MAS Context Dialogues | Joe Valerio
This post is part of MAS Context Dialogues, a series of conversations with Chicago-based designers hosted by Stephen Killion.
Joe Valerio, a Chicago native and founding principal of Valerio Dewalt Train Associates, has always considered the construction phase of a project a critical part of his design process. This is even reflected in the tongue in cheek mission statement of “Build or Die,” which has in many ways become a part of the firm’s identity. As an employee of the firm, I can truly say that a spirit of building, and not just designing, is at the heart of almost all of the companies projects.
Unafraid to try something unique, Joe has completed a number of projects across various architectural sectors over his 40-year career, including corporate office, high-tech industrial, institutional, retail, and residential. With a number of works receiving regional and national awards, the firm have proven that approaching each project with a fresh perspective is something that is successful to their creation process.
Examples of his firm’s work can be found throughout the Chicago area including the main store and Rooftop Café at Lincoln Park Zoo, the Midwest corporate campus formerly occupied by the 3-Com Corporation, the Garmin Flagship store on Michigan Avenue, and the recently completed Earl Shapiro Hall and the Gordon Parks Arts Hall buildings for the University of Chicago Laboratory School.
Godfrey Hotel, Chicago © Steve Hall – Hedrich Blessing. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Seven27 Apartments, Madison, Wisconsin © Barbara Karant. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
UC Lab School – Gordon Parks Arts Hall © Steve Hall – Hedrich Blessing. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Seneca House, Venice, Florida © Antonio Cueller. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Doblin House addition, Chicago © Steve Hall – Hedrich Blessing. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Doblin House, Chicago © Karant+Associates, Barbara Karant. Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Summerfest, Milwaukee © Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Lakefront Festival of Art, Milwaukee © Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Three Rivers, Michigan © Courtesy of Valerio Dewalt Train
Intro Song
“Strella, Sing a Singsong to the Moon” by Studio Noir is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.
Joseph Valerio, FAIA, a founding partner of VDTA, is an award-winning architect recognized for his creativity in project design. A tireless innovator with an enormous capacity for creation, he oversees the design development of all firm commissions. Joseph’s portfolio, accumulated over a 40 year career, includes a wide variety of projects and numerous design awards. Corporate office, high-tech industrial, institutional, retail, healthcare, restaurant, residential and theater facilities are all represented.
www.buildordie.com | @buildordie_vdta
Formally trained as an architect, Stephen Killion uses his parallel understanding in both the architectural and graphic design discipline to advance an ongoing curiosity in how users inhabit, interact and understand the built environment through design. In addition to his award winning multidisciplinary design background, he has showcased and highlighted notable projects by acting as a contributing writer/editor for Mark Magazine, Architizer and Design Bureau.
