STR Partners is a full-service architectural firm led by three principals and staffed by more than 50 talented design professionals. Founded in 1969, our firm designs K-12 public and private schools, universities and colleges, and corporate and municipal buildings for clients large and small. ENR consistently ranks STR among the top 100 firms in the Midwest, and our work is recognized by industry publications and organizations, including the Illinois Association of School Boards, Association of Licensed Architects, Learning by Design magazine, and the American Institute of Architects Chicago.
Our firm’s mission statement — ENHANCING NOW, ENVISIONING FUTURES — is what we stand for and believe in.
ENHANCING NOW: We help you to make the most of your current facilities, through facility utilization and energy efficiency, as well as maintaining sound, healthy environments for students.
ENVISIONING FUTURES: We are a leader in helping educators create environments that facilitate delivering quality 21st century education.
Nearing our 50th anniversary, our firm looks forward to continuing our tradition of design excellence and fostering long-term partnerships with our clients.
K-12 & Higher Education
Our work ranges from the design of pre-kindergarten to graduate school facilities. Our clients include K-12 public and private schools and higher education institutions, including The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Governors State University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Our specialty service areas include:
- Elementary Schools
- Early Learning Centers
- Middle & Junior High Schools
- High Schools
- 21st Century Learning Environments
- Creating 21st Century Learning Environments from 20th Century Schools
- Athletic Facilities & Fields
- Studies & Supplemental Services
- Master Planning
- 10-Year Life Safety
- Conditions Assessments
- Educational Adequacy
- Roofs & Site Study
- Facility Improvements
- Referendum
- Grants
- Learning Resource Centers
- STEM/STEAM
- Replacement Schools
- Administrative & Support Facilities
- Sustainable Design
- Secure Entries
- Higher Education
Corporate/Industrial Interiors & Other Buildings
We design major projects for Fortune 500 Companies, as well as local businesses, public libraries, and religious facilities. Follow the links below for examples of our work.
APPROACH
Holistic Approach = Intelligent Architecture
Schools are a community asset. STR works together with stakeholders and the school district to design educational facilities that reflect their values and needs. To manage this process, STR developed a four-step approach, outlined below, to make sure all stakeholders are actively involved in the design of their schools, from design development to final construction.
STR Process

Holistic design suggests that a building or system is a part of a greater, interconnected whole. This includes the landscape, additional/existing buildings, students, teachers, neighboring communities and businesses, and much more. STR Partners holds regular discussions early in the design process with school and community stakeholders to address design intent and needs, resulting in a final product that is sustainable, reflective of community values, socially responsible, and supportive of the school district’s educational philosophy.
We are very successful in achieving consensus during public engagement programs, and, as such, we make sure all designs take into account life-cycle cost, shared-use options, and the possibility of future expansions. Overall, our approach involves presenting our clients with multiple design and construction options to promote discussion and interaction.
SUSTAINABILITY
STR is an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council. With more than 20 LEED® accredited professionals, STR strives to design sustainable buildings that are cost effective and easy to maintain. These goals translate into:
- Indoor air quality
- Acoustical comfort
- Thermal comfort
- Visual comfort (quality lighting and daylighting)
- Durability
- Energy-efficient building enclosure
- Environmentally friendly material and projects
- Environmentally responsive site planning
- Water efficiency
- Integrated HVAC & electrical systems
STR believes that preserving our planet and its resources for future generations is everyone's responsibility. We work with clients to achieve sustainability within their budgets, whether or not they are seeking accreditation. We educate our clients on the value of creating sustainable environments, not only as a way to lower operation costs and simplify building maintenance, but also to promote good citizenship within the community. Our buildings serve as instructional tools that demonstrate the importance of building sustainable and energy-efficient schools.
Click here to learn about the STR-designed Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, Illinois’ first new high school to achieve LEED® Platinum; and click here to learn about our most recent accredited project, which achieved LEED® Silver.
AWARDS
- IASB Honorable Mention
- Willow Grove Early Learning Center, Buffalo Grove, IL
- IASB Exhibited Project
- Robert J. Richardson Middle School, Chicago, IL
- Association of Licensed Architects Merit Award
- Robert J. Richardson Middle School, Chicago, IL
- Association of Licensed Architects Merit Award
- Oak Park ESD 97 Administration Building, Oak Park, IL
- IASB Honorable Mention
- Brookwood Middle School, Glenwood, Illinois
- IASB Exhibited Project
- Wilmette PSD 39 Learning Commons, Wilmette, Illinois
- ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS SILVER AWARD
- Tioga Elementary School, Bensenville, Illinois
- ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS MERIT AWARD
- W.A. Johnson Elementary School, Bensenville, Illinois
- LEARNING BY DESIGN
- Publisher’s Commendation, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, Chicago, Illinois
- 2013 BRICK IN ARCHITECTURE, GOLD AWARD
- Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, Chicago, Illinois
- 2012 BRICK IN ARCHITECTURE, BRONZE AWARD
- Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts & Dual Language, Chicago, Illinois
- LEARNING BY DESIGN
- Citation of Excellence, Lincoln Middle School, Schiller Park, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF DISTINCTION
- New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- SCHOOLDESIGNER.COM
- Indoor/Outdoor Learning Center, Lincoln Middle School, Schiller Park, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF MERIT
- Minooka High School Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF MERIT
- Addition to Prospect High School, Mt. Prospect, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF MERIT
- Addition to Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF MERIT
- New Reed-Custer Middle School, Braidwood, Illinois
- IASB AWARD OF MERIT
- Pleasantdale Middle School Addition/Renovation, Pleasantdale, Illinois
- IASB HONORABLE MENTION
- Reed-Custer Performing Arts Center, Braidwood, Illinois
- NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
- Cafetorium Addition to Minooka Community High School, Minooka, Illinois
- NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
- Addition to Gemini Junior High School, Niles, Illinois
- NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
- Pleasantdale Middle School Addition, Burr Ridge, Illinois
- NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
- Minooka High School, South Campus, Channahon Illinois
- AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
- New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
- New White Oak Elementary School, Morris, Illinois
- AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
- Minooka High School, South Campus, Channahon Illinois
- LEARNING BY DESIGN: A LESSON IN EXCELLENCE
- New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION NEWS/DESIGN SHARE RECOGNIZED VALUE AWARD
- New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS SILVER AWARD
- Kraft Foods North Pilot Plant Replacement, Glenview, Illinois
- NATIONAL TERRAZZO AND MOSAIC ASSOCIATION HONOR AWARD
- Minooka Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
- EXCELLENCE IN MASONRY, BEST EDUCATIONAL, SILVER AWARD
- White Oak Elementary School, Morris, Illinois
- METAL ARCHITECTURE, HONORABLE MENTION
- Kraft Foods North Pilot Plant Replacement Project, Glenview, Illinois
- TODAY’S FACILITIES MANAGER MAGAZINE
- Feature article, Second Nature, highlighting STR’s lobby renovation for the
Kraft Technology Center, Glenview, Illinois - PCI JOURNAL
- Feature article, Elk Grove High School Natatorium, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
- PRESCOLITE PUBLICATION
- Classy School, Minooka Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
- SCHOOL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
- Entries and Common Spaces – article written by Jan Taniguchi, AIA
- LICENSED ARCHITECT
- Magazine cover, Association of Licensed Architects
- LICENSED ARCHITECT
- Featured Architect. STR Partners LLC, Association of Licensed Architects
- BUILDINGS MAGAZINE
- Feature Article, Prototype Design
- Architectural Products
- Feature Article, Calmeca Academy of Dual Language and Fine Arts