Lean Construction Institute honors Advocate Aurora Health Chicago Webster project
Lean Construction Institute (LCI) has awarded the collaborative project team behind Advocate Aurora Health Chicago Webster ambulatory outpatient and surgery center with the 2026 Engineering Design Award.
The 59,000-sf project transformed an aging multi-use retail building in Chicago into Advocate’s first ambulatory surgery center. During construction, an active bank below and movie theater above remained operational.
IMEG provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, technology, structural, civil, architectural lighting, and surveying as part of the Advocate Outpatient Collaborative Program, alongside Advocate Aurora Health, HDR, The Boldt Company, and Martin Peterson Company. Gensler and Novak Construction delivered the core and shell scope.
The team used Lean project delivery practices including Big Room collaboration, Target Value Delivery, Choosing by Advantages, A3 Thinking, PDCA, Value Stream Mapping, BIM, and prefabrication. These approaches helped the team address structural, occupancy, and financial constraints while adding procedure rooms and a GI suite.
The project was completed five months ahead of schedule, allowing care teams to transition from an expiring lease. The team also developed updated POD standards that are being implemented on future client projects.
LCI’s Engineering Design Award recognizes projects that demonstrate fit-for-use engineering design and advance collaborative Lean Project Delivery.