Cordogan Clark partnered with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to expand and renovate their School of Labor and Employment Relations in Urbana, Illinois.

The School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a national leader in the field of human resource management education and research. Established on campus in 1942 with a focus on labor relations, the building that houses the School was completed in 1960. Since then, the programs developed and offered by the School have continued to expand, now encompassing law, commerce, human resources, management, and industrial relations. Graduates from the program enjoy a 97% career placement in corporations all over the world.

In that same time, the 1960 building had never received a major renovation. The classroom and public spaces did not reflect current trends in education, interaction or the dynamic impact embraced by its students, faculty and staff. We created these types of experiences with the addition of two new active learning classrooms, a renovated student lounge and gathering space, as well as a new face for the building that complements the existing mid-century architecture while bringing more natural light and openness into the public areas. These bring new life to the building for future generations.

Design: Cordogan Clark
Photography: Mark Ballogg