Goettsch Partners, 224 S Michigan Avenue, Fl 17, Chicago, IL (2026)

06/01/2026

Congratulations to GP’s James Zheng and Paul De Santis on both being recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as 2026 Notable Leaders in Architecture, Engineering & Construction.

As CEO and president, James has helped guide GP’s strategic growth and global expansion for more than 30 years, elevating the firm’s profile through award-winning work recognized by organizations including AIA Chicago, Architizer, the Chicago Athenaeum, the Council on Vertical Urbanism, and MIPIM Asia, among others.

As partner and design director, Paul leads the design on many of GP’s projects across the U.S. and Asia while continuing to shape the firm’s collaborative studio culture. He is deeply committed to advancing GP’s hallmark philosophies of bold clarity, measurable value, personal service and unexpected ingenuity—principles that continue to define the firm’s approach to design and client partnerships across a wide range of project types.

We are proud to see both James and Paul recognized among Chicago’s leading industry voices shaping the future of the built environment.

05/26/2026

Today, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of GP’s LondonHouse Chicago, an adaptive reuse project that brings together old and new. Located at the iconic intersection of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, the 452-key hotel integrates a restored 1923 office building, originally designed by Alfred Alschuler for the London Guarantee & Accident Company, and a new slender glass tower on an adjacent site. The renovation encompasses 305,000 square feet of the existing 21-story building, with an 85,000-square-foot expansion completing the street wall where a small parking lot once sat. The new tower's subtle saw-toothed façade angles respond to signature views west down Wacker Drive and overlooking the Chicago River, while respecting the cornice lines of its historic neighbor. From the gateway arrival through the historic elevator lobby to the grand second-floor check-in and bar, the hotel honors its past throughout. At the top, previously underutilized space has been transformed into a tri-level rooftop terrace and bar, with a special-events space nestled within the refurbished cupola, offering guests signature views of downtown Chicago and the river below.

Congratulations to the key team members who delivered this landmark project for its grand opening on May 26, 2016:

Oxford Capital Group, LLC
Simeone Deary Design Group
TGRWA
WMA Consulting Engineers
Klein & Hoffman
W.E. O’Neil Construction

05/19/2026

Last week, GP participated in the 2026 JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge in Chicago, one of 16 locations hosting the world’s largest corporate running series. A total of 15 GP team members showed up strong and represented the firm with pride in the 3.5-mile loop through Grant Park along the city’s lakefront. New shirts featuring GP’s One Chicago, a group stretch, and a pre-race team cheer were all highlights this year, including the introduction of five first timers to the mix.

Earning a global ranking of #225 and #159 locally out of 484 Chicago companies participating, the event was about more than just crossing the finish line. This year’s race supported Association House of Chicago, an organization that has served Chicago communities for more than a century through programs that promote inclusion, stability and opportunity. We’re proud to have contributed to such a meaningful cause.

Thank you to everyone who ran, cheered and supported Team GP along the way, and congratulations to all participants.

05/12/2026

A new landmark has arrived in Saudi Arabia. The W Riyadh – KAFD is officially open.

Located in the King Abdullah Financial District, this luxury lifestyle and business hotel brings together a dynamic architectural form, a rich program of guest amenities and a thoughtful response to its site and the demands of the desert climate.

The 17-story prism-shaped tower is defined by a nine-story opening that separates programmatic functions while drawing views and light deep into the building’s mass. A three-story podium anchors the hotel to the pedestrian life of KAFD, housing restaurants, conference facilities, outdoor gardens and a rooftop terrace.

Each façade tells a different story. The north face responds to the adjacent wadi—the district’s primary pedestrian promenade—with an undulating, faceted aluminum-and-glass curtain wall that shifts in scale from street level to the tower’s full height. The south is stone-clad and largely opaque, punctuated by rhythmically alternating horizontal slots. To the east and west, a saw-toothed profile maximizes shade while allowing measured light and views throughout.

Sustainability is woven throughout the project, from energy modeling and solar shading to daylight control and proximity to public transit, reinforcing the hotel as an integrated part of the district’s broader vision.

Congratulations to the entire project team!

Photography: Marriott International

05/07/2026

GP’s COFCO Qianhai Innovation Center has received a Special Mention honor in this year’s Architizer A+Awards for the Office - High Rise (16+ Floors) category. Selected from entries across more 70 countries, this recognition highlights work that demonstrates exceptional design achievement.

