Ben Johnson

more

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson AIA LEED AP

Senior Architect Ben Johnson's broad range of professional experience includes high-rise construction, historic restoration and modern interstate highway and bridge design. He is adept at all phases of project management and architectural design, from research and programming to construction administration. He is particularly skilled in the technical and organizational aspects of project delivery and field investigation and design.

Ben has extensive experience in general firm management including finance, contracts, insurance and marketing. Prior to joining AS+GG in 2008, he was a senior associate at Johnson Lasky Architects in Chicago, where his responsibilities included strategic planning and business development, marketing, consultant selection and management, recruiting and staffing, budgeting, preparing proposals, calculating fees, preparing contracts and managing client relationships. Ben also previously worked at VOA Associates in Chicago.

Ben is a former recipient of a nine-month Fulbright grant in Vienna, Austria, which he spent studying international business management and the German language.

Education

Master of Architecture, University of Illinois, 1998
Bachelor of Arts in International Management, St. John's University, Minnesota, 1992


Affiliations

American Institute of Architects (AIA)
LEED Accredited Professional
Licensed Architect in Illinois
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards


Publications + Presentations

"Restoration at the University of Chicago - International House," Statewide Preservation Conference, 2007
"Historic Railroad Bridges in Chicago," Technology & Conservation Conference, 2003
"Wacker Drive Stone," Technology & Conservation Conference, 2003


Awards + Honors

AIA Illinois Design Award, St. John's Episcopal Church (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects) 2007
Portland Cement Association Award of Excellence, I-74 Reconstruction / Arched Pier Bridges (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2006
U.S. General Services Administration Biennial Design Awards Citation, U.S. Custom House (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2006
AIA Chicago Honor Award, Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2005
ACEC Eminent Conceptor Award, Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2005
ACEC Honor Award, Lake Shore Drive Reconstruction / Animal Bridge (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2005
Richard Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, Animal Bridge (while Senior Associate at Johnson Lasky Architects), 2005

Major projects at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture:

Wuhan Greenland Center
119-story, 606-meter tall, 300,000 sm mixed-use tower features 50 office floors, 17 residential floors and 22 hotel floors and four club levels, four sky lobbies, and multiple mechanical floors. Wuhan, China

Kingdom Tower
The next tallest building in the world, this multi-use Tower will feature a luxury hotel, office space, serviced apartments, luxury condominiums and the world’s highest observatory. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Vantone Center Tianjin
185-meter tower consists of 64,000 square-meters of above-grade Class A office and high-end retail space, along with an additional 30,000 square meters of below-grade retail and parking. Also features a 27 meter-tall private club for building tenants at its top. Tianjin, China

Nanshan Tower Exterior Wall
Exterior Wall design for a mixed-use development in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District that optimizes solar and wind mitigation.  The development includes a 300m tower, 160m tower and conference facility.  Shenzhen, China

Gang Xia Tower
198-meter, 43-story tower in Shenzhen’s Futian Central District, with views to the adjacent Civic Center Park and a series of high performance solar shades. Shenzhen, China

Hilal Tower
138 m mixed-use tower includes four levels below grade for retail, parking and support areas. The tower features residential, office and retail at ground and higher levels. Sustainable elements include district cooling, solar hot water, energy-efficient lighting and equipment, a greywater system and highly efficient HVAC and MEP Systems. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Ahlamana
Mixed-use 74.5 m and 105 m residential and office towers consisting of 5,612 sm of area. The program includes four to five below-grade levels for partial storage, parking and support areas.  Sustainable elements include district cooling, solar hot water, energy-efficient lighting and equipment, a greywater system and highly efficient HVAC and MEP Systems. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Federation of Korean Industries
50 story, 240 meter tower in downtown Seoul will provide the headquarters for the Federation of Korean Industries. The Class A office building also includes dining facilities, theater and conference center and rooftop garden. Seoul, Korea

Willis Tower Greening Project + Hotel (Formerly Sears Tower)
Integration of sustainable systems to reduce energy consumption at the former Sears tower and design for highly sustainable, 50-story five-star hotel to be built on the south side of Willis Tower plaza. The hotel will draw net zero energy from the power grid. Chicago, Illinois

1 Dubai
Three-tower, supertall mega-structure includes luxury hotels, condominiums, offices, retail and cultural facilities. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

1 Park Avenue
Supertall tower with podium complex includes luxury hotel, condominiums, offices and retail. Dubai, United Arab Emirates


At Johnson Lasky Architects:

University of Illinois Urban
Champaign Natural History Building Assessment & Development Plan for the adaptation and continued use of this 150,000 sf, 1894, National Register building.

