The
sleek glass forms of the State Street Village at the Illinois Institute
of Technology (IIT), designed by renowned architect Helmut Jahn, began
a new era in the campus' development. Before that, no new residential
buildings had opened there in four decades, since not long after Mies
van der Rohe retired as IIT's dean of architecture.
Fittingly, Jahn's design of State
Street Village seeks to create buildings that reflect 40 years' of
progress. Its three U-shaped dormitories use steel, concrete, and glass
to express a futuristic aesthetic. And inside, the architect placed an
extraordinary focus on integrating a full range of modern amenities.
Thus, he not only ensured every suite got thin-slat aluminum
blinds to control the light streaming through the glass façade, but
also included luxuries like A/V lounges with plasma TVs and a "wired"
laundry room that sends alerts via the web when wash/dry cycles are
complete. More >
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