Local Boy Makes Good

Chicago architect John Ronan was announced last night as the winner of a design competition to design the Perth Amboy High School in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The 40-year-old architect beat out well-known architects Morphosis of Santa Monica, California and Peter Eisenman and Fox & Fowle of New York City; as well as fellow finalists Gabriel Field Architect of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Robertson + McAnulty w/UrbanLab of Chicago. Ronan's design was unanimously chosen as the winner with Peter Eisenman mentioned as second place.



The winning design superimposes three systems: the landscape of the site (Mat), horizontal building elements (Barscape) and vertical building elements (Towers). These subsequently create interior courtyards, flexible educational spaces, and separate communal spaces.

The 3,000-student high school is planned to open in 2006.

[Added 03.05: Lynn Becker's Repeat site features a piece on Ronan's victory in New Jersey.]