PROFILE


Licensed in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, Bill McCollum has spanned 40 years and 200 miles, building everything from urban to country homes, affordable to up-scale housing, single family to multi-family homes, entire residential communities, boutique restaurants, offices, municipal structures, amphitheaters, and churches.

At McCollum Architects, we renovate, restore, re-cycle and create new housing, daycare centers, and special community development projects specifically designed to provide dignified alternatives to those often neglected members of our society.

There is always an element of surprise in McCollum's designs - unexpected old parts given a new life, hidden vistas, bridges to entryways, and customized spaces for personal collections.

McCollum's style is eclectic, earthy, and ageless and is defined by interior spaces that are unpredictable and unconventional, "reverse floor plans" where the drama of the architecture slowly unfolds, unexpected ceiling height changes and soffits, cozy get away spaces, and re-cycled parts used creatively throughout.

McCollum Architects is fully dedicated to sustainable energy, environmentally friendly buildings, and low maintenance costs.

Although we have done plenty of elaborate "green" mechanical systems, we mainly focus on a well-sealed envelope with sensitive placement of high performance windows as well as careful positioning of the home to reduce the solar gain in the summer and provide supplemental heat in the winter.

From Chicago's first green architect, “Simple and practical green solutions can give you more bang for the buck.”

Having worked on many community development projects, McCollum Architects is familiar and comfortable with multiple funding requirements, historic review, city zoning and building requirements, accessibility, non-profit organization committees, municipal meetings and variance approvals.

With respect for the past and a vision of the future, this office designs and builds projects that enrich the lives of our clients.

Awards of Distinction


2012 - ALA Merit Award
Tripp Residence, Sawyer, MI
Addition to 1920's cottage

2011 - ALA Merit Award
Township Pavillion, New Buffalo, MI
New construction of pavillon/amphitheater in park.

2004 - The Richard Driehaus Foundation Award
Chicago Neighborhood Development Award for
Architectural Excellence in Community Design

1998 - The Richard Driehaus Foundation Award
Chicago Neighborhood Development Award for
Architectural Excellence in Community Design