THE FIRM

Rugo / Raff Ltd. Architects a multi-disciplinary practice specializing in single-family residences, restaurants, private clubs, and institutional projects.   The firm’s work encompasses new construction and historic restoration in urban, suburban, and resort areas throughout the country.  Currently, projects are located in California, South Carolina, Florida as well as neighboring Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Collaboration is essential to the office’s design process, which is why Rugo / Raff’s open studio environment fosters open discussion and ensures collaboration from all team members.  This rigorous approach guarantees quality, precision and efficiency for each project.  Most important in our collaboration process, however, is input from the clients themselves.  It is with constant communication throughout the entire design process that true harmony and richness in each project is achieved.

Rugo / Raff prides itself on taking inspiration from contextual vernaculars as well as relevant precedents. Traditional influences include Sir Edwin Lutyens, McKim, Mead &, White, David Adler, amongst others. While many styles and details are inspired by traditional paradigms, modern design dictums such as abundance of light, ease of circulation and simplicity of form are practiced throughout.

One of the firm’s most notable hospitality projects is the critically-acclaimed Alinea Restaurant with award-winning chef Grant Achatz at the helm. After nearly ten years of success and numerous accolades, Rugo / Raff was asked to re-conceptualize the entire restaurant. The Alinea team also commissioned Rugo / Raff to work on Aviary Lounge & Next Restaurant, along with their newest (more casual) concept Roister - all located in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood.  The firm also worked with team and with the Mandarin Oriental in New York to develop a new lobby restaurant and lounge based on the Aviary / Office concepts.

In the late 1990's and early 2000's, Rugo / Raff developed award winning concepts for the Flat Top Grill restaurants with locations spread across Illinois, Virginia, Washington D.C., Nebraska, Iowa & Indiana. The firm’s hospitality portfolio also includes a partial renovation of the Racquet Club of Chicago and additions at The Colony House at Mountain Lake in Lake Wales, Florida and The Spring Island Club in South Carolina.

The firm's work has been published in The New York Times, Architectural Record, Architectural Digest, Interiors, Veranda, Traditional Home and LUXE Magazine. Rugo / Raff has won multiple historical preservation awards and most recently, the 2019 Acanthus Award for Residential Architecture.