Identified by the New York Times as “the most prominent of the city’s growing cadre of ecologically sensitive architects” and by the Chicago Tribune as “a leader in the anti sprawl movement,” Farr Associates is widely regarded as one of the most sustainable planning and architecture firms in the country. Located in the historic Monadnock Building in Chicago’s Loop since its founding in 1990, Farr Associates’ planners and architects work in integrated design teams to create award-winning designs that provide the most client benefit for the least cost.
Our practice is centered on creating great and healthy places that enrich human life while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Using cost-effective strategies and technologies, we create responsive, vibrant urban places, while the high environmental performance of our projects has earned us national recognition. President Doug Farr sets the firm’s strategic direction, Leslie Oberholtzer, Director of Planning, focuses on form-based codes, corridor, neighborhood and station area master planning, and Jonathan Boyer, Director of
Architecture, oversees a sustainable architectural studio, which holds the unique distinction of being the first in the world to have designed three LEED-Platinum buildings, with many more underway.
As proud as we are of the beauty and high environmental performance places and buildings we design, Farr Associate’s mission to design sustainable human environments puts human social and economic benefit on par with our aesthetic and environmental aims. We are especially drawn to clients and projects that embrace both close-working partnerships and triple-bottom line outcomes. Our best work results from collaboration with clients on projects that aspire to attain social, economic and environmental goals, often at the crossroads of urbanism and architecture