foundation created an exhibit called Women Build Change. This celebrated the 40th anniversary of Chicago Women in Architecture, a group Gertrude founded.

Groups She Was Part Of

Gertrude Kerbis was active in many professional groups:

• She was a member and the first female president of the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
• She founded Chicago Women in Architecture in 1973.
• She was a member and president of the Cliff Dwellers Club in Chicago.
• She was also a member of the Chicago Architectural Club.