Ross Barney Architects facts for kids

Ross Barney Architects is a company that designs buildings. Carol Ross Barney started this company in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois. They are known for creating buildings that are useful and beautiful for communities.

History of Ross Barney Architects

Starting a Design Company

Carol Ross Barney started her own architecture company in February 1981. At first, she worked with clients who had important social and cultural goals. These projects might not have had huge budgets, but they were very meaningful.

In 1982, Jim Jankowski joined the company. He was a college friend of Carol's. The company's name then changed to Ross Barney + Jankowski. This name was used from 1984 to 2006.

Creating Safe Schools

Some of their early projects were schools. The Cesar Chavez Multicultural Academic Center was finished in 1989. Little Village Academy was completed in 1996. These schools were designed to be safe and welcoming places for their neighborhoods. Even today, they remain important community spots.

Designing Public Buildings

In 1997, the company was chosen to design the Oklahoma City Federal Building. This building was very important because it helped create new safety rules for government buildings. It showed how buildings could be designed to be both strong and welcoming.

In 2005, Carol Ross Barney received a special award called the Thomas Jefferson Award. The American Institute of Architects gave her this award for all her amazing public building designs.

Green Buildings and Transportation

In 2008, Ross Barney Architects designed the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois. This building was the first place of worship to get the highest LEED certification. This means it was built in a very environmentally friendly way.

The company has also focused on designing transportation projects. They look for ways to make cities more sustainable. For example, they designed the Morgan Street Station for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). This was the first new train station built in Chicago in over thirty years. They also worked on the Cermak McCormick Place CTA station.

Another big project is the multi-phase expansion of the Chicago Riverwalk. This project helps people enjoy the Chicago River more.

Key Projects by Ross Barney Architects

• Chicago Riverwalk, In Progress, Chicago, Illinois
• Ohio State University South Campus Chiller Plant, Completed 2013, Columbus, Ohio
• Chicago Transit Authority CTA Morgan Street, Completed 2012, Chicago, Illinois
• University of Minnesota Duluth, James I Swenson Civil Engineering Building, Completed 2010, Duluth, Minnesota
• Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Completed 2008, Evanston, Illinois
• Oklahoma City Federal Building, Completed 2005, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Awards and Recognition

• World Architecture Festival, Category Commendation, Transport, CTA Morgan Street Station, 2013
• AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, UMD James I Swenson Civil Engineering Building, 2013
• World Architecture Festival, Category Commendation, Community, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, 2009
• General Services Administration, Design Award, Oklahoma City Federal Building, 2006
• American Institute of Architects, Honor Award for Architecture, Little Village Academy, 2002
• American Institute of Architects, Honor Award for Interior Architecture, Little Village Academy, 1999
• American Institute of Architects, Honor Award for Architecture, Cesar Chavez Multicultural Center, 1994
• National Endowment for the Arts, Federal Design Achievement Award, 1992
• American Institute of Architects, Honor Award for Architecture, Glendale Heights Post Office, 1991

Exhibitions Featuring Their Work

• Jewish Museum New York and San Francisco, Reinventing Ritual: Contemporary Art and Design for Jewish Life, 2009
• Chicago Architecture Foundation, 5 Architects, 2005
• National Building Museum, Future Design Now! The 2000 General Services Administration Design Awards, 2001
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Material Evidence, 2000
• Ispace, Gallery of the School of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, People + Places: The Work of Carol Ross Barney, 1999
• Art Institute of Chicago, Permanent Collection