building in the centre . stereoscopic view by benjamin w. kilburn the architectural firm now known as holabird & root was founded in chicago in 1880 . over the years the firm has changed its name several times and adapted to the architectural style then current from chicago school to art deco to modern architecture to sustainable architecture . operating on a legacy of innovation holabird & root is a full service architecture engineering interior design and planning firm . celebrating 135 years of design the firm is the oldest architecture firm in chicago . the firm remains a privately held partnership currently operating with three principals and five associate principals . contents 1 history 2 awards 3 other buildings 4 references 5 external links history edit the original founders william holabird and ossian cole simonds worked in the office of william lebaron jenney . they set up their own independent practice holabird & simonds in 1880 when they took on the project for an extension to graceland cemetery passed on to them by jenney . in 1881 martin roche who had also worked for jenney joined them as a third partner . after only working together on five projects simonds left the firm in 1883 to pursue a career as a landscape architect . holabird simonds & roche became holabird & roche . a few years later however the firm once again collaborated with the ex partner when from 1889 to 1895 they designed and built fort sheridan for which simonds provided the landscaping . beginning with the tacoma building completed 1889 ; demolished 1929 their first major commission and the marquette building 1895 the firm became well known for its groundbreaking chicago school skyscrapers . an enormously successful practice they also designed large ornate hotels across the country including chicago s palmer house . after the deaths of william holabird 1923 and martin roche 1927 the then renamed holabird & root was run by holabird s son john augur holabird and john wellborn root jr. who had both joined back in 1914 . under their leadership the firm adopted an art deco style . the company name changed to holabird root & burgee for a while and two further generations of holabirds served as partners up to 1987 . currently located in the marquette building the firm is now again called holabird & root although nobody of either name is involved anymore . awards edit 2014 the breck school 2014 ala design awards institutional merit award east west university student life center 2014 chicago building congress merit award finalist for new construction under 55 000 000 rightpoint consulting office buildout 2014 chicago building congress merit award finalist for interior buildout university of chicago midway studios renovation 2014 preservation excellence award in exterior rehabilitation city of chicago department of planning and development 2013 j & j arnaco monroe building restoration and renovation ala design awards merit award university of chicago logan center for creative and performing arts chicago building congress merit award for new construction in 2012 2012 j & j arnaco monroe building restoration and renovation chicago building congress merit award for rehab construction j & j arnaco monroe building restoration and renovation landmarks illinois richard h. driehaus foundation preservation awards restoration project of the year waubonsee community college plano classroom building ala design awards merit award 2011 chicago housing authority kenmore senior apartment housing american society of interior designers design excellence award in green residential design j & jj arnaco monroe building rehabilitation chicago architecture foundation patron of the year award excellence in academic libraries award for 2011 j & jj arnaco monroe building rehabilitation friends of downtown best historic renovation project grinnell college noyce science center presidential award for excellence in science mathematics and engineering mentoring grinnell college noyce science center excellence in academic libraries award for 2011 heartland housing inc. hollywood house apartments the polk bros. foundation affordable rental housing preservation award 2010 beloit college center for the sciences wisconsin builder 2009 top projects st. olaf college regents hall of natural and mathematical sciences 2010 honor award for excellence in masonry design and construction 2009 beloit college center for the sciences aia chicago design excellence award chicago cultural center domes restoration 2009 illuminating engineering society illumination merit award chicago cultural center domes restoration chicago architecture foundation patron of the year award chicago cultural center domes restoration 2009 aia illinois crombie taylor award st. olaf college regents hall of natural and mathematical sciences xcel energy best integrated design in the energy assistance program 2009 village of oak park public works facility ashrae region iv technology award village of oak park public works facility ashrae society level technology award honorable mention 2008 city of davenport pedestrian skybridge 2008 aia illinois honor award dominican university parmer hall illinois indiana masonry council silver award first presbyterian church of deerfield illinois indiana masonry council craftsmanship award lake view presbyterian church exterior historic restoration landmarks illinois richard h. driehaus foundation 2008 preservation award marquette building exhibition friends of downtown 2008 coolest thing award chicago cultural center domes restoration 2008 chicago landmark award for preservation chicago cultural center domes restoration midwest construction best of 2008 renovation restoration project of the year opus north corporation landmark of lake forest master plan and office building development national association of industrial and office properties naiop 2008 suburban office development of the year village of oak park public works facility american public works association suburban chicago metro chaper 2008 project excellence award village of oak park public works facility american public works association suburban chicago metro chaper 2008 project of the year award village of oak park public works facility ashrae illinois chapter 2008 excellence in engineering award 2007 drake university olin hall renovation and addition association of licensed architects design award of merit grinnell college conard environmental research area aia chicago sustainable design award 2006 the zweig letter 2006 hot firm list grinnell college conard environmental research area education center environmental design construction excellence in design awards finalist city of davenport pedestrian skybridge american institute of steel construction ideas2 merit award winner lake view presbyterian church exterior historic restoration aia chicago distinguished building award 2005 truman state university fine and performing arts center association of licensed architects design award of merit city of davenport pedestrian skybridge national