Ryan brings a background in multifamily and mixed use construction to WJW, along with a strong focus on sustainability and placemaking.
Expertise
Ryan has over a decade of experience in wood-frame and multifamily residential projects and moderate rehabs of older buildings. Ryan brings a sustainable design approach to the work.
Key Focus
Housing is the first step in creating community; Ryan focuses on designing places that make it easy for people to get around and easy to feel a sense of belonging.
Research Interests
Ryan has always been drawn to how people use and repurpose spaces, especially ones that weren't designed for their current use, giving new life to older buildings. Reusing materials where it makes sense and reducing environmental impacts as much as possible in a field that creates an incredible amount of waste are top priorities. Ryan also has an interest in building science and understanding the evolution of construction methods.
Passionate About
Bicycles: riding them, repairing them, and getting more people on them. Ryan sees bicycling as one of the great equalizers. Regardless of age, income, or ability (adaptive cycles included), almost everyone can ride. And in cities with safe, well-designed infrastructure, everyone from 8 to 80 can comfortably bike to work or school, run errands, or just get outside. That kind of access does more than move people around; it draws people out into their local communities and keeps them healthier along the way. Ryan is a strong advocate for better cycling infrastructure and walkable cities, and recently helped start a nonprofit focused on recycling and repurposing bicycle tires and tubes.
Off the bike, Ryan enjoys working in the woodshop, exploring new places, and spending time with his rescue pets. Ryan is also a former tour guide who still geeks out on Chicago history.
I’m so proud to work with a firm that understands the value of bringing housing and good design to communities that are often overlooked.
