STR Partners

We are heartbroken to announce the passing of STR team member, Alan J. Armbrust. As STR's Executive Manager for more than 16 years, Alan was invaluable to our firm, serving as both a gifted architect and a marketing connoisseur. A reliable and steady presence in the office, Alan brought a charm, wit, and humor to our team that will be hard to replace.

Alan was an artist. Though never one to brag about his talent, he could hand draw with startling accuracy. And man, he loved his paper, his desk serving as a testament to that love. Typos were Alan's trademark, and if you ever received an email from him, you could hear his voice when you read it.

It seems fitting that one of Alan's last projects was a replacement for the very middle school he attended as a young student in Mount Prospect. He would have loved to see the doors open on the new space, and for that, we feel sorrow.

Rest in peace, our friend. We feel your loss deeply. To honor Alan's legacy as a mentor, we have made a donation to the Architects Foundation Student Loan Relief Grant program.

Visitation is Sunday, May 17, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 West Central Road (at Northwest Highway) in Mount Prospect. More information about his funeral services are found here: https://lnkd.in/ga4nhEkS

Obituary information for Alan J. Armbrust View Alan J. Armbrust's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

Next generation science standards are changing what happens in the classroom. So long are the days of rote learning and lecture-style teaching. Today, classrooms need flexible lab configurations to encourage investigation, discovery, and real-world application.

Photo 1: A new STEM classroom at Fenton High School District 100
Photo 2: A new horticulture science classroom at Rich Township High School District 227

What a night (or two)! STR was thrilled to celebrate alongside some incredible organizations doing big things for education this weekend.

On Friday night, we had the privilege of attending the annual UNCF and SCSDD scholarship gala, an evening celebrating diversity, academic achievement, and the belief that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. UNCF’s work to open doors for students across the country aligns perfectly with our mission of designing schools where every learner can thrive.

The next night, we had the honor of attending the School District 95 Educational Foundation’s Studio 95 Gala, an evening benefiting the students and teachers of Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95. Right now, our team is hard at work on the Lake Zurich High School D-Wing Renovation, a redesign of approximately 15,000 square feet on the second floor of Lake Zurich High School that will create dynamic, modern learning spaces for students.

It was a wonderful weekend, to say the least! And STR is proud to support both of these organizations and the students they champion.

We loved having students from Rich Township High School District 227 spend part of Groundhog SHADOW Day with us in the office.

It was a chance to share what an architecture firm looks like day to day: how teams work together, how ideas move from sketch to model to documents, and how design decisions get tested along the way. The students jumped right in, sketching and working through a model with us.

We’ve partnered with District 227 for years on additions, renovations, and campus improvements, so it’s especially meaningful to host students from the same community in the spaces where that work happens.

Thanks for spending the day with us! We’re glad you were here.