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We taught a two-day seminar to members of the Association of Licensed Architects (ALA). We guided them through sketching practices and taught tools to enhance compositions, demonstrated the utility of value and contour lines, and simplified the fundamentals of one- and two-point perspective. Students used thumbnail sketches as a tool to improve composition. They captured scenes by creating a quick iterative series while observing a video of Downtown Chicago. ALA members highl

The State of Illinois allocated $540 million for hospitality businesses with operations that were severely compromised by Covid-19, including restaurants, bars, child care centers, salons, and athletic centers. The application for the first round of funding ($60 million) is due 5 pm Central July 7. The first round will prioritize businesses in areas greatly affected by the pandemic and also areas with lower per capita incomes. CLICK HERE for the Business Interruption Grant Ap

After teaching live freehand sketching sessions for many years, I am excited to announce my first virtual sessions with the Association of Licensed Architects. Please join us 3 pm American Central Standard Time on Friday, July 10 and Friday, July 17 for virtual freehand sketch instruction on the Chicago River. I have a formulaic approach to teaching freehand drawing that works for all skill levels and backgrounds. We will enhance your ability to develop great compositions, us

Owners Mindy Friedler and Mark Bires have a clear vision for their new Andersonville restaurant, Fiya : a melting pot of Israeli cuisine, with diaspora influences from the Middle East, Europe, and the Mediterranean. We helped them realize the vision. We shaped the new dining room central island to reference a ship, with the bow facing the street. The new island is the heart of Fiya's customer experience, with a wood fire oven and simple, geometric pendants over the central ac

Berman Design is a boutique architectural practice with expertise in branding, graphic design, and interiors in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. We are currently looking for architectural designers with 0-4 years of work experience to help plan, design and detail projects in and around Chicago. This is an opportunity to work collaboratively with clients, contractors, engineers, and others. We design restaurants and bars (including franchise restaurant concepts), commerci

On Friday, May 3rd, the Humane Society held a grand opening for the new cat cafe dubbed Tree House Cat Cafe at 7225 N. Western Avenue. Located in Chicago's West Ridge neighborhood, the cafe is the city's first cat cafe within a shelter. For $10, each visitor receives a cafe drink and a 30-minute time slot in the cat room. The organization caters to felines afflicted by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV); otherwise healthy cats who are more prone to health complications over time. B

Berman Design recently hosted the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce's monthly Third Thursday Networking event. Local business owners, entrepreneurs and community members gathered at Berman Design's Andersonville office where networking and casual conversation ensued. Complete with sangria and an array of finger food, the catering was provided by local restaurant, Middle East Bakery and Grocery, for whom Berman Design recently provided architectural services. Andersonville Thi

On Wednesday, January 16, members of the Berman Design team were invited to give a presentation on brand standards at University CoWork in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood. The presentation highlighted the importance of establishing brand guidelines to ensure consistent communication across all media, including logo development, website design, and brand identity. The presentation was given by Berman Design team member Kurt Perenchio, an architectural designer with extensive e

Berman Design kicked off the new year by rolling out a full-scale brand overhaul, including an optimized website, contemporary logo, and overall refreshed brand identity. The team spent several months flushing out concepts and designs to best enhance the firm brand. The new branding showcases the process of working with Berman Design, from hand sketching concepts, to 3D modeling software, to interior finishes and company branding. The “wallpaper” depicting white sketches on t