His design work for the Harley-Davidson Dealerships, Bubbleland Laundromats, and The World’s Largest Truckstop each demonstrate how architecture’s engagement with image enables new kinds of communication with visitors. In his 2007 lecture “Bikers, Bubbles, and Big Rigs” Wierzbowski further elaborates on this research as well as his concept of regional branding, which permitted each of the Harley-Davidson dealerships to maintain their individual personality while preserving the collective corporate ethos.
In his teaching at Ohio State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Wierzbowski challenges students to engage in form making “menus,” a methodology that employs large drawing catalogs to explore form, typology, and projection. By proposing that “creation is an impatient search,” and by prompting his students to design gas stations, health clubs, and banks, Wierzbowski presses his students to imagine beyond the fashionable and to consider how non-architects understand what architects design. His pedagogy informs and enriches his professional practice which uses drawing to explore a wide spectrum of design approaches instead of a single narrow vision. He engages clients with his “menu” methodology, often presenting them with a set of 40-80 drawings and photographs, each with an explanatory title that enhances its narrative content and its currency for collaborative discussion. In this way, Wierzbowski aims to bring out each of his client’s inner enthusiasms, passions, and dreams.
His exhibit projects, including “A Day in the Country,” “Art Inside Out,” and “Harley-Davidson Kansas City Visitor’s Center” take issues of messaging and interpretation head on, intertwining information in innovative ways throughout their built environments. His design for Oilily, a Dutch clothing company, transforms a retail space into a colorful three dimensional De Stijl painting while his Des Moines Harley-Davidson Dealership fashions a giant yellow barn complete with a grain “elevator” and “hog” pens. Wierzbowski uses architectural techniques to elevate past “brand identity” into a realm of detailed and rich spatial stories.
POSITIONS HELD
Stephen Wierzbowski, AIA | 2014 - Present
Principal and Founder
Mekus Tanager, Inc. | 2008 - 2014
Principal
The Dobbins Group | 2007 - 2008
Director of A/E
WDW Design, Inc. | 1994 - 2007
Principal and Co-founder
Florian Wierzbowski Architecture, PC | 1983 - 1994
Principal and Co-founder
Skidmore Owings and Merrill | 1977 - 1981
Design Architect, Senior Designer
Skidmore Owings and Merrill | 1975 - 1977
Computer programmer
Silvetti and Machado | Summer 1975
Model builder and Draftsman
AIA AWARDS
AIA Young Architect Award | 1993
AIA Interior Architecture Award | Citation of Merit | 1990
“Oilily” with Florian Wierzbowski
AIA Interior Architecture Award | Citation of Merit | 1988
“1816 North Cleveland” with Florian Wierzbowski
AIA Interior Architecture Award | Citation of Merit | 1988
“Architecture and the City” with Florian Wierzbowski
AIA Interior Architecture Award | Citation of Merit | 1987
“Chiasso” with Florian Wierzbowski
AIA Interior Architecture Award | Citation of Merit | 1986
“A Day in the Country: Impressionism and the French Landscape” with Florian Wierzbowski
OTHER AWARDS
Mental Floss | #1 of the “Top Ten Best Rest Stops in the US” | 2014
Iowa 80 World’s Largest Truck Stop
Preservation Massachusetts | Award for Historic Re-use | 2012
“The Pushkin”, a nightclub and recording studio converted from a 1903 bank
Cintas | “Top Ten Best Restrooms in the United States” | 2009
Iowa 80 World’s Largest Truck Stop
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Best Exterior | 2006
“Blue Ridge Harley-Davidson, Inc.”
