Based in Chicago, Wheeler Kearns Architects is a collective practice of architects, founded by Dan Wheeler, dedicated to creating places that embody the purpose, energy, and vision of their clients. The 18-person firm designs inclusive spaces for organizations with a mission in education, arts, and social services. Since its founding in 1987, Wheeler Kearns has been twice named by a national jury as the AIA Chicago Firm of the Year. The award recognizes sustained outstanding achievement and excellence in a body of work produced by a company over time.
When a space they design resonates with their deepest intention, it has a powerful and lasting impact. As you work, they devote all their energies to understanding their main purpose, the transformation they seek, their mission. They want to see your challenge through your eyes. Doing so guides you to what you call the "emotional center," the heart around which your entire project revolves. They return to that central idea as they develop concepts, help them make decisions, and refine their responses to those choices. Everything from the panoramic view to the design of a door handle evolves from that emotional center. The result is a space that responds in a unique way to your life, to its mission.
Its design process requires an unusual level of attention, curiosity, and devotion. His clients frequently use the word "partner" to describe him as "architect." And they are proud of that. It reflects their belief that along with lofty vision, they also sometimes need someone willing to tackle the mundane.
When a space they design resonates with their deepest intention, it has a powerful and lasting impact. As you work, they devote all their energies to understanding their main purpose, the transformation they seek, their mission. They want to see your challenge through your eyes. Doing so guides you to what you call the "emotional center," the heart around which your entire project revolves. They return to that central idea as they develop concepts, help them make decisions, and refine their responses to those choices. Everything from the panoramic view to the design of a door handle evolves from that emotional center. The result is a space that responds in a unique way to your life, to its mission.
Its design process requires an unusual level of attention, curiosity, and devotion. His clients frequently use the word "partner" to describe him as "architect." And they are proud of that. It reflects their belief that along with lofty vision, they also sometimes need someone willing to tackle the mundane.
