A new Womens Leadership Center designed by Studio Gang is coming to Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The project is a collaboration between the Chicago office and Lincoln Road Enterprises, a philanthropic organization led by Ann Drake focused on elevating womens leadership. The 8.6-acre site Studio Gang was tasked with designing overlooks Geneva Lake, a popular tourist spot 90 miles from Chicago. The forthcoming Womens Leadership Center will be 24,000 square feet and provide retreat space.The Center, Studio Gang said in a statement will be comprised of three buildings of varying scales, stitched together by attractive landscape architecture.The design features ample exterior space for social gatherings. (Courtesy Studio Gang)The Lodge, the Womens Leadership Centers largest building, will have space for dining and socializing. The second largest building, the Council, will have meeting and conference rooms, and the third building, the Cabin, will have accommodation for visitors.The architecture itself takes cues from the surrounding wilderness. Renderings show gently curved spaces punctuated by large windows that offer stunning views of Geneva Lake, and a densely-canopied oak forest. There will also be skylights that wash the interiors with sunshine.The Center will have accommodations for visitors. (Courtesy Studio Gang)Natural light will pour into the interiors via skylights installed around the perimeter of a lounge space. (Courtesy Studio Gang)Materials and finishes included white oak harvested on-site, and also natural Wisconsin stone. To reduce operational and embodied carbon, the building is lifted up off the ground to promote passive cooling, and capture prevailing winds from the lake. The buildings will also have cross-ventilation, and be built with mass timber and low-carbon concrete. Our design for the Womens 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, Jeanne Gang shared. The different spaces create unique opportunities for gathering, reflection, and experiencing nature.Space will be set aside for conferences and meetings. (Courtesy Studio Gang)Elevated walkways will connect the three buildings which make up the Center. (Courtesy Studio Gang)I like to say, tomorrow starts here because we believe the Center can be the place where conversations happen that change the world, Dake added. Its 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.Construction on the Womens Leadership Center began in summer 2024, and is anticipated for completion in 2026.Studio Gang is targeting LEED Gold.