Chicago, IL – Illinois’ ironworker community received national recognition this week as the Iron Workers Local 63 Training Center—known as the “House of Glass”—was awarded IMPACT’s Project of the Year for architectural and ornamental excellence.
According to IMPACT, an organization representing more than 4,000 contractors and 130,000 ironworkers nationwide, the Broadview-based facility stood out for its design complexity, technical skill requirements, and educational value to the trade.
The state-of-the-art center, measuring between 12,000 and 13,600 square feet, includes two arc-shaped, 50-foot glass curtainwall systems that create a luminous “jewel box” appearance. Architectural firm Gensler designed the facility to merge aesthetic ambition with practical training needs, including a suspended five-ton bridge crane, a centralized training floor for maneuvering glass panels, and a 20-foot-tall water chamber to weather-test curtainwall assemblies.
“Delivering a facility this complex required an extraordinary level of coordination between our field teams, trade partners, and the design group,” said Wes Klockowski, senior project executive at Skyline Construction.
The building was constructed by Iron Workers Local 63, long recognized for its specialization in architectural and ornamental ironwork throughout the Chicago region. Business Manager Paul Wende said the center is designed to attract and train a new generation of ironworkers from across the U.S. and Canada, offering hands-on experience with increasingly in-demand building systems.
The House of Glass is expected to serve as both a regional and national training asset, strengthening workforce development in one of Illinois’ key construction sectors.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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