Alumni News

Good morning, Please use this link to watch the UIUC School of Architecture, live! Convocation begins at 9:30AM on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Thanks, ISoA Administration

The ACSA, the Associated of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, held the conference "Intersections Research Conference: New Housing Paradigms" in Austin, TX. The conference highlighted small-scale housing design interventions that address housing inequities.

Lynne Dearborn of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign was one of the organizers of a "Housing Studio Knowledge Sharing Workshop" along with Christina Bollo of the University of Oregon and Tom Collins of Ball State University. This workshop facilitated the exchange of pedagogical strategies among housing studio educators from North American institutions. The article also notes the creation of a new online platform called "Housing Design Teaching Network" to continue these conversations. This link is attached below.

The conference featured various speakers and initiatives including:

• Delta Design Build Workshop's work in rural Mississippi
• AIA Austin's Housing Advocacy Committee's policy reform
• Community First! Village tiny home development
• Collaborative housing studios focused on marginalized communities
• Historical architectural research on social housing
• Efforts by architects and educators to advance housing justice

The article details a new transdisciplinary program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign called "Place Making and Rural Tourism in China." This program is one of two projects funded by the Global South Community-Based Learning Programs grant, an initiative of the university's Vision 2030 Global Strategy funded by the Office of the Provost.

The program consists of three interdisciplinary courses:

• ARCH 572 (Architecture) taught by Windy Zhao
• ARTD 499 (Art & Design) taught by Molly Briggs
• RST 594/199 (Recreation, Sport, and Tourism) taught by Sharon Zou

The program invites Illinois students to collaborate on developing architectural plans, tourism strategies, wayfinding plans, and place-making activities for Xihu Village in Jiangxi Province, China. In February 2025, students traveled to China for a week-long study abroad opportunity, while others completed related campus-based activities.

Each course contributes differently to the program:

• ARCH 572 focuses on creating innovative planning and design proposals
• ARTD 499 develops wayfinding and memory-making plans
• RST 199/594 explores community-based tourism development principles

The program is rooted in community-engaged, human-centered design and planning, with the goal of helping create a sustainable future for the village's residents and visitors. Rather than imposing solutions, the professors aim to work with local stakeholders to develop sustainable approaches based on cultural identity and evolving needs.

To the ISoA Academic Community: It is a distinct honor to announce that the Executive Committee voted unanimously to support Prof. Emeritus Jeff Poss’ nomination to bestow upon Art Kaha the Illinois Medal of Architecture. This prestigious accolade has been awarded since 1981 to distinguished alumni of the Illinois School of Architecture, and it recognizes a lifetime of dedication and excellence. Past recipients include Jeanne Gang (2024), Ralph Johnson (2022), Dina Griffin (2021), Carol Ross-Barney (2019), Cesar Pelli (2008), Jack Baker and Dick Williams (2007), Temple Hoyne Buell (2007) and Max Abramovitz (1987). The ceremony will take place at the Krannert Art Museum m on Wednesday, April 2nd, at 6:30pm. We would love for you to join at 6:00pm for hors d'oeuvres. I look forward to seeing you at the event to recognize our distinguished colleague. Sincerely, Director Francisco Rodriguez-Suarez

The Illinois School of Architecture is proud to announce two faculty members, one staff, and one alum winners of the 2025 Architectural Education Award! Illinois boasts the most award winners of all represented schools. Read more at ASCA: Winners Announced for 2025 Architectural Education awards. Congratulations to:

• Joseph Altshuler (Assistant Professor)
• Akima Brackeen (Assistant Professor)
• La Tanya Cobb (Associate Director of Undergraduate Student Services)
• Mark Pearson (Alumus)

We are proud to introduce a new video highlighting our Chicago / ABC Studio!

Gang is the founding partner of Studio Gang, an architecture and urban design firm headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, San Francisco and Paris. She refers to her approach to her work as “actionable idealism,” which is rooted in putting big ideas into action through practical steps that can generate meaningful change. She believes architecture can impact some of the biggest problems facing society — such as the climate crisis and social inequity — by using design as a medium to connect people to each other, the environment and their communities. Read more in this May 8, 2024 article from the UIUC News Bureau.

The University of Illinois announced this month that internationally recognized architect and School of Architecture alumna Jeanne Gang will serve as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s 2024 commencement speaker.

Alumnus John M. Gay (BSAS ’88) established the JAQ’D Architecture Scholarship Fund in 2022 to support graduate students within the Illinois School of Architecture with an interest or design concentration in either sustainability, parametric design, rhythmic architecture, or biophilic design. Preference for this scholarship will be given to students from underrepresented groups who will diversify the student body at the Illinois School of Architecture. Read the full story on the Dimension microsite.

Alumnus Ralph Johnson (BSAS ’71) established a new endowed professorship to support the school in attracting and retaining the most brilliant scholars in the field of architectural education.

The "Missing Middle" Infill Housing competition is part of the City of Chicago's Invest South/West Come Home Initiative.

At its November Awards Gala, AIA Central Virginia awarded W. Douglas Gilpin, Jr. FAIA, the Milton Latour Grigg Award.

Illinois School of Architecture alumna Eleanor Gorski (MArch’95) has been selected as the new CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC).

Ralph Johnson, FAIA, principal at the Chicago office of Perkins&Will, received the 2022 Illinois Medal from the School of Architecture.

The Alumni Advisory Council traveled and attended events together in Barcelona in 2022.

The Illinois School of Architecture is pleased to announce alumna Carol Ross Barney as the Spring 2022 Pelli Distinguished Lecturer.

To learn more about the individual lectures, please visit the "Events" tab on our website.

At a ceremony last week, Architecture alumna Carol Ross Barney, FAIA was honored as a 2021 recipient of the Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service. A native of Chicago, she is the founder and principal of Ross Barney Architects and a founding member and first president of Chicago Women of Architecture. Her work has earned her an international reputation in design of institutional and public buildings including the reconstructed Oklahoma City Federal Building, two of Chicago’s most heavily used transit stations at Fullerton and Belmont Avenues, and the Chicago River Walk project. In addition to Barney, this year’s Lincoln laureates include singer Mavis Staples and astronaut Captain Scott Altman. Barney is only the third architect to have received the honor, joining Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Buckminster Fuller. You can view the ceremony here.

The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s National Design Awards program honors innovation and impact and recognizes the power of design to change the world.