Leading and Empowering

One of five newer partners at Chicago-based Krueck + Sexton Architects, Yugene Cha, aia, is training young architects, fostering the firm’s culture and building the next generation.

When Yugene Cha graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture some 20 years ago, he was looking for a firm with a solid design reputation, but perhaps more importantly, a place where he could truly learn, be inspired, and play an active role in the firm’s development.

“When I joined Krueck + Sexton Architects, I quickly realized that I was in an environment where people listened to you, and explorations—doing things that seemed extreme or out there—were not just allowed, but encouraged,” he recalls.

A number of years later, when founders Ron Krueck and Mark Sexton decided to change the firm’s structure to enable new opportunities and ensure the longevity beyond their own careers, Cha was one of five designers promoted to partner in the restructured Krueck Sexton Partners (KSP).

Cha stands at the forefront of redefining the live/work-place paradigm with a practice ranging from large-scale commercial developments to complex cultural projects

Cha now heads up KSP’s design leadership initiative and co-leads the office’s empowerment initiative. So in addition to playing a lead design role in major projects like renovating United Airline’s Terminal 7 at Los Angeles International Airport and re-designing the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center (CME) lobby in downtown Chicago, he’s involved in mentoring younger architects and building firm culture.

Expounding upon the firm’s approach, Cha relates, “we empower everyone to have autonomy, mastery, and meaning in what they do. We achieve this by inspiring each other, working together and taking action.”

Examples of KSP in-house programs include knowledge share and R&D platforms, open studio reviews, office trips and site tours, mentorship, Friday forums, seasonal soirees, professional learning opportunities and cultural awareness forums.

“By crafting experiences for our architects and having conversations to ensure that they are fulfilled while they help us achieve our vision for the firm, we have an ethos of trust and mutually respected interests,” he relates. “Through these programs, we try to set the right temperature for creative evolution to take place.”

Transparency is another pillar of KSP culture, both within the firm and out. Consequently, in working with clients, consultants and contractors, the designers are honest about a project’s status and challenges. “This transparent process builds trust amongst the project team and allows the team to focus on solving problems rather than finding ways to blame others,” explains Chu.

A great example of noteworthy KSP project is the above-mentioned CME Center lobby repositioning. Tasked with transforming the tired 40 year-old lobby into a an inviting, shared living room to help the building’s 2.4 million sq. ft. of Windy City office space become relevant again in the post-pandemic market.

After carefully studying the needs and habits of workers occupying the large office building on the Chicago River, the team designed an inviting, trendy space to help draw people back to the office, recruit and retain younger professionals and deliver what they call the three Cs—convenience, comfort and community. The project was a success as evidenced by the building’s increase in lease occupancy to 97% —Barbara Horwitz-Bennett, contributing writer