Legat Architects appoints Michael Lundeen principal

[Arlington Heights, IL] – When Michael Lundeen was architectural project manager for Harper College’s Avanté Center ten years ago, he faced a formidable challenge: He had a short timeframe to design, bid, and build the boiler plant addition that would heat the 400-room building. Some construction professionals said it couldn’t be done in eight months. Nevertheless, Lundeen orchestrated delivery and installation so that it did get done . . . before the Christmas deadline.

Lundeen’s determination to meet client needs is one of many reasons the firm has named him a principal. Lundeen, based in the firm’s Chicago studio, joins seven other principals in setting the course for the firm’s future and overseeing its business operations.

“Michael values long-term client relationships, and respects our focus on design and sustainability,” said Legat President/CEO Patrick Brosnan. “His strong sense of the business side of architecture makes Michael a beneficial addition to the principals’ table.”

Lundeen, who has spent 23 years of his 31-year career at Legat, has managed some of the firm’s largest and most complex projects. For instance, the 300,000-square-foot Harper Avanté Center for Science, Health Careers, and Emerging Technologies was a cornerstone of his career. This project, one of the country’s largest community college projects in the last decade, changed the face of the institution and helped boost its image and enrollment.

Lundeen will continue serving as the firm’s associate director of higher education and senior project manager.

A Chicago Icon on a Modest Budget

Several years ago, New York City TV stations with hefty budgets started building new facilities that allowed passersby to see the news in action. ABC7/WLS-TV challenged five Chicago firms to renovate its State Street studio to achieve a similar outcome within a more modest budget.

Legat’s design won the competition, and with Lundeen as project manager, the ABC renovation, with its curving glass viewing wall, became Chicago’s first TV studio that opened to the streetscape. Lundeen also balanced technology, budgetary, and aesthetic concerns to accomplish the iconic curving video sculpture that displays images of station programming. The project received a “Distinguished Building” award for the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Chicago chapter and a “Coolest Thing” award from Friends of Downtown.

“Michael consistently puts the client at the forefront,” said Alan F. Bombick, another principal who leads Legat’s corporate/commercial sector and has worked with Lundeen for over twenty years. “He never gives up and always finds a solution.”

Campus Orchestrator, Staff Mentor

Lundeen’s leadership efforts go beyond individual projects to guiding community engagement sessions for the long-term planning of entire campuses.

Between 2006 and 2008, Michael led a $220 million sustainable master plan to prepare Joliet Junior College for projected enrollment increases and shifts in energy prices. His team talked with students and community groups, and conducted interviews with over fifty departments. The resulting plan has led to six new buildings (all LEED certified by the US Green Building Council), a climate action plan, and a college-wide shift toward sustainability.

Lundeen also coordinated Oakton Community College’s campus master plan, which recently culminated in the new Margaret Burke Lee Science and Health Careers Center. The 93,000-square-foot building introduces a new breed of science spaces, celebrates the campus’s natural and artistic highlights, and showcases the latest sustainable technologies.

During his two decades with Legat, Lundeen has mentored many employees, ranging from student interns to project managers.

Frank Carello, associate at Legat, said, “Michael has taught me to think beyond the primary users of each and every space. How will the contractor build a particular detail? How will the space be maintained? He’s always thinking ahead.”

Lundeen lives in Arlington Heights with his family. He is a licensed architect and holds a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he won several AIA and college awards.

Legat Architects is a Chicago-based sustainable design practice celebrating 50 years and preparing for the next 50 with a focus on community-based design and giving back to communities where its employees live and work. The firm’s portfolio includes commercial/mixed use, corporate, healthcare, higher education, K-12 education, and municipal facilities. Sign up for Legat Architects’ newsletter or visit the firm’s blog.