Exterior renovation work is underway at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Science and Engineering South building, a 1967 structure designed by architect Walter Netsch. UIC said the restoration aims to return the building’s exterior to its original condition, with work planned over the next 18 months and an expected completion in 2027.
UIC points to several issues that have built up over time, including masonry movement, deteriorating concrete, and waterproofing challenges. The exterior scope includes replacing masonry, repairing concrete structure and plazas, repairing windows and skylights, and installing new roofing.
For mason contractors, the brickwork is the part of the story that jumps off the page. The building’s brick uses a nonstandard size and a color range that needed a close match. UIC said the project team developed a custom brick to blend new units with the original material, so repairs don’t read as patchwork from the sidewalk.
UIC also described how the specialty brick was fired in century-old, periodic beehive kilns to hit a precise look, including the color variation and texture associated with the era. The university credited traditional manufacturing conditions, including thermodynamic microclimates and chemical flashing, for helping replicate the original aesthetic while keeping the building as close to its original state as practical.
The work carries added weight because Science and Engineering South is part of Netsch’s Brutalist portfolio and his Field Theory design approach, which uses intersecting geometric forms, including rotated and overlapping squares. UIC noted that the Chicago Circle campus includes two other Field Theory buildings, the Art and Architecture Building from 1966, and the Behavioral Sciences Building from 1967.
Read the full, original article from UIC today here.