Katherine Pohl

Katherine holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture and a Certification in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where she nurtured a unique ability to unite the elegance of historic structures with contemporary design principles. Her dedication to preservation and adaptive reuse is demonstrated through her diligent archival research, building evaluations, and historic assessments, resulting in conclusive plans and informative reports.  

Katherine’s expertise focuses on extending the life and relevance of landmark buildings through strategic restorations and modernization. She evaluated the 1887 Engine House and 1847 Log cabin at the Skokie Heritage Museum, producing detailed condition documentation and a preservation framework to guide future capital planning. At Chicago Union Station, she led 13 coordinated modernization efforts across the headhouse, concourse, and platforms to develop a Historic Preservation Plan, aligning accessibility and safety upgrades with protection of Daniel Burnham’s original design intent. She also led a $16M restoration at the Illinois Neuropsychiatric Institute focused on comprehensive renewal of the historic building envelope – addressing deterioration, advancing long-term performance, and coordinating targeted interventions across masonry, windows, and exterior assemblies. 

Passionate about the collaboration process, Katherine thrives on building strong, meaningful relationships with clients, consultants, and colleagues. She views preservation as an apparatus to convey cultural heritage through everyday buildings and monumental structures, emphasizing the importance of protecting the physical built environment and its broader cultural context. Beyond her career focus, Katherine has held leadership roles as Past Secretary and Vice-Chair on the Landmarks Illinois Skyline Council.