A Point of View, Built to Last — Award-Winning Architecture in Chicago, IL
Kinzie & Sennett designs residences, cultural, and hospitality projects with a clear point of view and the rigor to realize it — an award-winning practice, twenty-six years in the making.
The Work
Award-winning residences, cultural buildings, and hospitality across Chicago and beyond.
Three Things That Define Our Work
For architecture with a point of view and the rigor to realize it, Chicago turns to Kinzie & Sennett.
A Clear Point of View
Every project begins with a strong, considered idea — architecture with real conviction, unmistakably its own.
Rigor in Every Detail
Ideas are only as good as their execution; we resolve every proportion, material, and detail to the highest standard.
Built to Last
Design that transcends trend and endures — buildings that earn their awards and their place for generations.
A Practice Built on Conviction and Craft
There is competent architecture, and then there is architecture that moves you — that has a clear idea held with conviction, executed with a rigor that resolves every detail, and a presence that outlasts every trend. Practicing at that level, and only at that level, is the whole purpose of Kinzie & Sennett. For twenty-six years, from our studio on Hubbard Street in River North, we have designed custom residences, cultural and civic buildings, and hospitality projects across Chicago and beyond, and our work has earned more than forty design awards, wide publication, and a reputation as one of the finest practices in the city. We are, by choice, a focused boutique practice rather than a large firm, because the work we care about cannot be done at scale or on autopilot. Every project we take on begins with a strong, specific point of view — a clear architectural idea, drawn from the site, the program, and the client, and held with real conviction rather than hedged into something safe and forgettable. And every project is then executed with a rigor that is, frankly, uncommon: proportions studied until they're right, materials chosen and detailed with obsessive care, the whole thing resolved to a standard most firms don't attempt because it's simply too demanding. That combination — a genuine point of view and the discipline to realize it flawlessly — is rare, and it is the difference between a building that is merely nice and one that is extraordinary, that gets published and awarded, and, far more importantly, that its owners find a lasting joy to inhabit. We bring the same standard to a private residence, a cultural landmark, and a boutique hotel, and we bring it with the professionalism, the command of budget and schedule, and the collaborative spirit that make working with us a genuine pleasure and not a trial. Designing the small number of extraordinary buildings we can, at the highest level we're capable of, is the entire reason our practice exists.
- ✓A focused boutique practice, by choice
- ✓Every project begins with a real point of view
- ✓Executed with uncommon rigor and craft
- ✓40+ awards — and a lasting joy to inhabit
What We Design
A focused practice across the project types where architecture matters most.
A residence, a cultural building, or a hospitality project? Let's talk about your ambition.
The Standard Behind the Awards
What it means to build with Kinzie & Sennett.
Award-Winning
Twenty-six years and 40+ design awards — a body of work recognized among the finest in the city.
A Real Point of View
Architecture with a clear, fearless idea — never safe, generic, or forgettable.
Uncommon Rigor
Every proportion, material, and detail resolved to a standard most firms don't attempt.
A Focused Practice
A boutique studio that takes on only what it can do extraordinarily — you get our very best.
Delivered, Not Just Drawn
The professionalism and command of budget and schedule to realize the vision, on real projects.
Built to Endure
Design that transcends trend and lasts — buildings that hold their beauty and value for generations.
From Ambition to Landmark
A considered process worthy of an extraordinary building.
Vision & Idea
We immerse ourselves in your ambition, your site, and your program, and shape the clear idea that will drive the design.
Design & Refine
We develop and relentlessly refine the design — form, light, material, and detail — until it is fully resolved.
Document & Permit
We produce meticulous documentation and carry the project through approvals with the same rigor.
Realize & Endure
We shepherd the build to a standard that matches the drawings, delivering a building made to last for generations.
Great Architecture Is Rare Because It Is Hard
Most buildings are competent and forgettable, and there is a reason for that: great architecture is genuinely rare because it is genuinely hard. It requires two things that seldom appear together in equal measure. The first is a real point of view — the vision and the courage to pursue a clear, specific idea rather than a safe, committee-approved compromise that offends no one and moves no one. The second is rigor — the discipline, skill, and sheer stamina to execute that idea flawlessly, resolving thousands of decisions of proportion, material, and detail to a standard that most firms, understandably, don't attempt, because it is exhausting and expensive and demands a level of talent that is simply uncommon. A firm with vision but no rigor produces exciting drawings and disappointing buildings. A firm with rigor but no vision produces competent buildings that no one remembers. Only the rare practice that has both, and refuses to compromise on either, produces architecture that is genuinely extraordinary — the kind that wins awards and gets published, yes, but far more importantly, the kind that lifts the spirit of everyone who lives in it or walks through it, that becomes a landmark or a beloved home, and that holds its beauty and its value for generations rather than dating within a decade. That kind of building is one of the most rewarding things a person or an institution can create, and it is worth the rare firm required to create it. Being that firm — bringing both a genuine point of view and uncompromising rigor to a small number of extraordinary projects — is exactly what our practice does, and it is the difference between a building you commission and a work of architecture you are proud of for the rest of your life.
- ✓Great architecture needs vision AND rigor
- ✓Vision without rigor: exciting drawings, poor buildings
- ✓Rigor without vision: competent and forgettable
- ✓Both, uncompromised, is extraordinary — and rare
Work Worth the Wait
Kinzie & Sennett designed our residence in Lincoln Park, and it is, without exaggeration, a work of art we get to live in. From the first conversation they brought a clear, fearless point of view, and they had the rigor and the talent to execute it flawlessly — every proportion, every material, every detail resolved to a standard we didn't know was possible. The house has been published and has won awards, but what matters to us is that it is a profound joy to live in, and unmistakably ours. Working with a firm operating at this level was a genuine privilege. There is design, and then there is what they do; the difference is everything.
