Ryan Culligan leads high-impact civic work, designing large-scale projects that shape communities around the world. From the first new building in the Illinois Capitol Complex in 40 years, to one of the largest ground-up academic medical centers in the United States, and to a 53-acre, mixed-use masterplan centered around a riverfront sports venue, he specializes in highly complex programs, while finding opportunities to cultivate innovation and prioritize the human experience.
A staunch practitioner of SOM’s hallmark interdisciplinary approach to design, Ryan brings architects, engineers, planners, and specialists across disciplines into the creative process from the earliest stages. His designs are rooted in the belief that buildings need to connect us to the natural world, not isolate us from it. His sensitivity toward ecosystems and wellness are at the core of his work—whether bringing nature into a busy airport concourse or bringing healthcare patients out into the landscape.
Striking a balance between the natural and built world will define the future of architecture. It’s important to draw ideas from all disciplines and foster an inclusive approach to design that centers ecology, health, beauty, and the human experience.
A design leader in the Chicago and Austin offices, Ryan leads large-scale projects including the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical Center, the first AI-native academic medical facility in the country. His portfolio also includes installations of low-carbon materials at the Chicago Architecture Biennial, the residential towers at 400 Lake Shore Drive, the under-construction Concourse D at O’Hare International Airport, and the 20-million-square-foot One Bangkok development in Thailand. In addition to recently designing large-scale mixed-use developments in Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, he has helped re-establish SOM’s flourishing practice in Texas.
As a dedicated advocate for young architects, Ryan has taught studios and led advanced material research and engineering-focused design courses at Columbia University, the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the University of Texas. He also serves as a regular guest critic at Auburn University and the Illinois Institute of Technology, and has served on the AIA Houston design awards jury.
