Chris Frye

Adjunct Assistant Professor

cafrye@uic.edu

Christopher Frye is currently the Design Director for the Chicago and Naperville offices of PSA-Dewberry. As director, he is responsible for developing initial conceptual positions based upon information derived from client, place and project aspirations. Each project is then overseen by him to ensure that the projects goals are maintained and held in the forefront during the design process.

Christopher has worked with the firm for 13 years, leading design on a variety of project types and scale. His projects tend to be outside the bounds of traditional architecture and are consistently exceeding the clients' aesthetic expectations. His projects have garnered multiple, national and local awards and recognition consistently through the years. Recent projects include the New Student Recreation Facility for the University of Illinois at Chicago, Southern Illinois University Student Health Services Addition, a new YMCA in Champaign, Illinois, and the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center for Mayo Clinic. Other work includes international competitions that include the Asian Cultural Complex, the California Greenstop, the Venice Bridge-Museum, and most recently the Czech Republic National Library.

Christopher is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Association of Licensed Architects, Society of American Registered Architects, the Chicago Architectural Club, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation. His projects have been included in numerous exhibits including "The Art of Architecture" for the University of Illinois, "Silent Amplification" at the Dallas AIA Conference, "Bridging the Drive" for the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and multiple exhibits as part of the Chicago Architecture Club.

Christopher received his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1991 and his Master of Architecture degree in 1993, both from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is a registered architect in Illinois, California, New Jersey, and Wisconsin; and holds an NCARB certification since 2004.

His design process begins with the questions, researching precedents of previous answers or solutions in order to identify each project's relevant issues. These elements become the basis of the inquiry. As the local context it read and understood, the architectural solution becomes layered with meaning that connects it to its place and time, providing a catalyst for its development. It is this strategy that permeates the work and aspires to become a meaningful destination for its users. Most of Christopher's work is in the public or institutional realm. He comes with a discipline to negotiate between various constituents, to bring consensus to the design's function, and frequently exceeds the clients' expectations, both the programmatic and the aesthetics.

This exhibit represents a selection of work from both practice and research. It spans the latter part of the current explorations in both real projects and competitions. The continuities that exist within the projects represent a propensity to continually explore each projects unique attributes, while simultaneously building upon previous answers and experiences. Each project represents a thread of the continual evolution of the architectural ideals that influence each piece of work. It is this tenacity that sets apart these from the status quo, never satisfied, never complacent, never pausing to breathe, but always pushing for the next.