Nurture Architects

Thanks to our friends at , the Nurture team had the opportunity to join an early preview of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park and experience a civic marvel taking shape with remarkable intention.

Situated on Chicago’s South Side, the Center brings together architecture, landscape and public realm as a continuous experience rooted in meaningful gathering.

On , we are reminded that the most meaningful spaces create conditions for history to be encountered with care, held in context, and understood as part of our ongoing civic duty, shaping how we reflect and move forward together.

The Obama Presidential Center officially opens to the public June 19–21 with a free Grand Opening Weekend celebrating community, creativity, and civic engagement across its 19-acre Jackson Park campus.

We’re excited to share that Sarah Godbee, AIA Affiliate Chicago, LFA, has joined the Communications Committee!⁠
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In her role as Marketing Coordinator, Sarah tells the stories behind our studio work, connecting people to the ideas and values that shape our built environment. ⁠
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Her passion for architecture was sparked through years of involvement with AIA and preservation organizations, where she saw firsthand how powerful communication can be in building advocacy and appreciation for the places we share. ⁠
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We’re proud to support Sarah as she contributes her voice and perspective to AIA Illinois and helps strengthen connections across the architectural community.⁠
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Congratulations, Sarah! ✨️

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development 2026 Chicago Preservation Expo at the beautiful Chicago Cultural Center in celebration of . 🏛️

It was a pleasure connecting with City staff, community organizations, preservation advocates, and fellow professionals who are all committed to protecting and revitalizing Chicago’s historic places.

A special thank you to all who stopped by to speak with Katherine Pohl and Gwen Stricker throughout the event. We are grateful to be part of a community advancing thoughtful preservation work across Chicago and beyond!

is a time to celebrate the places that shape us, and the responsibility we share in caring for them. Nurture is thrilled to take part in the 2026 Chicago Preservation Expo on Monday, May 18th!

Preservation is where our story begins. Our architects have led the care of cultural icons, civic treasures, and neighborhood character for 50 years. In Chicago and across the country, we support teams with preservation design, conditions assessments, and technical documentation, and serve as project leaders advocating for historic architecture and adaptive reuse alongside historians, conservators, and building scientists. 🏛️

Through this free event, attendees have the opportunity to connect with City staff, community and nonprofit organizations, professional service providers, and trades experts at the forefront of historic preservation in Chicago, including Katherine Pohl and Gwen Stricker of Nurture.

We’ll see you at the beautiful Chicago Cultural Center!

Get your ticket here: bit.ly/3R8WBSU

The CRAN Symposium is a leading forum for residential practice, and April will represent Nurture at ArchiTalks with a presentation on the Yannell Conservation Habitat, a regenerative home designed to meet all seven petals of the Living Building Challenge.

Hosted by AIA Chicago on May 14th at The Mart, the program convenes architects advancing residential innovation through systems integration and performance-driven methodology. April’s presentation synthesizes outcomes from integrating the Living Building Challenge and Passive House design, with emphasis on energy balance modeling, enclosure continuity, and thermal bridge mitigation as primary drivers of operational performance.

It also examines integrated water systems targeting closed-loop performance, material strategies aligned with Red List compliance and embodied carbon reduction, and the translation of LBC Petals into quantifiable architectural and systems-based decision-making.

Save your spot here: bit.ly/Cran-2026

📸: Michigan Drone Photography

As Earth Day celebrations continue, we’re reflecting on the power of community-driven design to shape healthier, more connected public landscapes. ⁠🌎️
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Last week, Nurture shared early concept drawings at a community meeting for Steelworkers Park, part of an ongoing dialogue to reimagine this 16.5-acre former U.S. Steel site as a resilient, accessible park rooted in both ecological renewal and neighborhood identity.⁠
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Guided by input from residents and partners, the evolving framework plan explores ways to strengthen connections along the South Lakefront while introducing native habitat restoration, shoreline protection, and spaces for gathering and reflection. It’s an effort to honor the site’s industrial past while shaping a more inclusive future for the Chicago community.⁠
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Learn more about our community projects taking shape in our Earth Day Newsletter here: bit.ly/Nurture_Newsletter