Hanbury Expands to Chicago
Hanbury has expanded its national practice to Chicago, opening a studio led by Principal Andrew Balster, who joins the firm as Design Strategy Director and User Experience Market Leader.
The Chicago studio, located on State Street, becomes Hanbury's ninth location, complementing offices across the country that serve leading institutions in research, learning, and public life. The firm has worked in the region for more than a decade, with projects including the award-winning Campus North Residential Commons at the University of Chicago, designed in partnership with Studio Gang, and Valley Oaks Residence Hall at Western Michigan University, a mass timber student residence opening in 2026.
"We're in a moment of real acceleration. AI, climate, geopolitics, and the future of work are reshaping our cities, our institutions, and what it means to be human inside complex systems," said Balster. "Architecture's next chapter is experiential, linking intelligence, behavior, and environment so institutions can learn, evolve, and serve more humanely."
Balster's relationship with Hanbury spans more than a decade of collaboration, teaching, and shared work. As the former director of the Virginia Tech Chicago Studio, he taught members of Hanbury's design leadership. He has long been part of the extended Hanbury community, and the Chicago design scene has been a steady meeting ground between the two for years.
"This feels less like joining a company and more like stepping into a circle of partners I deeply admire," Balster said.
In addition to leading the Chicago studio, Balster's role is firmwide. He integrates experience strategy, user experience research, and emerging technologies, including AI, into how Hanbury imagines, collaborates, and delivers value across its higher education, science, and civic practices. Prior to joining Hanbury, Balster worked closely with technologists, UX researchers, and data-driven teams, experience that shaped his conviction that design's role is evolving from shaping buildings to shaping how environments think, adapt, and care for people.
"Our growth has always centered on people, and Chicago has some of the nation's best design talent. We want to build around the best and brightest, people with a passion for making a difference and for creating spaces, places, and ideas that are loved and endure. With Andrew's leadership and our growing practice, we're building a strong foundation for impact across the Midwest and beyond," said David Keith, FAIA, CEO.