Allerton Park assessment
Condition assessment with prioritized recommendations and pricing for a 1,500 acre, 1920s-era, compound of farming magnate, Robert Allerton including a 30,000 sf Georgian mansion, guest houses, out buildings, formal gardens and adjacent landscapes all now comprising the Robert Allerton Park in central Illinois.

University of Chicago, Presidents House
Prepared a feasibility study for the President's House, located in a prime, high-visibility location on the Midway Plaisance next to the famous Rockefeller Chapel. Designed in 1895 by Henry Ives Cobb, the 10,000 sf residence is constructed of roman brick with limestone masonry trim. A 1500 square foot coach house was included in the project.

University of Chicago, International House renovation
A 485 bed dormitory and mixed use building constructed in 1932 as part of the International House consortium founded by John D. Rockefeller. Project consists of the final phase of a multi-year renovation project includes modifications for universal access to the building and relocation of the administration and front office areas.

U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Customs House
Façade restoration of 13 story, 1932 federal building. Firm served as consulting preservation architect to a design-build team.

Chicago Federal Center
Façade restoration of three prominent mid-century buildings designed by Mies van der Rohe. Firm served as consulting preservation architect to a design-build team.

U.S. General Services Administration, Retainer
Indefinite quantity contract for architectural services over 5 years. Project scopes include interior build-out, sidewalk vault replacement, exterior wall investigation, Landscaping design, feasibility studies, programming and space planning. Locations include leased and owned federal space in the Chicago area.

North Avenue Bridge
Replacement of historic Chicago Bascule bridge over the Chicago River. Firm served as consulting preservation architect to the design engineer.

Wilson St. Bridge
Design of new 3-span, concrete roadway bridge over the Fox River in Batavia, IL to replace existing deteriorated structure. As consultant to a bridge engineering firm provided aesthetic direction, architectural design, community outreach and technical design of various bridge and streetscape elements.

Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project
Reconstruction of the 1926 East-West leg of Chicago's Wacker Drive; a multi-level viaduct roadway structure clad with ornamental stone stairways and façade elements along the Chicago River.

Animal Bridge
Part of the award winning reconstruction of south Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, the 1904 Minnesota sandstone bridge cladding was disassembled and reconstructed in another location on a new, wider structure exactly matching the original bridge profile. The stone cladding was restored and reinstalled.

I-74 Reconstruction
Reconstruction of 11 miles of Interstate 74 through Peoria Illinois. Project includes bridges, retaining walls, tunnels, fencing, guardrails, lighting, sound-walls, landscape design coordination

CPS Capital Improvement Program projects
Multi-year design services for various projects over 15 schools including exterior/interior renovations, accessibility upgrades, roofing, window replacement.

U.S. Navy – Great Lakes Naval Training Center
Multiple projects involving the restoration, renovation or adaptive reuse of several buildings on the historic naval training base. Recently awarded Indefinite Quantity contract as consulting preservation architect.

Loyola Press
Conversion of 10,000 sf distribution warehouse space into editorial and production offices for a publishing company.

St. John's Episcopal Church
Retained as design architects for the reconstruction of an Episcopal church gutted by fire. Scope included new exposed heavy timber truss roof system, complete interior restoration, stained glass window restoration, complete new MEP systems.

Edgewater Beach Apartments
Multiple projects over 10 years for 1927, 17 story condominium building. Work scope included complete restoration of stucco exterior wall system, replacement and restoration of over 3500 windows, Interior renovation of elevators and lobby, redesign of exterior canopy.


At VOA Associates:

Hyatt Rosemont
New 10 story, 200 room, concrete flat slab hotel with restaurant and 17,000 ft2 conference facilities.

Ben Johnson on

design
Design is humankind's greatest power.

where he finds inspiration
In our recognition of the value and resource in the complexity of systems and our interest in harnessing their essence

his favorite "moment" in architecture
The fall of orthodox Modernism. If it was the ultimate truth, which Modernism purported to be, then why do anything else? There's such a range of excellence in architecture that applies all over the spectrum of life. We're realizing now that complexity is a valuable thing, as opposed to an insistence on a rigid order.

his favorite city architecturally
It's impossible for me to identify a single favorite, but the city that forever returns to the front of mind is Istanbul—perhaps for its unique setting.

his favorite thing about a collaborative design process
The potential for a diverse range of concepts to meet, combine and recombine to create new, unanticipated results.

what he'd be if he weren't an architect
An urban planner—researching, defining, planning and predicting the urban condition.

what he does when he's not designing
I try to spend as much time as possible outdoors, going in circles—hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking, sailing…