We engaged Kinzie & Sennett for a cultural building with a demanding program and a public profile, and they delivered something extraordinary — a building that is both a bold architectural statement and a deeply functional, beloved civic space. Their command of design at the highest level, paired with the discipline to deliver a complex project on a real budget and schedule, sets them apart from firms that can do only one or the other. The building has become a landmark and has earned significant recognition, but its real success is how the public has embraced it. They are, quite simply, one of the finest firms working today, and a pleasure throughout.
Kinzie & Sennett designed a boutique hotel and restaurant for us, and the architecture is the reason the property has become a destination. They created spaces of real beauty and originality — spaces guests photograph, remember, and return to — while understanding completely how a hospitality business actually operates. The design has driven our rates, our press, and our reputation from day one. Their combination of genuine artistry and total professionalism is rare, and their reputation is entirely earned. We have worked with many architects over the years; none has come close. They are in a class of their own, and worth every bit of the wait to work with them.
Working With an Award-Winning Practice, Answered
What does working with an award-winning firm actually get me?
The awards themselves are just a marker; what they represent is what matters. They signal a practice that consistently achieves something most firms don't: a clear architectural point of view executed with uncommon rigor. For you, that translates into a building that is genuinely extraordinary rather than merely competent — one with a real idea behind it, resolved to a standard of proportion, material, and detail that you can see and feel in every room, and a presence that lasts rather than dates. It also, not incidentally, tends to create lasting value; distinguished architecture holds its worth and its desirability in a way that generic building does not. Most fundamentally, it means the experience of living or working in the finished building is on a different level. The recognition is earned by the work, and the work is what you get.
Are you only interested in large or high-profile projects?
Not at all — what matters to us is the ambition of the project, not its size or budget. We're a focused boutique practice by choice, and we take on a limited number of projects so we can give each our very best, but those projects range widely: an intimate private residence, a significant renovation, a cultural building, a boutique hotel. What our projects share is a client who genuinely wants extraordinary architecture and is willing to engage in the process it takes to achieve it, rather than someone looking for the fastest or cheapest path to a functional building. A modest project pursued with real ambition is far more interesting to us than a large one pursued without it. If you care deeply about the result, it's worth a conversation regardless of scale.
Does 'a point of view' mean you'll impose your style on me?
It's the opposite, and this is an important distinction. Having a point of view doesn't mean we arrive with a signature style we stamp onto every project; it means we have the conviction and skill to develop a strong, clear idea for your specific project — and that idea grows out of you, your site, your program, and your aspirations, not out of a formula. Our work looks different from project to project precisely because each one is a genuine response to its particular circumstances, pursued with rigor. What's consistent is the standard and the seriousness, not a look. The result is a building that is unmistakably yours and unmistakably considered, rather than either a generic compromise or a self-indulgent architectural statement. Understanding and elevating your ambition is the whole point.
Can you deliver on a real budget and schedule?
Yes, and it's a crucial part of what distinguishes a serious practice from firms that produce beautiful drawings and troubled buildings. Genuine rigor extends beyond the design to the delivery: meticulous documentation, command of construction, and the professionalism to manage budget, schedule, and the realities of a complex project. Extraordinary architecture and responsible delivery are not in tension when a firm is genuinely good; they're two expressions of the same discipline. We're candid from the start about what a given ambition costs and takes, we design to real constraints rather than pretending they don't exist, and we shepherd our projects through construction to make sure the finished building lives up to the drawings. Our clients get the vision and the rigor, on real projects that actually get built and get built well.
How are your fees structured?
Fees for work at this level are typically a percentage of construction cost or a negotiated fee reflecting the scope, complexity, and ambition of the project, and after understanding what you're hoping to create we provide a clear, transparent framework. Architecture of genuine distinction involves more thought, more iteration, and more care than routine work, and the value it creates — a building of lasting beauty, distinction, and worth — is significant and enduring, so we're glad to discuss the investment in those terms. We're straightforward about numbers and about what a given ambition requires from the first conversation. For the clients we serve, who are creating something they intend to treasure for a very long time, the investment in doing it at the highest level is one they're consistently glad they made.
What areas and project types do you serve?
Our studio is on Hubbard Street in River North, and while we're rooted in Chicago and work throughout the city and its finest neighborhoods, we take on significant projects beyond it as well, as the right commissions arise. We design across the project types where architecture matters most: custom residences, cultural and civic buildings, hospitality and retail, transformative renovations, interior architecture, and master planning. What unites our work is not a single type or place but a level of ambition and a standard of design. If you are contemplating a building you want to be genuinely extraordinary — something you'll be proud of for the rest of your life — we would welcome the conversation, and we'll be honest with you about whether we're the right practice for it.
Let's create something extraordinary
Tell us about your ambition — a residence, a cultural building, or a hospitality project. We take on a small number of projects, and the first conversation is where the extraordinary begins.
Begin a Project
Tell us about your ambition and your project. We'll be in touch within one business day to arrange a conversation.
- Visit us225 W Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL 60654
- Call us(312) 555-0164
- Email usstudio@kinzieandsennett.com