2024 Architectural Awards: Excellence In Masonry Winners

Words: Ashley Kelly

The Masonry Advisory Council held the 2024 Excellence in Masonry Awards on Saturday, October 26th at 167 Green St., Chicago, Illinois. Honoring 80 projects from over the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Area.



The Awards program celebrates outstanding architectural design and the skillful execution that brings these design concepts to life. It honors architectural firms, mason contractors, and product suppliers for their significant contributions to design excellence, construction proficiency, and the innovative use of masonry materials in a variety of ways.

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners!

Overall & Parks and Recreation: Chicago Park District Headquarters, Architect: John Ronan Architects, Mason Contractor: A.L.L. Masonry Construction Co., Inc.

Best of Brick: Clarendale of Portage Park, Architect: Ryan A+E, Inc., Mason Contractor: J&E Duff, Inc.

Best of Block: The Amphitheater at Mike Rylko Community Park, Architect: Legat Architects, Mason Contractor: A. Horn Inc.

Best of Stone: Mokena Residence, Architect: WK Olson Architects, Mason Contractor: Mike Cachey Construction Co.

Craftsmanship: Kankakee Welcome Center, Architect: Fosse Architects, Mason Contractor: Kwitatkowski Masonry, Inc.

Single Family: House on a Ravine, Architect: Fraerman Associates Architecture

Multi Family: CA6, Architect: SGW Architecture & Design, Mason Contractor: Masonry Systems, Inc.

Mixed Use: 1020 W. Randolph, Architect: Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Mason Contractor: RV Builders Corp.

Healthcare: Northwestern Medicine Old Irving Park, Architect: CannonDesign, Mason Contractor: A.L.L. Masonry Construction Co., Inc.

Commercial: Flair House, Mason Contractor: Midwest Masonry, Inc.

Commercial Office: Randolph Office Center, Architect: Hirsch MPG LLC, Mason Contractor: Illinois Masonry Corp.

Education: Prairie Grove School Expansion, Architect: Wight & Company, Mason Contractor: MPZ Masonry & Construction

Governmental: City of Batavia Municipal Building, Architect: Allen + Pepa Architects

Restoration: 307 North Michigan Ave Facade Restoration, Architect: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Mason Contractor: Central Building & Preservation L.P.

Miscellaneous: Our Lady of the Lake World Peace Plaza, Architect: Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, Mason Contractor: Murphy Marble

Rainscreen: Tribune Tower, Architect: SCB, Mason Contractor: Illinois Masonry Corp.

Stone, Terrazzo, Granite: ORD Terminal 5 Expansion, Architect: Muller2, Mason Contractor: Menconi Terrazzo

Interior: 800 Fulton Market, Architect: Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, Mason Contractor: Menconi Terrazzo; J&E Duff, Inc.

Sustainability: Bio-Block Spiral Installation, Architect: Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, Mason Contractor: J&E Duff, Inc.





What’s in your Dumpster?
December 2025

If you want a true read on how a job is running, take a walk to the dumpsters. Most sites have two. One for cement and steel. One for everything that did not make the cut. Those bins are open ledgers. They record the habits, shortcuts, and fixes that shap

The Florida Department of Corrections Masonry Competition
December 2025

The intersection of Career & Technical Education (CTE) training and rehabilitation was on full display recently as the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) hosted a statewide masonry competition. Held at the Cross City Correctional Institution, the eve

Southwest Scaffolding Renews Silver Partnership in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program
December 2025

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is pleased to announce that Southwest Scaffolding will renew its Silver partnership in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program.

From Raw Material To Art: Bringing Toothless To Life
December 2025

“The next project is already waiting in the wings, but that’s another story.” That was how I ended my article on the T-60 helmet from the world of Fallout in the July 2024 issue of Masonry Magazine. And that is exactly where this new chapter begins.