Nickerson Mansion & Murphy Auditorium

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Project description: A comprehensive interior and exterior restoration effort has converted the Nickerson Mansion into a public museum and art gallery for the Driehaus Collection and renovated the Murphy Memorial Auditorium as a public lecture and events hall.

A laser cleaning methodology removed decades of pollution from the Mansion's masonry facade. Missing and deteriorated elements of the masonry facade and a carved stone fence were restored. State-of-the-art building systems provide an interior environment to house the museum objects and to condition the Auditorium's spaces. The upgrades include all new mechanical systems, new electrical distribution, a new service elevator, fire and life safety upgrades, and a new coat check and bathroom facilities for the Auditorium. The updated building systems were carefully planned and executed to provide discreet installations with minimal impact on the historic materials.

Services: Architecture

Awards: 2008, City of Chicago, Commission on Chicago Landmarks - Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence