As Director of Structural Engineering in the Chicago office, Benton Johnson brings new approaches to structural engineering and sustainable design through research initiatives and industry partnerships. He leads SOM’s Timber Tower Research Project, a multi-year initiative involving full-scale structural, fire, and acoustic testing of mass-timber systems. He has also emerged as a leader in 3D printed buildings through collaborations with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His innovative approach to structural engineering results in efficient and sustainable solutions that are applicable to a wide range of buildings types.

Johnson’s project experience includes a range of domestic and international projects, from supertall buildings, mixed-use developments, and commercial offices, to convention centers, healthcare facilities, and demonstration buildings. Notable work includes: 100 Mount Street in Sydney; Nanchang Greenland Exhibition Center in Nanchang, China; the Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach, California; Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; the C.H. Robinson Midwest Headquarters and 330 North Green Street in Chicago; and the 3D-printed AMIE 1.0 project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Johnson is a member in several industry organizations, including the American Concrete Institute, the American Wood Council, the American Institute of Steel Construction, and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI).