LA DALLMAN
225 E. St. Paul Ave. Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53202
telephone 414.225.7450
fax 414.225.7451
About
Acclaim
People
Clients
Certifications
Employment
The work of LA DALLMAN explores architecture as transformed site, reshaping the raw materials of found and abstracted landscape in projects of diverse scale and type. Among the broad range of their work, notable projects include urban infrastructure, public space, artistic installations, houses, and civic buildings.
Led by James Dallman and Grace La, the practice has been awarded over thirty professional honors since its inception in 1999, including seven Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects Wisconsin, and several prizes in international design competitions. LA DALLMAN was named a 2010 Emerging Voice by the Architectural League of New York and received the national Bruner Award for Urban Excellence Silver Medal. The firm is the 2011 recipient of the The Rice Design Alliance Prize, an international honor that " recognizes exceptionally gifted architects in the early phase of their career. "
LA DALLMAN is the first United States practice to receive the prize, which was previously awarded to acclaimed architects Antón García-Abril of Spain and Sou Fujimoto of Japan. In their roles as educators, James Dallman and Grace La have held academic appointments and visiting professorships at a number of institutions including their alma mater, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where Grace La serves as a member of the tenured faculty and James Dallman as Adjunct Faculty.
LA DALLMAN’s completed projects include the Miller Brewing Meeting Center, permanent exhibits for Discovery World, the Marsupial Bridge, the UWM Hillel Student Center, and the Levy House. Current work includes a Trail Hub for the Oneida Nation and the Harmony Project—a collaboration between the Milwaukee Ballet, the UWM Peck School of the Arts Dance Department, and the Medical College of Wisconsin. LA DALLMAN’s work is featured in publications by a+t, Architectural Record, Azure, Praxis, Princeton Architectural Press, Routledge, and Topos. LA DALLMAN has exhibited and lectured at prestigious universities and cultural institutions including New York City’s New Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art Heinz Architectural Center, Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Building Museum, Washington, DC.
Led by James Dallman and Grace La, the practice has been awarded over thirty professional honors since its inception in 1999, including seven Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects Wisconsin, and several prizes in international design competitions. LA DALLMAN was named a 2010 Emerging Voice by the Architectural League of New York and received the national Bruner Award for Urban Excellence Silver Medal. The firm is the 2011 recipient of the The Rice Design Alliance Prize, an international honor that " recognizes exceptionally gifted architects in the early phase of their career. "
LA DALLMAN is the first United States practice to receive the prize, which was previously awarded to acclaimed architects Antón García-Abril of Spain and Sou Fujimoto of Japan. In their roles as educators, James Dallman and Grace La have held academic appointments and visiting professorships at a number of institutions including their alma mater, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where Grace La serves as a member of the tenured faculty and James Dallman as Adjunct Faculty.
LA DALLMAN’s completed projects include the Miller Brewing Meeting Center, permanent exhibits for Discovery World, the Marsupial Bridge, the UWM Hillel Student Center, and the Levy House. Current work includes a Trail Hub for the Oneida Nation and the Harmony Project—a collaboration between the Milwaukee Ballet, the UWM Peck School of the Arts Dance Department, and the Medical College of Wisconsin. LA DALLMAN’s work is featured in publications by a+t, Architectural Record, Azure, Praxis, Princeton Architectural Press, Routledge, and Topos. LA DALLMAN has exhibited and lectured at prestigious universities and cultural institutions including New York City’s New Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art Heinz Architectural Center, Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Building Museum, Washington, DC.
James Dallman, Principal, is a member of the American Institute of Architects, and is a Registered Architect in the State of Wisconsin.
Grace La, Principal, is a member of the United States General Services Administration's 2010 Class of Peer Professionals.
Office Certifications:
- WDoC certified MBE
- WDoC certified WBE
- WDoT certified DBE
- Federal Self-Certified SDB
Grace La, Principal, is a member of the United States General Services Administration's 2010 Class of Peer Professionals.
Office Certifications:
- WDoC certified MBE
- WDoC certified WBE
- WDoT certified DBE
- Federal Self-Certified SDB
Our clients are of diverse type, range, and interests. They have encouraged and inspired us to integrate sites, context, artistry, program, and function. Below please find a partial list of LA DALLMAN’s clients:
Institution, Foundation and Corporate Clients:
- Argosy Foundation
- Camp Young Judea Midwest
- Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin
- Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail
- Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
- MillerCoors
- Milwaukee Ballet
- Milwaukee Jewish Federation
- Milwaukee Montessori School
- Skylight Opera Theatre
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, Dance Department
Civic Clients:
- Brady Street Business Improvement District
- City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
- City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
- Oneida Nation
Commercial Clients:
- Fiduciary Real Estate
- The Hiller Company, LLC
- New Land Enterprises
Private Clients:
- Chris and Miriam Abele
- Steve Kaplan and Sharon Gray
- Gary and Anne Grunau
- Andrew and Elinor Hoover
- Ken and Jill Iscol
- Matt and Brenda Levatich
- Jerry and Ellin Levy
Ideation Clients:
- Central Atlanta Progress
- City of Providence, Rhode Island
- City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
- Friends of Lake Park
- Historic Third Ward Association
- Lakefront Festival of the Arts
- Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
- Riverlife Task Force of Pittsburgh
- Schlitz Audubon Nature Preserve
Institution, Foundation and Corporate Clients:
- Argosy Foundation
- Camp Young Judea Midwest
- Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin
- Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail
- Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
- MillerCoors
- Milwaukee Ballet
- Milwaukee Jewish Federation
- Milwaukee Montessori School
- Skylight Opera Theatre
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, Dance Department
Civic Clients:
- Brady Street Business Improvement District
- City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
- City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
- Oneida Nation
Commercial Clients:
- Fiduciary Real Estate
- The Hiller Company, LLC
- New Land Enterprises
Private Clients:
- Chris and Miriam Abele
- Steve Kaplan and Sharon Gray
- Gary and Anne Grunau
- Andrew and Elinor Hoover
- Ken and Jill Iscol
- Matt and Brenda Levatich
- Jerry and Ellin Levy
Ideation Clients:
- Central Atlanta Progress
- City of Providence, Rhode Island
- City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
- Friends of Lake Park
- Historic Third Ward Association
- Lakefront Festival of the Arts
- Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
- Riverlife Task Force of Pittsburgh
- Schlitz Audubon Nature Preserve
We kindly request that Architects and Designers send application materials consisting of a resume, references and portfolio materials, (including drawings and images) under a cover letter outlining your availability via post to the attention of Ann Trudeau at the address above. International applicants are encouraged to submit materials via e-mail.
Principals
Grace La
James Dallman, AIA
Collaborators since 1999
Lisa Mary Albright
Adam Bastjan
Kevin Dunphy
Josh Ehr
Barbara Endes
David Fox
Marit Gamberg
Doug Gerlach
Jonathan Goldstein
Anne E. Gustavson
Cory Hawbecker
Dan Hesketh
Nicole Hill
Lucas Hiller
Peter Hiller
Rene King
Andrew Lasca
Len Lopate
Paul Lorenz
Christopher Ludwig
Matthew Marks
Yusuke Matsushita
Paul Mattek
Patrice McNair
Brook Meier
P.J. Murrill
Trina Nance
Ann Noonan
Trevor Patt
Nickolas Popoutsis
Amanda Schmidt
Christian Schoewe
James Schrader
Jes Skaug
Noele Stollmack
Bob Tiede
Ann Trudeau
Stephen Vebber
Alex Walker
Nick Wallin
Erik Walsh
Brian Wang
Sarah Weber
Nathaniel Zuelzke
Grace La
Grace La is principal and co-founder of LA DALLMAN, Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a 2010 Design Critic in Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She received her professional degree in architecture with thesis distinction from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD), winning the Clifford Wong Housing Prize. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies. Grace La's commitment to teaching and exemplary practice demonstrates a unique ability to link the profession and the academy. She is an author and co-editor of Skycar City (Actar, 2007), and Calibrations: the Wisconsin Journal of Studio Architecture; she serves on the editorial board of the Journal for Architectural Education. UWM has bestowed her with the 2005 UWM Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture has also bestowed Grace La with four Faculty Design Awards, which honor “outstanding projects that advance the reflective nature of practice and teaching." Her current design research on auditoria, theater, and higher education environments was featured in the annual Metropolis Conference at the 2010 ICFF, and is funded by the international furniture manufacturer, KI. She currently serves as Chair of the Planning, Curriculum & Coordinating Committee at UWM’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning. Grace La was inducted to the United States General Services Administration (GSA) 2010 Class of Peer Professionals comprised of "the nation's most distinguished private sector leaders in art, design, engineering and construction."
James Dallman, AIA
James Dallman is principal and co-founder of LA DALLMAN, a 2010 Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design and Adjunct Faculty at UWM School of Architecture & Urban Planning, and. He received his professional degree in architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD), and graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a B.S. in Architecture, including a semester of study at the Ecole Speciale D’Architecture in Paris. James Dallman’s commitment to artistic and technical excellence in architectural practice has resulted in competition winning entries and work at a wide range of scales. Prior to forming LA DALLMAN, he worked in distinguished firms in Vienna, London, New York, Chicago, Montreal, and Boston where he led design efforts ranging from large-scale, complex building programs to furniture design. In addition to architectural design awards, James Dallman’s work has also been recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers Wisconsin and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois. Recognized for his artistry in architectural representation and detail, his analytical drawings have been exhibited at the Harvard GSD and are published in the journal 9H. In addition to his teaching at Harvard University, he has also taught as a Visiting Critic at Arizona State University School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture and Syracuse University School of Architecture (Fall 2011).
Collaborators since 1999
Lisa Mary Albright
Adam Bastjan
Kevin Dunphy
Josh Ehr
Barbara Endes
David Fox
Marit Gamberg
Doug Gerlach
Jonathan Goldstein
Anne E. Gustavson
Cory Hawbecker
Dan Hesketh
Nicole Hill
Lucas Hiller
Peter Hiller
Rene King
Andrew Lasca
Len Lopate
Paul Lorenz
Christopher Ludwig
Matthew Marks
Yusuke Matsushita
Paul Mattek
Patrice McNair
Brook Meier
P.J. Murrill
Trina Nance
Ann Noonan
Trevor Patt
Nickolas Popoutsis
Amanda Schmidt
Christian Schoewe
James Schrader
Jes Skaug
Noele Stollmack
Bob Tiede
Ann Trudeau
Stephen Vebber
Alex Walker
Nick Wallin
Erik Walsh
Brian Wang
Sarah Weber
Nathaniel Zuelzke
"...La Dallman's work is not merely painterly. Neither idolizing technology or subsuming it behind other interests, these architects integrate technology into the complete architectural project. They understand the structure and construction are key aspects of our environment, realities contributing to a sustainable world."
"The bus shelter is everyone's favorite little project. Clearly a labor of love, it's one of those powerhouse projects that has both macro urban effect and micro architectural detail..."
"[The Frederick Miller Employee Meeting Center] is a mature, skilled project... designed for the long haul; it is very classic and very contemporary... The project could be in many places like SoHo, Houston and other cities where you feel that you are part of the world stage and of the now."
"Grace La and James Dallman... are considered rising stars... They understand the hidden connections among landscape, history and design."
"[Grace La] is off-the-charts smart with an electric personality and boundless energy-- the person people draft first when they pick teams."
"One of the hottest [practices] is LA DALLMAN...[who] have garnered so much favorable attention for their cutting-edge, urbane proposals..."
"...the work of a couple fairly new to the city, Grace La and James Dallman, has broadened the discourse and opened a few eyes."
"The outdoor theatre space is really compelling, and the pedestrian walkway is designed with detail and thoughtfulness... This project [the Marsupial Bridge and Urban Spaces] asks us to look at urban infrastructure as interesting parts of our urban situation."
"There is a lot of care, spirit, and good detailing in [LA DALLMAN's Open Air Classroom]."
"Trolls, begone: La Dallman Architects converted this unsafe area beneath a bridge near Milwaukee's Holton St. Viaduct into a welcoming and well-lit neighborhood gathering space..."
"Grace addresses problem by hitting the books. Constantly searching for knowledge allows her to really absorb the basics of her field. A willingness to collaborate is also an 'incredible source of strength.'"
"Like rock 'n'roll, [La Dallman's Kilbourn Tower is] a progression of simple chords. Small changes make a big difference. When done right, Modernism rocks... Kilbourn Tower has one of the most generous and transparently luminous pedestrian passages in Milwaukee.... "
"A high level of rigor and thought went into the design of this project [the Great Lakes Future]. The detailing is exquisite. The architect captured the full body of the exhibit space."
"La Dallman brings a really fresh view of what an exhibit can be, as well as the best practices of what's happening in architecture. Plus, I get a philosophical perspective and a sense of beauty that is unique to their practice."
"[La Dallman has] combined the high-tech process of GIS data-driven design with a deliberate attempt to lend it a tactile, furniture-like sensibility."
"...Skycar City is a brilliant conceit. It is choreographed by Winy Maas of MVRDV and Grace La of the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee... "
"[The Levy House] is a light-filled space whose 40-foot-long rear glass wall perches over a leafy ravine, bringing the outside in...They are living in a work of art as beguiling as anything in their collection."
"La Dallman offers a counter-strategy to architecture's often complicit role in the increasing privatization of the public realm... La Dallman was able to reclaim easements ceded to infrastructure."
