OVER 50 YEARS OF ENHANCING NOW ENVISIONING FUTURES
STR at a Glance
Chicago-based Architectural Firm
Founded in 1969
Led by 2 Senior Principals & 6 Associate Principals
Over 50 Design Professionals
ENR Midwest Top 100 Design Firms
Serving Over 30 School Districts in Northern Illinois
STR Senior Principals Jennifer Costanzo and Mike Henderson
Standing row (left to right): Associate Principals Ken Shiokawa, Paul Brock, Scott Kuehn, Don Hansen, Andy Phelps, and Sandra Moon
STR Partners is a full-service architectural firm led by two senior principals and six associate principals. 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.
With over 50 years of experience, our firm is committed to maintaining our tradition of design excellence and cultivating long-term partnerships with our clients.
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.
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.
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
2021 ENR Midwest Regional Best Projects
East Prairie School, Skokie, IL
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IASB Award of Merit
East Prairie School, Skokie, IL
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IASB Honorable Mention
Central School Reopening, Lemont, IL
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Alan F. Bombick Award
Thomas Middle School, Arlington Heights, IL
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Brick in Architecture Award
East Prairie School, Skokie, IL
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IASB Exhibited Project
Rich Township High School, STEM & FAC Campuses, Olympia Fields, IL
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IASB Exhibited Project
Highcrest Middle School, Wilmette, IL
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IASB Exhibited Project
Bensenville Early Learning Center, Bensenville, IL
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IASB Exhibited Project
Reed-Custer Elementary School, Braidwood, IL
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IASB Honorable Mention
Grass Lake School, Antioch, IL
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IASB Honorable Mention
Willow Grove Early Learning Center, Buffalo Grove, IL
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IASB Exhibited Project
Robert J. Richardson Middle School, Chicago, IL
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Association of Licensed Architects Merit Award
Robert J. Richardson Middle School, Chicago, IL
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Association of Licensed Architects Merit Award
Oak Park ESD 97 Administration Building, Oak Park, IL
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IASB Honorable Mention
Brookwood Middle School, Glenwood, Illinois
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IASB Exhibited Project
Wilmette PSD 39 Learning Commons, Wilmette, Illinois
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ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS SILVER AWARD
Tioga Elementary School, Bensenville, Illinois
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ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS MERIT AWARD
W.A. Johnson Elementary School, Bensenville, Illinois
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LEARNING BY DESIGN
Publisher’s Commendation, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, Chicago, Illinois
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2013 BRICK IN ARCHITECTURE, GOLD AWARD
Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, Chicago, Illinois
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2012 BRICK IN ARCHITECTURE, BRONZE AWARD
Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts & Dual Language, Chicago, Illinois
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LEARNING BY DESIGN
Citation of Excellence, Lincoln Middle School, Schiller Park, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF DISTINCTION
New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
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SCHOOLDESIGNER.COM
Indoor/Outdoor Learning Center, Lincoln Middle School, Schiller Park, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF MERIT
Minooka High School Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF MERIT
Addition to Prospect High School, Mt. Prospect, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF MERIT
Addition to Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF MERIT
New Reed-Custer Middle School, Braidwood, Illinois
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IASB AWARD OF MERIT
Pleasantdale Middle School Addition/Renovation, Pleasantdale, Illinois
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IASB HONORABLE MENTION
Reed-Custer Performing Arts Center, Braidwood, Illinois
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NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
Cafetorium Addition to Minooka Community High School, Minooka, Illinois
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NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
Addition to Gemini Junior High School, Niles, Illinois
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NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
Pleasantdale Middle School Addition, Burr Ridge, Illinois
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NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION
Minooka High School, South Campus, Channahon Illinois
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AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
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AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
New White Oak Elementary School, Morris, Illinois
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AS&U OUTSTANDING BUILDING
Minooka High School, South Campus, Channahon Illinois
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LEARNING BY DESIGN: A LESSON IN EXCELLENCE
New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
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SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION NEWS/DESIGN SHARE RECOGNIZED VALUE AWARD
New Clarendon Hills Middle School, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
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ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED ARCHITECTS SILVER AWARD
Kraft Foods North Pilot Plant Replacement, Glenview, Illinois
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NATIONAL TERRAZZO AND MOSAIC ASSOCIATION HONOR AWARD
Minooka Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
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EXCELLENCE IN MASONRY, BEST EDUCATIONAL, SILVER AWARD
White Oak Elementary School, Morris, Illinois
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METAL ARCHITECTURE, HONORABLE MENTION
Kraft Foods North Pilot Plant Replacement Project, Glenview, Illinois
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TODAY’S FACILITIES MANAGER MAGAZINE
Feature article, Second Nature, highlighting STR’s lobby renovation for the
Kraft Technology Center, Glenview, Illinois
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PCI JOURNAL
Feature article, Elk Grove High School Natatorium, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
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PRESCOLITE PUBLICATION
Classy School, Minooka Cafetorium, Minooka, Illinois
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SCHOOL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Entries and Common Spaces – article written by Jan Taniguchi, AIA
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LICENSED ARCHITECT
Magazine cover, Association of Licensed Architects
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LICENSED ARCHITECT
Featured Architect. STR Partners LLC, Association of Licensed Architects
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BUILDINGS MAGAZINE
Feature Article, Prototype Design
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Architectural Products
Feature Article, Calmeca Academy of Dual Language and Fine Arts