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Non-category winners | 2006
“Champion Motorsports”, “J&P Cycles”, “Signature Harley-Davidson”
Master Builders of Iowa | Masters Award | 2005
“Zook’s Harley-Davidson” with Lora Delestowicz-Wierzbowski
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | First Runner-Up | 2005
“Doc’s Harley-Davidson”
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Non-category winners | 2005
“Capital City Harley-Davidson/Buell”, “Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson, Inc.”, “Seacoast Harley-Davidson”, and “Signature Harley-Davidson”
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Second Runner-Up | 2004
“Brian’s Harley-Davidson”
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Non-category winners | 2004
“Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson, Inc.” “High Plains Harley-Davidson”, and “Seacoast Harley-Davidson”
Dealernews Top 100 Dealers | Non-category winners | 2003
“Doc’s Harley-Davidson”, “High Plains Harley-Davidson”, and “Seacoast Harley-Davidson”
Leader Communications | VMSD award for environmental graphics | 1995
With Lora Delestowicz-Wierzbowski
Chicago Athenaeum | Interior award | 1995
“Cellular One” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Tribune | Honorable Mention | 1993
“No Little Plans” Cabrini-Green Competition
Architectural Digest | Top 100 Architects | 1991
Industrial Design Magazine Award | Design Citation | 1987
“Architecture and the City” with Florian Wierzbowski
Interiors Magazine | “Big I” award | 1987
“Chiasso” with Florian Wierzbowski
EXHIBITS
Sherwood Conservatory | Chicago, Illinois | 2015
“Two Sketches” a video short by Dan Manas, with original score by Patricia Morehead
Bridgeport Arts Center | Chicago, Illinois | 2015
“Third Annual Bridgeport Arts Center Juried Competition”, 2015
Framing Mode Gallery | Chicago, Illinois | 2012
“Monument”; a solo exhibit of 72 travel sketches as displayed on the web site, www.travelsketches.net
Chicago Architectural Club | Chicago, Illinois | Annualy from 1987 to 2001
Annual exhibits
Art Institute of Chicago (Transportation Section) | Chicago, Illinois | 1993
“Chicago Architecture and Design 1923-1993: Reconfiguration of an American Metropolis”
Gwenda Jay Gallery | Chicago, Illinois | 1990
“Maison Zeno”; Concept with Lora Delestowicz-Wierzbowski
Gallery 400 | Chicago, Illinois | 1985
“The Idea of Big”; a Curated and conceived of concept exhibit about scale
Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 1982
“Chicago Architects Design”
Prairie Avenue Book Store Gallery | Chicago, Illinois | 1981
“Chicago Lighthouse Competition”
Graham Foundation | Chicago, Illinois | 1980
“Chicago Townhouse Competition”
Prairie Avenue Book Store Gallery | Chicago, Illinois | 1979 and 1980
Prairie Avenue Book Store
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
AIA Member | 1984 - 1992, 2009 - Present
Carnegie Mellon University | National Alumni Association Board | 2015 - Present
Board Member
Carnegie Mellon University | Chicago Area Alumni Association Board | 2007 - Present
Chicago Architectural Club | 1987 - 2001
Member (1987-2001)
Board Member (1988-1992)
President (1989-1990)
Chicago Peace Museum | 1985 - 1990
Board Member
LECTURES AND PANELS
HGTV | 1997
“Building Character” for the Arnett Residence
Motorola | 1993
Retail design for wireless communication
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1989
Moderator; “Design and Technology”
AIA Chicago | 1988
Moderator; Bertrand Goldberg and Walter Netsch
Andrews University | 1987
Lecturer
Northern University | 1987
Lecturer
Carson Pirie Scott | 1986
Lecturer
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1981 - 1982, 1984 - 1987, 1991, 1994, 1998
Lecturer
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 1994 - 1996
Lecturer
National Public Radio | 1993
Interview on the Archiecture of Fragmentation with Victoria Lautman
TEACHING
School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Fall 1997 - Spring 1998
Instructor, 3D Modeling in Form•Z
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 1995 - 1997
Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor, Third and Fourth Year Design Studio
Ohio State University | Fall 1989 and Spring 1990
Visiting Critic, Third Year Design Studio
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1984 - 1987
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Design Studio courses from first through fifth year
University of Illinois, European Studies, Versailles, France | 1982 - 1983
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Third and Fourth Year Design Studios
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1981 - 1982
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Second Year Design Studios
Carnegie Mellon University | Summer 1975
Teaching Assistant
JURY EXPERIENCE
Harold Schiff Award | 1991
Chicago-area design award
Yale University | 1987 and 1994
