Announcements August 10, 2022

Ralph Johnson Honored with AIA Chicago 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

AIA Chicago, the second largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), has announced that Ralph Johnson, our Global Design Director, is the winner of the 2022 AIA Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award. This important recognition honors those who have made a lasting impact on the practice, the profession, and the built environment.

Ralph Johnson, Global Design Director

October 2022, Chicago

Rush University Campus Transformation Project

Chicago, Illinois

Northwestern University Ryan Fieldhouse and Walter Athletics Center

Evanston, Illinois

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, Ohio

Johnson’s designs are driven by program, human need, and an unwavering commitment to the just, resilient, and livable city. These principles are especially evident in his Chicago projects. Deeply influenced by humanistic values, Johnson’s approach emphasizes process rather than a preconceived aesthetic. In this way, the design can respond to diverse cultures and urban conditions; diversity enriches a design.

October 2022, Chicago

"Ralph has created an indelible legacy through his work in Chicago and throughout the world," says Lindsey Peckinpaugh, Managing Director of our Chicago studio.  "While many are blessed to experience his craft through the built environment, few have the privilege of working alongside him and understanding what a thoughtful, observant, and brilliant man he is.  His humanistic approach to design is a natural extension of his character.  I cannot think of another architect more deserving of the 2022 AIA Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award."

Northwestern University Ryan Fieldhouse and Walter Athletics Center

Evanston, Illinois

United States Coast Guard Headquarters

Washington, D.C.

Video courtesy of AIA Chicago

"Acknowledging Ralph’s distinguished career with a Lifetime Achievement Award was inevitable," says Casey Jones, Design Leadership Council Director. "Few architects have produced such an impressive portfolio of thoughtfully designed projects—humanistic in approach, formally innovative, spatially rich, and beautifully detailed. With this award, Ralph takes his rightful place in the pantheon of internationally distinguished Chicago architects." 

Shanghai Natural History Museum

Shanghai, China

Read AIA Chicago's announcement here.

Ralph Johnson Honored with AIA Chicago 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

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