Join us in congratulating Calli Verkamp on being awarded the 2022 AIA Illinois John Wellborn Root for Emerging Professionals Award! Calli is a civic and professional leader, and her service to her profession, community, and environment is outstanding.
Professionally, Calli served as Project Architect for The Momentary in Bentonville, Arkansas – a multidisciplinary visual and performing arts venue creatively repurposed from a 70-year-old decommissioned cheese processing plant. After four years of development, The Momentary opened to acclaim in 2020 and has garnered five awards, including an AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Award and a World Architecture News Award for Adaptive Reuse. Prior to The Momentary, she served as Project Architect for the inaugural home of The Chicago Children’s Theatre, which opened in 2017. The LEED Gold project entailed the transformation of an abandoned 1947 police station into a community venue with a 149-seat studio performance space, classrooms, and administration space. The facility intentionally exposes all aspects of theatrical storytelling, usually hidden from view, to immerse children in the dramatic arts’ artistry, craft, and technology. Calli also served as Project Architect for the award-winning Wicker Park Residence. This modern home reinterprets traditional materials and detailing to preserve the historic street experience while meeting the clients’ aesthetic desires
Calli consistently volunteers for several mentorship organizations including Girl Forward, a not-for-profit helping refugee girls resettled in Chicago, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. In her Chicago neighborhood, she serves as a Director for Roscoe Village Neighbors. At the intersection of her volunteer and professional efforts, she has mentored young professionals at AIA Chicago and aspiring high school students for ACE (Architecture Construction Engineering) Chicago. In addition, she currently serves as a Director for AIA Chicago and co-chairs their Technical Issues Knowledge Committee.
Congratulations to all 2022 AIA Illinois service award recipients!