Thomas Roszak, FAIA (born 1966) is an American architect, real estate developer, business executive, author, and academic.

Thomas Roszak
Roszak in 2020
Born1966 (age 57–58)
Alma materIllinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech)
Occupation(s)Architect, developer
Websiteroszak.com

Roszak has developed, designed, and built commercial properties, hotels, condominiums, and private residences in Illinois and Arizona. He founded and runs four companies involved in architecture, construction, and real estate development. He was an adjunct professor in the College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech). In 2008, Roszak received an award from the American Institute of Architects for a house he built for his family.

Biography

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Roszak received a bachelor's degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) in 1989. In 1996, after early-career positions at architecture and development firms in Chicago, he founded Roszak Architecture, Development, and Construction, located in Evanston, Illinois.

Roszak/ADC developed and created projects representing more than $3 billion in the Chicago and Phoenix areas. His condominium developments in Chicago and Evanston have been cited for their beauty, ingenuity, and sensitivity to people and the environment.[1]

Now Roszak leads as principal in four companies headquartered in Chicago:

  • Thomas Roszak Architecture,
  • SteelGrass construction management
  • TR Management + Consulting
  • Moceri + Roszak development

In the special 2005 Architectural Digest Issue, Roszak was named one of the best residential architects in the United States.[2]

In 2020, Roszak was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).[3]

Roszak served as an adjunct professor in the College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), where he taught a comprehensive architectural design and construction studio. In 2015, Illinois Tech awarded him the John J. Schommer Honor I Award in recognition of alumni who excel both in leadership and performance in their chosen professional careers. The Thomas A. Roszak Endowed Scholarship has been created to support student academic achievement at Illinois Tech College of Architecture. Thomas Roszak was elected to the Illinois Tech Board of Trustees in 2022.[4]

His firm, Thomas Roszak Architecture, was presented with an international design award in the Swiss-based BLT Built Design Awards global competition in 2023. The Fulbrix Apartments was selected as Winner in Architectural Design in the Mixed-use Building category.[5]

Glass House

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In the 2000s, Roszak designed and constructed a house of glass, concrete, and steel for his wife and three children. The Glass House received an Honor Award for interior architecture from the American Institute of Architects in 2008.[6][7] The AIA jury commented:

"The transparency from the outside in and the inside out is a strong design concept. Not only does transparency unite the functional space of the floor plan with the environment, it informs the canvas about the use of color—the yellow structure, red core walls, and cherry floors tie directly to the seasonal vegetation, bringing the landscape into play as design elements."[6]

In 2007, Glass House: A Family Home was published by Edizioni Press.[8] The book discusses design decisions made on the house and the realities of living in a transparent home .

Purpose + Process

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Purpose + Process was published by Images Publishing in 2018. The book details Roszak's architect-led process, which integrates design with construction, development, financing, marketing, and management of real estate, and delineates the evolution of his modernist sensibilities and the integrated project delivery approach he has applied to his practice since 1996. Featuring sixteen of Roszak's residential, commercial, and specialty design projects, Purpose + Process contains introductory essays by architects Thomas Kerwin and Dirk Lohan further describing Roszak's approach.

Selected projects

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Project Location Completed Building type Process Notes
Fulbrix-160 N. Elizabeth Chicago, Illinois 2023 High-rise residential Design / develop / build [9]
Parkline Chicago Residences Chicago, Illinois 2021 High-rise residential Design / develop / build [10]
Recess and City Hall Events Chicago, Illinois 2020 Adaptive reuse / event venue / restaurant Design [11]
145 South Wells Chicago, Illinois 2019 High-rise office Design / develop / build [12]
Linea Apartments Chicago, Illinois 2017 High-rise residential Design / develop / build [13]
JeffJack Apartments Chicago, Illinois 2015 High-rise residential Design / develop / build [14]
Morgan Manufacturing Chicago, Illinois 2015 Adaptive reuse / office Design [15]
Chicago-Kent College of Law Chicago, Illinois 2013 Classroom / courtroom renovation Design / build [16]
InterContinental-Miami Miami, Florida 2012 Hospitality / rebranding of hotel Identity Design [17]
Adler Planetarium Welcome Gallery Chicago, Illinois 2011 Science museum welcome gallery Design [18]
7RR Eco-Home Northfield, Illinois 2010 Single-family residential Design / build [19]
Vetro Residences Chicago, Illinois 2008 High-rise residential Design / develop / build [20]
Sienna Residences Evanston, Illinois 2008 Mid-rise residential Design / develop / build [21]
Chicago Avenue Place Evanston, Illinois 2004 Mid-rise residential Design / develop / build [22]
Glass House Northfield, Illinois 2002 Single-family residential Design / build [23]
433 North Wells Street Residences Chicago, Illinois 1999 Mid-rise residential Design / develop / build [24]

References

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  1. ^ Chicago Architect. "Questions for Thomas Roszak: Everyone wants a look at his glass house." July–August 2008.
  2. ^ Architectural Digest "Clearly stated: A glass house tells a story near Chicago." May 1, 2005.
  3. ^ "Fellowship-AIA". AIA.org.
  4. ^ "Illinois Tech Board of Trustees". IIT.edu. 25 October 2022.
  5. ^ "BLT Built Design Awards". bltawards.com.
  6. ^ a b Architecture Week. American Institute of Architects 2008 Honor Award for Interior Architecture, February 20, 2008.
  7. ^ Architecture Week. American Institute of Architects 2008 Honor Award for Interior Architecture, February 20, 2008.
  8. ^ Roszak, Thomas. Glass House: A Family Home. New York: Edizioni Press, 2007.
  9. ^ "Fulbrix-160 N. Elizabeth, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  10. ^ "Parkline Chicago Residences, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  11. ^ "Recess and City Hall Events, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  12. ^ "145 South Wells, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  13. ^ "Linea Apartments, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  14. ^ "JeffJack Apartments, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  15. ^ "Morgan Manufacturing, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  16. ^ "Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  17. ^ "InterContinental-Miami, Miami, Florida". Roszak.com.
  18. ^ "Adler Planetrium Welcome Gallery, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  19. ^ "7RR Eco-Home, Northfield, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  20. ^ "Vetro Residences, Chicago, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  21. ^ "Sienna Residences, Evanston, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  22. ^ "Chicago Avenue Place, Evanston, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  23. ^ "Glass House, Northfield, Illinois". Roszak.com.
  24. ^ "433 North Wells Street Residences". Roszak.com.