Heart of the City

By Amanda Viale

Since the built environment forms the backdrop for our lives, we value human-centered design that promotes wellbeing and connection. Whether a preservation project or new construction, we believe that designs should carry beauty, functionality, and longevity. Within our communities, there are many organizations that also care about human well-being and connectivity, and it is always exciting when we get to partner with them to create something amazing! Come along with us as we snapshot a few of our civic projects.

Rockford Public Library — Rockford, IL

The story of the Rockford Public Library began over 100 years ago with an underused property plagued by “the stench” that was the aftermath of Rockford Gas, Light, and Coke Company’s manufactured gas plant. This site was home to the Carnegie library for decades, in 2017 the site began a multi-year process of remediation and rebuilding. This process was a decade-long collaboration between the library, Commonwealth Edison, The City of Rockford, the Rockford Park District and the design and construction teams. The library was reimagined as a place that holds more than books – becoming a place that anchors and meets community needs.

Rockford Public Library offers vibrant media and makers labs, exterior rooftop terraces, serval multi-purpose rooms, a two-story gallery, dedicated teen and children’s areas and a quiet reading room. The library provides sweeping views of the Rock River – sustainability, accessibility and urban connectivity woven throughout. Despite Pandemic-era challenges, the project team stayed true to vision, delivering a space that embodies Rockford’s resilience and commitment to growth.

Learn more about Rockford Public Library here.

Monroe Pocket Park — Monroe, WI

Monroe is an endearing small town in Wisconsin of about 10,600 residents, nestled an hour southwest of Madison. Its downtown square, anchored by a stately courthouse and surrounded by historic storefronts, serves as a hub for residents and visitors alike. Despite having demand, one thing has been lacking in Monroe for over a century: a public restroom. Our principal, Aaron, is the president of Main Street Monroe – the organization that took on the challenge of filling this gap. Pocket Park found its home on the northeast corner of Monroe’s historic district and for us, our task was clear – balance historic preservation with modern necessity. This restroom had to look as though it were always a part of Monroe’s historic fabric.

The restroom structure, set toward the back of the lot, forms a subtle architectural backdrop for the planned public space that sits along the square. Its brick color and simplified detailing echo surrounding historic buildings, helping it blend seamlessly into the downtown streetscape.

Thoughtful landscaping softens the edges, enveloping the park with native plantings and grasses. Pocket Park features a shaded pergola, bike racks and e-bike charging stations, picnic tables, and a flexible community space for small events and gatherings. The park benches and tables are made from recycled materials, made by a Wisconsin local company and the bike racks a metal worker local to Monroe. Every element was chosen with purpose—to make downtown more accessible, more beautiful, and more connected.

Learn more about Main Street Monroe here.

Remedies — Rockford, IL

Photo credit: Remedies

Remedies is a non-profit organization that empowers individuals to renew their lives by working to end cycles of abuse, exploitation, and addiction through education, support, and community involvement. They provide a domestic abuse shelter in Winnebago and Boone counties, and their program provides services to approximately 1,100 adult and children domestic abuse survivors each year. Remedies’ substance abuse program serves an additional 2000 adults each year.

Our Project Manager, Erin O’Keefe, has served on Remedies’ Finance and Facilities Committee, helping guide the organization’s financial stability and program growth, and most recently served as Board Chair for the 2024–25 term.

During this time, Remedies expanded services in Boone County with the purchase of a new office building and continued to grow its Rockford campus with the construction of a second facility. This new building allows treatment services and shelter services to operate in separate, purpose-built spaces on adjacent lots. Studio GWA has worked closely with their construction manager to evaluate feasibility and infrastructure needs as program requirements continue to evolve.

To learn more about Remedies, visit their website here.

Sterling Riverfront Park — Sterling, IL

The Sterling Riverfront Park project transforms a former brownfield site—once home to a steel and wire warehouse and manufacturing facility—into a vibrant public destination. Studio GWA has been working with the community on the vision for Sterling Riverfront Park since 2011, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch a decade-long dream take shape.

Today, the park is filled with native plantings and features a multi-purpose shelter with restrooms that double as an amphitheater for live music while providing shaded seating for visitors. The park also includes a splash pad, playgrounds, and plans for a future ice-skating ribbon, making it a true year-round destination.

For our team, it’s been especially meaningful to see this long-term vision slowly become a physical reality. Sterling Riverfront Park has grown into a beautiful and beloved gathering place—not just for the community, but for the entire region.

Natural Land Institute — Rockford, IL

Our Principal, Ashley, has served on the NLI board for seven years, supporting the organization, whose mission is to create an enduring legacy of land in northern Illinois—for people, plants, and animals alike. That same spirit of stewardship extends beyond the landscapes they protect and into the walls that house their work.

NLI’s headquarters occupies a historic home in the Haight Village Historic District, and caring for it requires the same thoughtfulness they bring to caring for the land. Our team partnered with NLI to scan the building, assess long-term maintenance needs, and explore future improvements that enhance flow, functionality, and the building’s longevity—ensuring this home base can continue supporting their mission for years to come.

To learn more about NLI, visit their website here.