Spring 2026 MTBVU Studio: The Tall Habitat Considered
The Spring 2026 semester featured the M.TBVU High-Rise Studio, led by Jenna Dezinski, which challenged students to envision the next generation of residential towers along Chicago’s riverfront. Drawing inspiration from Chicago’s historic role in the evolution of the skyscraper and informed by the city’s projected demand for new housing, students developed proposals for wellness-focused residential high-rises on sites along the Chicago River. Through design research, site visits, and iterative studio work, students explored how tall buildings can better support healthy, connected urban living while contributing to the future growth of Chicago’s downtown neighborhoods.
Daniel Turel and Chanyoung Jeong present their final studio project during the Spring 2026 final review.
MTBVU Courses with Dr. Antony Wood
Another major component of the semester was Tall Technologies II, which challenged students to reimagine iconic skyscrapers through contemporary innovations. Building on a design brief developed with SOM during the first semester, students explored concepts including mass timber adaptations of the Burj Khalifa, carbon fiber applications for Willis Tower, new mobility systems for the Petronas Towers, energy storage strategies within Jin Mao Tower, drone infrastructure for Marina City, and façade transformations for the Seagram Building. Throughout the semester, students worked closely with industry experts to develop and refine their proposals.
As part of the Talking Tall II lecture series, students traveled to Milwaukee to tour Ascent, the world’s tallest hybrid mass timber building. The visit provided firsthand insight into the design, engineering, and construction of a pioneering sustainable tall building project. Students also visited the Milwaukee Art Museum, exploring both its architectural significance and its renowned collection.
The semester concluded with a special gathering hosted by M.TBVU Director Antony Wood at his home in Oak Park. Students participated in a walking tour of the historic Frank Lloyd Wright neighborhood lead by Professor Wood, celebrated the winners of the program’s music competition, and received copies of the Council on Vertical Urbanism’s Tall & Urban publication.
The M.TBVU program extends its sincere gratitude to the many industry professionals, faculty members, and collaborators who contributed their time and expertise throughout the Spring 2026 semester. Special thanks to Jenna Dezinski, who led the High-Rise Studio, and to the distinguished tutors and final review jury for Tall Technologies II: Jaimi Schwarz, Senior Engineer at Arup; Paul Alessandro, Partner, and John Mitchell, Partner, at Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture; Mark Chiu, R.A., Vice President, and Molly Gildar, Designer, at Thornton Tomasetti; Jeffrey E. Harper, P.E., Vice President at Jensen Hughes; Javier Quintana de Una , CEO and Kristin LaSorsa, Academic and Student Coordinator at the Council on Vertical Urbanism; and Matthew Herman, Senior Vice President, Seetha R. Poduri, Lead Consultant, and Kayla Tillman, Assistant Project Manager, at WSP. Their thoughtful critiques and professional insights provided invaluable guidance to the students.
Dr. Antony Wood and Talking Tall II students at the end-of-semester celebration in Oak Park, where each student received a copy of CVU's Tall & Urban publication.