"In large part thanks to the concrete structural design, the Ravine House has the feeling of a tree house which is perfectly appropriate for the setting. The structural design complements and supports the architectural intent in this manner."
Top of Page
-Raymund Ryan, Curator, Heinz Architectural Center, Carnegie Museum of Art
"The bus shelter is everyone's favorite little project. Clearly a labor of love, it's one of those powerhouse projects that has both macro urban effect and micro architectural detail..."
-American Institute of Architects Wisconsin 2005 Design Awards Jury (Anne Gatling Haynes, AIA, New Haven; Tom Kundig, FAIA, Seattle; and Mark Schendel, AIA, Chicago)
"[The Frederick Miller Employee Meeting Center] is a mature, skilled project... designed for the long haul; it is very classic and very contemporary... The project could be in many places like SoHo, Houston and other cities where you feel that you are part of the world stage and of the now."
-American Institute of Architects Wisconsin 2005 Design Awards Jury (Anne Gatling Haynes, AIA, New Haven; Tom Kundig, FAIA, Seattle; and Mark Schendel, AIA, Chicago)
"Grace La and James Dallman... are considered rising stars... They understand the hidden connections among landscape, history and design."
-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"[Grace La] is off-the-charts smart with an electric personality and boundless energy-- the person people draft first when they pick teams."
-The Business Journal, "40 under 40"
"One of the hottest [practices] is LA DALLMAN...[who] have garnered so much favorable attention for their cutting-edge, urbane proposals..."
-The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"...the work of a couple fairly new to the city, Grace La and James Dallman, has broadened the discourse and opened a few eyes."
-Architectural Record
"The outdoor theatre space is really compelling, and the pedestrian walkway is designed with detail and thoughtfulness... This project [the Marsupial Bridge and Urban Spaces] asks us to look at urban infrastructure as interesting parts of our urban situation."
-American Institute of Architects Wisconsin 2006 Design Awards Jury (Jennifer Yoos, Minneapolis; Neal Jones, Phoenix; Josh Skelton, Kansas City)
"There is a lot of care, spirit, and good detailing in [LA DALLMAN's Open Air Classroom]."
-American Institute of Architects Wisconsin 2006 Design Awards Jury (Jennifer Yoos, Minneapolis; Neal Jones, Phoenix; Josh Skelton, Kansas City)
"Trolls, begone: La Dallman Architects converted this unsafe area beneath a bridge near Milwaukee's Holton St. Viaduct into a welcoming and well-lit neighborhood gathering space..."
-Azure, Canada
"Grace addresses problem by hitting the books. Constantly searching for knowledge allows her to really absorb the basics of her field. A willingness to collaborate is also an 'incredible source of strength.'"
-MKE, "Girl Power: 7 Wonder Women who are doing heroic work in Milwaukee"
"Like rock 'n'roll, [La Dallman's Kilbourn Tower is] a progression of simple chords. Small changes make a big difference. When done right, Modernism rocks... Kilbourn Tower has one of the most generous and transparently luminous pedestrian passages in Milwaukee.... "
-Milwaukee Magazine
"A high level of rigor and thought went into the design of this project [the Great Lakes Future]. The detailing is exquisite. The architect captured the full body of the exhibit space."
-American Institute of Architects Wisconsin 2008 Design Awards Jury (Ronnette Riley, FAIA, New York; Kenneth Luker, AIA, North Carolina; and Paul Mankins, FAIA, Iowa)
"La Dallman brings a really fresh view of what an exhibit can be, as well as the best practices of what's happening in architecture. Plus, I get a philosophical perspective and a sense of beauty that is unique to their practice."
-Paul Krajniak, Discovery World, UWM Today.
"[La Dallman has] combined the high-tech process of GIS data-driven design with a deliberate attempt to lend it a tactile, furniture-like sensibility."
-Shepherd Express
"...Skycar City is a brilliant conceit. It is choreographed by Winy Maas of MVRDV and Grace La of the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee... "
-The Architectural Review, London
"[The Levy House] is a light-filled space whose 40-foot-long rear glass wall perches over a leafy ravine, bringing the outside in...They are living in a work of art as beguiling as anything in their collection."
-Milwaukee Home
"La Dallman offers a counter-strategy to architecture's often complicit role in the increasing privatization of the public realm... La Dallman was able to reclaim easements ceded to infrastructure."
-Praxis Journal of Building and Writing
"In large part thanks to the concrete structural design, the Ravine House has the feeling of a tree house which is perfectly appropriate for the setting. The structural design complements and supports the architectural intent in this manner."
-Structural Engineers Association of Illinois, SEAOI Excellence in Structural Engineering Award
Top of Page