PORT Architecture + Urbanism is a cutting-edge design and research practice based in Chicago. Founded by Christopher Marcinkoski and Andrew Moddrell in 2004 as a speculative-research collaboration, PORT A+U has evolved into one the most innovative young urban design practices operating in the U.S. today. The practice synthesizes expertise in architecture, urbanism, landscape and planning to provide exceptional solutions to unique design challenges at every scale of the urban landscape.
Though the professional practice was formally established in 2009, the partners bring a significant body of expertise and experience from prior senior-level positions at James Corner Field Operations of New York as well as Garofalo Architects and UrbanLab of Chicago. In addition to leading PORT A+U, Mr. Marcinkoski and Mr. Moddrell each hold academic appointments, at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Illinois-Chicago, respectively.
PORT A+U's design work and urban research has been recognized by the Bauhaus Foundation in Dessau, Germany; the Van Alen Institute in New York City; and has been exhibited and published internationally in Germany, Scotland, China, Spain and South Korea, as well as in the U.S. PORT A+U was recently awarded the unanimous first prize in the WPA 2.0 international design competition for re-imagining urban infrastructure in the United States. The work was presented and exhibited at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C., and subsequently presented to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
PORT A+U is has been recognized in the following design competitions:
Honorable Mention: Life at the Speed of Rail Design Competition - “I Love Great Lakes City,”
Van Allen Institute (June 2011)
First Prize (unanimous): FORMCities Design Competition - “Re-Cultivating the Forest City,”
Mississippi State University and the Jackson Community Design Center (November 2010)
Semi-Finalist: The ONE Prize - “Carbon T.A.P.,”
The Terreform ONE Prize Competition (June 2010)
Honorable Mention: Steedman Design Competition 2010 - “STL SuperConnect,”
Washington University in St. Louis Department of Architecture (May 2010)
First Prize (unanimous): WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture - “Carbon T.A.P,”
UCLA / cityLAB and The National Building Museum (November 2009)
Finalist: Envisioning Gateway National Park International Competition - “Urban Barometer”
Van Alen Institute (Summer 2007)
Honorable Mention: Urban Voids International Ideas Competition - “Emergent Urbanism”
Van Alen Institute (Spring 2006)
Third International Bauhaus Award Finalist (Transit Spaces) - “Combinatory Urbanism”
Bauhaus Foundation - Dessau, Germany (October 2004)