Sara Beardsley

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Sara Beardsley

Sara Beardsley AIA, LEED AP

Senior Architect Sara Beardsley is currently leading design efforts on AS+GG project, Dancing Dragons, two super-tall towers in Seoul, Korea.

Among Sara’s recent projects were the modernization and greening of Willis Tower, a role for which she’s uniquely suited given her lifelong appreciation for Chicago’s architectural tradition and her commitment to sustainability in the built environment.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Sara has a special fascination with the design of tall buildings and energy efficient facades. Her past projects including a supertall hotel in Dubai, the Incheon international Airport competition in Korea, and FKI Headquarters in Seoul, Korea.  Sara also contributed to the award-winning Chicago Loop De-Carbonization plan with a special focus on energy issues in existing buildings.

Before joining AS+GG in 2007, Sara was a studio head and technical coordinator at the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. There she collaborated with Adrian Smith on the design of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, and was also involved in the renovation of Mies van der Rohe’s Dirksen Federal Building.

Education

Bachelor of Architecture with honors (structural engineering minor), Illinois Institute of Technology, 2002
Preservation Institute, Nantucket (graduate summer program), 2001

Affiliations

American Institute of Architects
LEED Accredited Professional
Chicago Women in Architecture
CCHRB member [Chicago Committee on Highrise Buildings]
CTBUH Emerging Professionals Committee member

Publications + Presentations

High Performance Building, Spring 2010, "Chicago's Opportunity," pp. 58-63
Sustainability and the City, July 2008
Penn Bridges III, Library of Congress, 2002

Awards + Honors

2013 Illinois AIA, Daniel Burnham Honor Award, Chicago Central Area DeCarbonization Plan
2012 AIA Design Excellence, SustainABILITY Award, Chicago Central Area Decarbonization Plan
2011 National AIA Young Architect Award
2011 National AIA Honor Award, Regional and Urban Design, Chicago Central Area DeCarbonization Plan
2011 American Architecture Award, Chicago Central Area DeCarbonization Award
2010 Chicago Crain's Business 40 Under 40
2010 Chicago AIA Dubin Family Young Architect Award
2010 R+D Award for Sustainability, Chicago DeCarbonization Plan, Architect Magazine
2010 WAN Awards, Urban Design, Chicago Central Area DeCarbonization Plan
Heald Scholarship
CWA Scholarship

Major projects at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture:

Danicing Dragons
A twin tower scheme of 450 m and 330 m tall towers that proposes a new paradigm for super tall residential typologies. The performative design creates opportunities for views, daylighting, natural ventilation and other experiences. Seoul, Korea

Incheon Airport
This design is based around a central spine which follows the main axis of the site. The plan resolves opposite forces working together: airside with landside, passenger with aircraft, in a sustainable city airport, introducing the balance between nature with technology. Incheon, Korea

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

Chicago Central Area DeCarbonization Plan
Commission from the City of Chicago for a complete “Energy Master Plan” that assesses and looks at innovative solutions for the carbon performance of the downtown area Loop using a holistic urban design approach. Chicago, Illinois

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

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

Franklin Point
3.5 million sf mixed-use development along Chicago River. Chicago, Illinois

Verde Residences
49-story, 1.35 million sf luxury residential tower, including duplex townhouses, 4 stories of office space and retail along a harbor promenade. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Verde Offices
32-story, 820,000 sf office tower featuring including verdant sky gardens and podium offices. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Grand Boulevard
Luxury two-tower residential complex with outdoor plaza, a theater and unobstructed views of Burj Dubai. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Energy Master Plan
Master planning and architecture for large-scale mixed-use district, including office, hotel, parks and civic spaces. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Clean Technology Tower
Proposed 60 story tower in downtown Chicago. Project is designed to eliminate its negative impact on the environment and could potentially provide excess energy. Chicago, Illinois


At SOM:

Trump International Hotel & Tower
Architectural design and structural engineering for 2.4 million sf, 90-story mixed use tower comprised of luxury residential, hotel, health club, retail, parking and riverfront park on prominent site along the Chicago River. Chicago, Illinois, 2007

Dirksen Federal Building
Architecture, interior design and engineering services for the renovation of courtrooms, offices and building infrastructure in the landmark, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, mid-century modernist federal building. Chicago, Illinois

201 Bishopsgate
13-story, 680,000 sf office building with two 80,000 sf trading floors and two atriums. London, United Kingdom, 2002

Sarah Beardsley on...

…design
Buildings are unique in that they can be artistic but also must be useful. We live in buildings and experience them as part of our cities' identities every day. I enjoy design because creating beautiful, unique and innovative buildings can have a positive impact on the people who see and use them. I find it meaningful to create great spaces, and contribute positively to the human experience.

…where she finds inspiration
From nature, from my own experiences, and from the world around me.

…her favorite "moment" in architecture
Not one single moment. I think of architecture more as "projects." The projects most meaningful to me have been Trump Tower at SOM and Sears Tower at AS+GG. I also find the architectural community a fascinating group of people, and have enjoyed many little moments interacting with my colleagues.

…her favorite city architecturally
Chicago, of course.

…her favorite thing about a collaborative design process
Getting different points of view on the same problem. Often the ultimate solution comes from a collaboration of ideas, or an idea that develops over time. In architecture you get to see the progress of something visually through the work we produce, which is exciting.

…the accomplishment she's proudest of at AS+GG
A renewed commitment to environmentally responsible design.

…what she'd be if she weren't an architect
A structural engineer.

...what she does when she's not designing
Spending time with friends and family, traveling, hiking, exploring Chicago—basically experiencing the world. I think a good architect needs to continually bring new experiences back into the design process.