Located in Shenzhen’s rapidly evolving Qianhai district, the headquarters and multi-tenant office complex features two nearly identical towers, each crowned with a large, glass-enclosed atrium. The design fosters visual and physical connections to the surrounding district, reinforcing the site's role in Shenzhen’s growing urban network. Its accessible, multi-level layout invites both workers and the public into an inclusive, human-scaled environment within a high-density context.

The Architizer A+Awards is the largest awards program focused on promoting and celebrating the year’s best architecture. Its mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful design in the world and champion its potential for a positive impact on everyday life.

Watch for more updates as the A+Awards gallery launches in June.

05/01/2026

GP projects have been recognized with three Award of Excellence honors in this year’s Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU) China Awards!

In the Best Tall Hotel Building category, Conrad Shenzhen and Thompson Shanghai Expo at Expo Place were both winners. In addition, the overall Expo Place complex was recognized in the Urban Habitat category.

As part of the program, GP will present these projects at the CVU 2026 China Conference this June in Guangzhou.

The CVU China Awards Program recognizes projects and practices that advance tall buildings and the urban environment across China, achieving high standards of sustainability and human well-being.

04/14/2026

We are deeply saddened to share the news that Larry Weldon passed away suddenly on April 6. Larry was a longtime partner and consulting partner at the firm who retired in 2023. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of technical leadership, mentorship and enduring contributions to the practice of architecture and our firm.

Larry began his career after earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1977, joining Fujikawa Conterato Lohan Associates, the direct successor to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s practice and predecessor to Goettsch Partners. Starting on the drafting tables and in the model shop, he developed a deep understanding of construction that became the foundation of his career.

Over decades with the firm, Larry became one of our most trusted technical leaders. He led the firm’s Enclosures Group, a specialized in-house team focused on exterior building systems and oversaw quality assurance and quality control across projects worldwide. His expertise in curtain wall systems and building technologies was widely recognized, and his guidance touched nearly every project undertaken by the firm.

Larry was known for his ability to translate complex design ideas into buildable, high-performing solutions. He advised teams on emerging materials and construction methods, working closely with clients, consultants and contractors to ensure the integrity and performance of each project. His influence extended beyond the firm, with his expertise often sought by other industry professionals on complex façade and enclosure challenges.

Equally important was Larry’s commitment to mentorship. He was a strong advocate for maintaining technical knowledge within the practice and dedicated himself to guiding younger architects.

Beyond the firm, Larry was an active member of the AIA and the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings. He was also directly involved in the recent review of the Chicago Building Code.

We are deeply grateful for Larry’s contributions to the firm and our practice. His legacy lives on in the buildings he helped realize and in all of us he inspired.

He will be greatly missed.

03/30/2026

A major transformation is complete in Shanghai.

Expo Place reimagines part of the former 2010 World Expo grounds, turning a once underutilized site into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood designed for daily life.

Rather than erase the past, GP, in collaboration with retail architect Link Design Group, developed a strategy to build upon it. Existing below-grade structures were carefully retained and adaptively reused, reducing embodied carbon while enabling a diverse program that includes office towers, boutique workplaces, retail and hospitality, including Asia’s first Thompson-branded hotel.

At its core, the district is designed as a contemporary town center—walkable, layered and active throughout the day and night. Inspired by the scale and spatial richness of traditional Shanghai alleyways, the project prioritizes human experience over monumentality, with pedestrian streets, plazas and indoor-outdoor connections shaping a cohesive urban fabric.

By adaptively reusing existing structures and prioritizing sustainability, Expo Place sets a new standard for how cities can evolve after global events. It’s not just redevelopment, it’s a blueprint for the future of urban regeneration. For more information, see https://www.gpchicago.com/news/expo-place-completion-marks-new-chapter-shanghais-former-world-expo-grounds/.

Congratulations to the entire project team!

CR Land
Link Design Group
P&T Group
WSP

Photography by CreatAR

03/12/2026

GP’s Director of Technology, Julide Bozoglu, PhD, Int’l Assoc. AIA, is speaking at the AIA Los Angeles 2026 Technology Conference. Taking place Friday, March 13, the conference explores a new paradigm: not technology shaping architecture but architecture shaping the intelligence of technology. Julide’s presentation will discuss AI and, specifically, the applications and processes for addressing BIM workflows. She brings a seasoned and balanced perspective to the discussion.

03/11/2026

This International Women's Day, the GP Women's Group marked its fourth year joining Sarah’s Circle Chicago for the Winter Walk. This powerful one-mile walk sheds light on women's homelessness during Chicago's brutal winters, sharing real stories and highlighting the incredible work Sarah's Circle does to make homelessness a thing of the past.

Goettsch Partners

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