Participated in juries for both Stanley Tigerman and Tom Beeby
Chicago Gateway Competition | 1992
Academic Juries | Regularly, 1984 - Present
University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Ohio State, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
AIA Juries | 1986
Fort Wayne AIA and South Dakota AIA
EDUCATION
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1982
Master of Architecture
Carnegie Mellon University | 1975
Bachelor of Architecture with University Honors
STUDENT AWARDS
University of Illinois at Chicago | 1982
Option One Award
Dubin Award
Carnegie Mellon University | 1975
Stedman Competition Honorable Mention
Alpha Ro Chi Award
ESSAYS
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 10 | 2002
“Another Role of Architecture” with Lora Delestowicz-Wierzbowski
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 9 | 2000
“Imagist Design” with Lora Delestowicz-Wierzbowski
Chicago Architecture and Design 1923-1993 | 1993
“Oilily” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Architecture | Volume 9, “Making a Difference” | 1991
“Chiasso Office” with Florian Wierzbowski
Conceptual Newssheet | 1990 - 1991
“Oyster” with Paul Florian, Thirst and others
Insert with Paul Florian | 1990
“Violated Perfection” by Aaron Betsky
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 8 | 1989
“Meers Residence” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 7 | 1988
“Heritage Corridor Waterway Visitors Center” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 6 | 1987
“Perlie” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 5 | 1985
“A Day in the Country: Impressionism and the French Landscape” Gallery Installation, The Art in Chicago with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Architectural Club | Journal 4 | 1984
“Taylor Residence” with Florian Wierzbowski
Threshold | 1984
“Identification and Transformation” with Paul Florian
Chicago Architects Design - A Century of Architectural Drawings from The Art Institute of Chicago
“The Seven Veils of Architecture”
ARTICLES
Architecture Chicago Plus | March 2012
“Drawing: Not Dead- Stephen Wierzbowski’s Monument: Sketch Studies”, by Lynn Becker
Art Letter | March 2012
“Scads of Quality”, by Paul Klein
Concrete Masonry Designs | March 2002
“Built for Speed” Doc’s Harley-Davidson
Signature Harley-Davidson, Retail Performance Magazine | 2001
“Converting Brand Knowledge into Electricity” and “Dealer Profile”
VMSD | March 2000
“Retailing: Chicago Style” Chicago Harley-Davidson, cover story
Interiors | November 1993
“Inside Wright: An exhibition reveals the inner magic of Frank Lloyd Wright”, with Florian Wierzbowski, by Jean Gorman
Chicago Tribune | June 1993
“Transportation”, by Blair Kamin
Pamphlet | 1991
“414 Sunset Lane” with Paul Florian
Archiectural Digest: The AD 100 Architects | August 1991
“Florian Residence” with Paul Florian
Chicago Magazine | March 1991
“Black and White and Bread all over” with Florian Wierzbowski, by Judith Neisser
Interiors and Sources Magazine | May 1990
“Stylistic Plurality: The Diverse Architecture of Florian Wierzbowski”, by Diane Wintroub Calmenson
Inside Chicago | May/June 1990
“Urban American Club” with Florian Wierzbowski
Store Planning and Design Review | February 1990
“Oilily” with Florian Wierzbowski
Vogue Decoration (France) | October 1989
“1816 North Cleveland” with Florian Wierzbowski
The New York Times | October 1989
“Chicago: 61-story Rental Tower Rising” with Florian Wierzbowski, by Cheryl Kent
Chicago Tribune | August 1989
“The Art of the Edge” with Florian Wierzbowski, review by Alan Artner
Visual Merchandising Magazine | July 1989
”Quadrant” with Florian Wierzbowski
Interiors Magazine | June 1989
“Oilily” with Florian Wierzbowski
The New York Times | April 1989
“In the Midwest, a Bold New Style”, by Suzanne Slesin
Pulp | April 1989
Interview with Florian Wierzbowski by Nicholas Pavkovic
Town and Country | December 1988
“1816 North Cleveland” with Florian Wierzbowski
Town & Country | December 1988
“Chicago Futures” Florian Residence with Paul Florian, by Nancy Grace
House and Garden | September 1988
“1816 North Cleveland” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Tribune | September 1988
“How Gallery Made A Great Show Even Better”, with Florian Wierzbowski, review by Alan Artner
Architectural Digest | August 1988
“Florian Wierzbowski- Deconstructivist Ideas in a Chicago Renovation,” by Joseph Giovannini
Visual Merchandising Magazine | May 1988
“Perlie” with Florian Wierzbowski
Chicago Magazine | March 1988
“1816 North Cleveland” with Florian Wierzbowski
Progressive Architecture | June 1987
“Young Architects” with Florian Wierzbowski
Interior Design | February 1987
“Perlie” with Florian Wierzbowski, by Jerry Cooper
Interiors Magazine | January 1987
“Chiasso” with Florian Wierzbowski, by Justin Henderson
City Space | January 1987
“At Home in an Architects Lab” Florian Residence with Paul Florian, by Gretchen Bradley