UWM awards $100,000 Marcus Prize to architect Jeanne Gang

Chicago architect Jeanne Gang has won the $100,000 Marcus Prize, awarded every other year by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning to recognize an architect "on a trajectory to greatness," according to a UWM statement. 

Gang's signature designs include Chicago's 82-story Aqua Tower, the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership in Kalamazoo, Mich., and Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Ill. Studio Gang is working on a $38 million project at Beloit College that will transform a former coal-burning power plant into a student union with a fitness center and recreational gym. 

"Her practice combines design thinking about the impact of architecture and urban design on cities as well as the creation of beautiful buildings rooted in context that will stand the test of time," said Marcus Prize jury member John Czarnecki, editor-in-chief of Contract magazine, in the UWM statement. 

Gang also won a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship "genius" grant in 2011. She leads Studio Gang Architects of Chicago.

In a 2013 article, Journal Sentinel architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher described Gang's approach to work: "Studio Gang is known for designs that are pragmatic but cutting edge, elegant without being overly expressive. … The studio's process is one that integrates a diverse range of experts, from ecologists to water specialists to artists." 

The prize is supported by the Marcus Corporation Foundation. In connection with the award, Gang will participate in a design studio at UWM.