Eye On Evanston: Thoughts on Design
Read our essays, published in the Evanston RoundTable, that discuss design issues of interest.
Thoughts on Design: Design Evanston reviews proposed Civic Center Plaza plan
January 5, 2025
On Nov. 6, Design Evanston participated in a Zoom presentation of the Civic Center Plaza proposal by City of Evanston Economic Development Manager Paul Zalmezak, Living Habitats consultant Heidi Natura and other members of her team.
Thoughts on Design: Design Evanston reviews proposal for 910-938 Custer Avenue
October 16, 2024
On Oct. 7, Design Evanston professional members met to evaluate the proposed 910-938 Custer Ave. project, as presented by Max Charles Davidson of CDG Capital, Paul Dincin of Catapult Real Estate Solutions and Andy Ahitow of CityPads.
Thoughts on Design: Design Evanston’s 2024 Design Awards
October 4, 2024
On Oct. 4, Design Evanston hosted its 2024 awards at Double Clutch Brewing Company. Thirty-nine awards were announced to a gathering of 120 award winners, Design Evanston members and guests.
Design Evanston reviews proposals for 1300 Chicago Avenue and the Legacy buildings
September 25, 2024
On Aug. 28 Design Evanston professional members reviewed the 1300 Chicago Avenue project proposed by Big Shoulders Development. On Sept. 19 the team reviewed, for a second time, The Legacy project at 1621-1631 Chicago Ave. by the Horizon Realty Group.
Design Evanston’s Design Awards
August 16, 2023
Two of Design Evanston’s long-standing programs are similar to those found in Community Design Commissions: nonbinding Project Reviews and Design Awards. This essay examines Design Evanston’s long history of presenting Design Awards that demonstrate how good design has a positive impact on the community.
Design Evanston’s Project Reviews
July 30, 2023
When Design Evanston received approval for not-for-profit status in 2005, it did so with two stated purposes: The first was to “instruct the public on subjects… beneficial to the community”. In response to that mandate, Design Evanston began an on-going series of formal project reviews of local projects.
Architect Hans Friedman, Design Evanston founding member
June 28, 2023
Hans Friedman was born in Hamburg, Germany. At age 17, Friedman and his family fled Nazi Germany for the United States. After the war, Friedman moved to Chicago and enrolled in the New Bauhaus.
New Deal Art in Evanston
May 8, 2023
It is commonly assumed that all public art commissioned by the federal government during the Depression was sponsored by the Works Progress Administration, or WPA. In fact, four New Deal art programs operated during this time.
Hayward Blake, Design Evanston founding member
April 11, 2023
Born in West Haven, Connecticut, Hayward Blake served as a technical sergeant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps (1943–47) and landed at Utah Beach after D-Day.
Eye on Evanston: Archive
March 15, 2023
February 14, 2023
January 24, 2023
January 12, 2023
December 21, 2022
December 6, 2022
November 21, 2022
November 9, 2022
October 26, 2022
October 12, 2022
September 6, 2022
August 8, 2022
June 16, 2022
April 13, 2022
March 18, 2022
February 14, 2022
January 13, 2022
December 15, 2021
November 15, 2021
October 15, 2021
September 24, 2021