Jackie Koo Recognized as Inaugural 2022 Chicago Women in Architecture Broken Glass Awardee

The inaugural Broken Glass Award honors established architects who are changing the face of the profession through their achievements and design excellence. The 2022 Broken Glass Awardee is Jackie Koo, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, IIDA, Founding Principal of KOO, an award-winning integrated architecture, interior design and urban design firm based in Chicago. Koo’s diverse practice is grounded in hospitality and the desire to create a specific identity for each project. Notable work includes theWit Hotel, the Sable Hotel, located on Chicago’s historic Navy Pier, and the Altgeld Gardens Family Resource Center. She is currently designing a new Esports stadium to be located on Chicago’s near south side.
In 2020, Koo was named “Chicagoan of the Year in Architecture” by the Chicago Tribune for her contributions to the adaptive reuse of Old Cook County Hospital. She currently serves on the City of Chicago’s first Committee on Design and on the Board of the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Koo received her undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Chicago and her Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

ABOUT THE AWARD

Established in 2022, the Chicago Women in Architecture Broken Glass Award honors established architects who are changing the face of the profession through their achievements and design excellence.

ABOUT CWA AND CWAF
CWA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1974 to establish community, mentorship, visibility, and advocacy for women working in the field of architecture and related professions. Through the ongoing efforts of the entirely volunteer-led organization, this mission is realized by offering educational, professional, and social networking events; organizing and sponsoring lectures in partnership with like-minded organizations; and awarding annual scholarships to women architecture students in their final year of study.

In 2003, CWAF was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Today, CWAF continues its support of CWA initiatives by raising funds to expand scholarship offerings as well as fundraising for events and special projects that further the careers for women in and around the field of architecture.