26 feb 10 | Chicago Tribune

Five Chicago architects named to AIA&'s College of Fellows

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated five AIAChicago members into its prestigious College of Fellows, an honor that is awarded to architects who have made contributions of national significance to the profession. Martha Bell, Philip Castillo, Gunny Harboe, Jim Loewenberg and Peter Weismantle have all been distinguished with the honor of fellowship.

• Martha Bell, FAIA, is a Managing Partner at Tilton, Kelly + Bell, LLC. Bell has spearheaded a broad range of design efforts in her community that have left lasting improvements in culture, art, education and overall quality of life. She also pioneered two national AIA initiatives: a ground-breaking study that introduced Building Information Modeling (BIM) in a 1988 Architecture magazine article and the creation of the Architectural Billing Index (ABI), which is now a key resource for national economists.
• Philip Castillo, FAIA, is an Executive Principal at Murphy/Jahn. Castillo's focus for the past 35 years has been on large-scale urban development projects throughout the world, including the Sony Center in Berlin, Germany, the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Tokyo Station Development in Japan. He is currently researching and developing new sustainable design concepts and technologies for several urban areas in the Middle East.
• Gunny Harboe, FAIA, is the President of Harboe Architects. Harboe has developed an international reputation as an architect specializing in preservation of 19th and 20th Century landmarks and has worked on projects including the renovation of the Reliance Building/Hotel Burnham in Chicago and Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He was AIA Chicago's President in 2000 and AIA National's Regional Director from 2001 to 2004. He currently serves as Vice President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites' Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage.
• Jim Loewenberg, FAIA, is the President at Loewenberg Architects, Co-CEO of Magellan Development Group and Chairman of NNP Residential. Loewenberg has achieved international recognition for his creative innovation in residential architecture and development. He has revitalized neighborhoods in Chicago, making downtown living more enjoyable. An example of this is Lakeshore East, a 28-acre, mixed-use community in Chicago that is believed to be one of the largest urban developments in the country.
• Peter Weismantle, FAIA, is the Director of Supertall Building Technology at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. Weismantle has worked on large, mixed-use development projects internationally, including the 88-story Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, China and the 160-story Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building) in the United Arab Emirates. He is currently Chairman of the Height Committee for the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and Vice Chairman of the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings.

"The accomplishments of the newly named Fellows are a perfect illustration of the role of the architect in society," said Zurich Esposito, AIA Chicago's Executive Vice President. "Architects help us to preserve the past, improve how we live in the present day, and envision what the future holds."

These five architects are among 134 AIA members who will be honored at a ceremony at the 2010 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami on June 11. Of more than 80,000 AIAmembers nationwide, only about three percent have been named to the College of Fellows and are entitled to use the designation "FAIA" following their names. The elevation to fellowship is conferred on architects with at least 10 years of membership in the AIAwho have made significant contributions to the architectural profession.

Founded in 1869, AIAChicago represents approximately 3,200 licensed architects, architectural interns and allied professionals in and around Chicago, Illinois. AIAChicago is the second largest AIAchapter in the nation.