council of structural engineers association 2005 excellence in structural engineering award city of milwaukee north avenue dam pedestrian bridge aia chicago divine detail award forest hills public school district fine arts center aia michigan honor award for building design forest hills public school district fine arts center aia grand valley michigan building award and sustainable design award forest hills public school district fine arts center aia wisconsin merit award schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse united states institute for theatre technology merit award 2004 aia illinois distinguished firm award forest hills public school district fine arts center american school and university education excellence specialized facility award aquinas college circle theater catholic secondary schools performing arts center association of licensed architects silver design award central college vermeer science center aia chicago sustainable design award central college vermeer science center environmental design construction excellence in design awards honorable mention central college vermeer science center region vi ashrae technology award central college vermeer science center minnesota ashrae technology award schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse national council of structural engineers association 2004 excellence in structural engineering award 2003 rochester public schools folwell school committee on urban design and environment of the city of rochester mn historic preservation award us department of energy fermi national accelerator laboratory wilson hall renovations illinois engineering council outstanding engineering achievement forest preserve district of dupage county mayslake peabody mansion renovation regional finals ashrae excellence in engineering loras college academic resource center association of licensed architects design award of merit schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse aia wisconsin merit award newaygo foundation dogwood center for the performing arts association of licensed architects silver design award wittenberg university kuss science center renovation and addition associated builders and contractors ohio valley chapter institutional construction award of excellence hines development corporation woodfield corporate center 425 475 lobby and bridge renovation building owners and managers association boma chicago 2002 eastern illinois university booth library renovation and expansion aia chicago interior architecture award for sensitive renovation lake forest high school east campus raymond moore auditorium renovation addition association of licensed architects renovation design award of merit city of milwaukee north avenue dam pedestrian bridge design competition commission city of davenport pedestrian skybridge design competition commission forest preserve district of dupage county mayslake peabody mansion illinois chapter ashrae excellence in engineering award schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse midwest construction magazine rehabilitation project of the year 2001 schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse association of licensed architects presidential award schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse association of licensed architects rehabilitation design award of excellence schauer arts and activities center renovation and adaptive reuse structural engineers association of illinois special project award judson college central library and academic center association of licensed architects unbuilt design award of excellence illinois institute of technology mccormick tribune campus center the chicago athenaeum american architecture award and exhibit 2000 aia chicago firm of the year award grinnell college noyce science center association of licensed architects design award of excellence ibm mid america employees federal credit union association of licensed architects design award of excellence city of chicago public building commission goldblatt s building renovation chicago building congress reconstruction award of merit city of chicago public building commission goldblatt s building renovation commission on chicago landmarks excellence in historic restoration city of chicago public building commission goldblatt s building renovation midwest construction best of 200 renovation award of merit sharon s california house ii residential architect magazine award of merit custom home magazine award of merit 1999 caryl s california house i structural engineers association of illinois special project award of merit northwestern university allison hall dining facility addition and renovation illinois council of american registered architects design award of honor university of wisconsin madison law school addition and renovation aia chicago distinguished building award of merit sharon s california house ii society of american registered architects national design award of merit northwestern university allison hall dining facility addition and renovation society of american registered architects national design award of merit northwestern university galter health sciences library renovation and expansion society of american registered architects national design award of honor 1998 sharon s california house ii aia chicago distinguished building award of honor university of st. thomas frey science and engineering center design build institute of america national excellence award university of wisconsin madison law school addition and renovation the chicago athenaeum american architecture award 1997 university of wisconsin madison law school addition and renovation wisconsin society of architects aia honor award macalester college olin & rice halls of science addition and renovation minnesota ashrae first place award existing institutional buildings ibm 020 building renovation region vi ashrae first place award existing commercial buildings ibm mid america employees federal credit union metal architecture award of merit 1996 caryl s california house i aia chicago distinguished building award of merit 1995 university of wisconsin milwaukee school of architecture and urban planning aia chicago distinguished building award motorola inc. land mobile products sector customers center for systems integration aia chicago interior architecture award 1994 motorola inc. land mobile products sector customers center for systems integration new chicago interiors distinguished interior award university of wisconsin milwaukee school of architecture & urban planning wisconsin society of architects aia merit award amoco corporation chicago illinois lighting chicago institute award of merit for lighting excellence northern illinois gas company corporate headquarters naperville illinois chicago section of the illuminating engineering society of north america illumination design award 1993 the university of chicago kersten physics teaching center association of university architects honor award state of illinois judicial and office