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What can an aspiring architect do to attract developers and investors to vacant buildings in the heart of downtown Chicago? A recent Illinois Tech College of Architecture graduate won top honors in a young architect competition by answering exactly that question.

Cheok Chun Chong (M.ARCH. ’24) won the first-place, Benn-Johnck Award in the 2024 Chicago Award in Architecture Student Awards for his project, The Space(s) In Between, which transforms a space between two long-vacant historic buildings along Chicago’s State Street corridor into an interactive, multi-functional event space that would cause pedestrians to pause and potentially support an arts or cultural center. The project was picked first among roughly 30 other submissions.

“We are thrilled to recognize the exceptional talent and creativity of these young designers,” says Allison Garwood Freedland, director of outreach at American Institute of Architects Chicago and the AIA Chicago Foundation, the competition’s organizers. “Their work demonstrates the future of architecture and the potential to shape our built environment.”

While working downtown years ago, Chong became interested in the Century Building, at 202 South State Street, and the Consumers Building, at 220 South State Street, which have sat vacant for more than a decade and become increasingly derelict. Built in 1915 and 1913, respectively, they were once thriving commercial offices for a variety of businesses. But in 2022 they were earmarked for demolition by their current owner, the federal government’s General Services Administration. After community pushback, the GSA released a report in 2024 indicating its plans to redevelop the buildings, though none have since solidified.

“I used to work a block away, and hated that segment and how that street was affected by vacancy. Almost everyone I talked to about it is aware of their status. It’s been a long, drawn- out preservation attempt,” Chong says. “I’m interested in the field of adapting old buildings.”

The issue is that any redevelopment will face restrictions relating to the government’s original reasoning for demolition. Both are immediately to the east of the Everett M. Dirksen United States Courthouse, and for security purposes, other buildings may not have any sightlines (i.e., windows) facing into that building. There also can be no exterior entrances on the west side.

So, how could Chong help? His plan is to find a supportive use for the space between the historic buildings, a space he acknowledges is dark and faces the same restrictions as its historic neighbors. To metaphorically lighten the space, he was drawn to the idea of building a multi-tier event platform that would draw in passers-by, creating an electric atmosphere similar to what sometimes surrounds The Chicago Theater, a few blocks to the north. Such a space, Chong believes, would support turning the contiguous Century and Consumers buildings into an institution for the arts.

“If you were walking down this street, you would feel engaged in this cultural experience,” Chong says. “I drew inspiration from the way The Chicago Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and ABC News are all in conversation with one another creating a dynamic urban condition on the same street just a few blocks away.” 

To be more precise, his project creates a third, connective building containing multiple performance or exhibition venues, including a “stairatorium” on the ground floor, with stair seating facing the exterior, bordered by sliding glass doors that would allow the space to be completely open to the street.

“You could use that as a seating to view parades on State Street, or the other way around: State Street as a viewing platform for a performance on the stairatorium which has an integrated stage,” Chong says. 

Above the ground-floor stage would sit an enclosed proscenium—a theater stage for traditional performances—with a gallery and archive space above that. On the top floor, Chong envisions an oculus room with a broad window to the sky, for either events or quiet seating. All programs are connected by circulation that also doubles as a thick barrier between the contents of the building and the adjacent federal building. The entire facade facing State Street would consist of large rows of vertical curved transparent glass stretching from the street level to the roof, reinterpreting the ornamentation of both buildings. 

As a whole, “It’s a way for [the space] to behave like a lamp on state street. It converts what was previously seen as a residual space into a spectacle, but on top of that it also functions as an institution. It’s not just an art piece in the middle of the loop, it’s also educational,” Chong says. 

Chong says he worked on the project as part of the College of Architecture Revitalizing the Loop studio course with faculty members  Chris Groesbeck and Vedran Mimica. After graduating in May 2024, Chong began working at Perkins & Will in Chicago. 

The AIA Chicago Foundation is a non-profit that advocates for and supports young architects through scholarships, grants, and awards. 

Photo: A visual rendition of ‘The Space(s) in Between’ project. Image courtesy of Cheok Chun Chong.