The preserved Cook County Hospital in Chicago’s Near West Side has sat vacant for nearly two decades and has been transformed into a 210-room Hyatt House and Hyatt Place Chicago Medical/University District. The hospital turned hotel is now both an official Chicago landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known for being host to the world’s first ever blood bank, and inspiration for medical TV drama ER.

This 342,000-square-foot adaptive reuse project features lighting design by Chicago based Hugh Lighting Design under the lead direction of Principal, Peter Hugh. It is part of a $150 million multi-phase plan spearheaded by Murphy Development and SOM, in a design-build collaboration with Walsh Construction, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., and KOO.


Creating Depth

This stunning project features the largest model – the DART MAXI Projector on each side of the grand scalloped columns to deliver a powerful grazer affect that creates a stunning depth effect when the hotel is seen from afar. The powerful DART Projectors are available in three sizes for a variety of installation and optics options.


Small, Yet Mighty

MINILINI, a compact linear projector, may be small in size but large in performance.  The 3.0w x 4.12” H x 2.80D’ fixture is mounted on the exterior building facade in 2 ft. linear sections and utilizes a Wall Grazer optic that gracefully accents the circular arches on top of the building..


Street Level Accents

STILO WALL is a contemporary shaped LED sconce that provides direct or direct / indirect illumination to accent building facades, hallways and illuminate pedestrian pathways. Whether mounted individually or in a row, the sleek design provides a beautiful accent in both day and night to highlight walls and façade surfaces. The STILO WALL Flat with an indirect / direct optic delivers a beautiful accent to the building exterior.  It’s unique optical system enables designers to achieve multiple effects from thin to wide effects, all in one style of luminaire.

On a Friday pm in April 2020, as a show of support for the doctors on the front line during the COVID pandemic, Hugh Lighting Design and a full team of volunteers transformed the facade lighting for Chicago’s old Cook County Hospital into a “Message of Support”. 

The team placed blue filters on the Dart Maxi to light the columns in support for the doctors on the front line and the warmer fill between the columns symbolizes the gold of the cadeseus honoring the entire medical profession, and the white light accents of the Minilini, represent support for the nurses.

As this building faces Rush Hospital and the highway, as well as anchors the development of the new Medical District, this act of kindness was an important statement of support. Many thanks to the overall design and construction team who donated time, thought, and labor to make this happen. Peter Hugh and the team @Hugh Lighting Design, The Walsh Group – Walsh Construction & Archer Western, Huen Electric , Murphy Real Estate Services, LLC . Of course, the biggest thanks to all the medical workers to whom this is dedicated and inspired by.


Lighting Design: Hugh Lighting Design

Electrical Contractor: Huen Electric

Contractor: The Walsh Group – Walsh Construction and Archer Western

Photos: ©Mike Crews, Crews Photography