About 150 km from Chicago, in the oak woods around Geneva Lake, a new cultural centre is being built with the aim of promoting the active role of women in society, encouraging the development of talent, multidisciplinary dialogue and the exchange of ideas and practices.

The project is signed by Studio Gang, commissioned by the Lincoln Road Enterprises organisation, which for years has been promoting the women's “frontline” position in public and private enterprises, in global market dynamics, and in the cultural, technological and scientific fields. As Ann Drake, founder and president of the Women's Leadership Center and president and founder of Lincoln Road Enterprises, says: “I like to say “tomorrow starts here” because we believe the Center can be the place where conversations happen that change the world. It’s where women leaders will come to generate new insights, new possibilities, new learnings, and new perspectives on complex issues. By supporting talented women leaders to do that, I believe we will make a better future for everyone”.

Organic inspired flowing and sinuous forms, connected by raised pathways through the green, intertwine with the orography of the site, sealing an indissoluble bond with the landscape.

The complex is composed of three functionally distinct buildings: the “Lodge”, which includes multi-purpose spaces for resting and socialising, overlooking open-air terraces; the “Council” with meeting rooms and conference spaces distributed around a courtyard; and the “Cabin”, with spaces for more intimate meetings and accommodation for visitors.

The hues and textures of the surrounding forest are echoed in the palette of locally sourced materials (from white oak wood, to natural Wisconsin stone, to concrete) that give the rooms a warm, cosy feel, infused with light from the large windows. As Jeanne Gang says: "our design for the Women’s Leadership Center responds to the natural beauty and ecology around it, including views to the surrounding oak savanna and nearby Geneva Lake. The roof design delivers light deep into the interior spaces like the gaps in the tree canopy. The different spaces create unique opportunities for gathering, reflection, and experiencing nature”.

Particular sensitivity is paid by the project, which is running for LEED Gold certification, to environmental sustainability: from the focus on preserving as much as possible of the site's natural topography, trees and existing drainage flows; to passive design techniques to promote thermo-hygrometric comfort and reduce consumptions; to the use of local materials with low carbon emissions.