Ross Barney Architects

Ross Barney Architects We are an architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture studio based in Chicago. Chicago, Illinois is our home base and laboratory.

Ross Barney Architects is an architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture studio committed to designing distinctive solutions for every project that we undertake. Established in 1981 by Carol Ross Barney, the firm enjoys long and successful history of creating innovative, environmentally responsible, user focused architecture and civic spaces that stand the test of time. From our incepti

on, the studio has operated under the belief that the experience of exceptional space is a right that all society should enjoy. The firms’ diverse portfolio of work lends proof to the idea that great design solutions can be developed for any problem. At the heart of this success is a collaborative and holistic design process that actively engages the client and users of a project in order to discover a diverse range of possible solutions. The best design happens when these synergetic interactions and open exchange of ideas are allowed to flourish.

Congratulations to this year’s Newcity Design 50 honorees in Architecture. I’m lucky to know many of you, and I’m contin...
06/04/2026

Congratulations to this year’s Newcity Design 50 honorees in Architecture.

I’m lucky to know many of you, and I’m continually inspired by the imagination, rigor, and generosity you bring to Chicago. Your work reminds us that architecture is not only about buildings, but about the civic life we make together.

Chicago is better because of you. Congratulations to all!

- Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Design Principal and Founder, Ross Barney Architects, AIA Gold Medal recipient

https://design.newcity.com/2026/06/03/design-50-2026-architecture/

For Ross Barney Architects, sustainability is a core belief of our practice and is embedded in how we think, work, and b...
04/27/2026

For Ross Barney Architects, sustainability is a core belief of our practice and is embedded in how we think, work, and build.

From the Chicago Riverwalk that transformed existing infrastructure into a vibrant public landscape that reconnects people to the river; to the McDonald’s Chicago Flagship, that reimagined a prototype through landscape, light, and reduced impact; to the CTA Morgan Street Station, where transit investment supports walkability and reduces reliance on cars, each project is an opportunity to design within the larger ecological system.

The built environment is part of a living system, one that demands care, creativity, and long-term thinking. Earth Day is every day.

Krista Simons Gliva, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal at Ross Barney Architects, joined industry leaders this week at Bisnow...
04/20/2026

Krista Simons Gliva, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal at Ross Barney Architects, joined industry leaders this week at Bisnow’s Chicago Architecture & Design Real Estate Summit, bringing together voices shaping the future of our city’s built environment.

From conversations on adaptive reuse and emerging technologies to collaboration across disciplines, the panel highlighted the ideas and partnerships driving Chicago forward.

“A truly meaningful and thoughtful conversation with colleagues, reflecting on the exciting developments and opportunities shaping our great city.” -Krista Simons Gliva, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C

https://www.bisnow.com/events/chicago/architecture-design/chicago-architecture-and-design-real-estate-summit-9722

📸: Eric Masi/Torque

“As the worlds of practice and academia continue to rapidly evolve, we have an opportunity (and responsibility) to bette...
04/02/2026

“As the worlds of practice and academia continue to rapidly evolve, we have an opportunity (and responsibility) to better prepare students for what’s ahead: new tools, new pressures, and new possibilities for impact. The opening Plenary for the 114th Annual Meeting of The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture in Chicago, featuring my colleagues Lee Bey, Kimberly Dowdell, and Eleanor Gorski, was an energizing conversation!” - Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Design Principal and Founder, AIA Gold Medal Recipient

https://www.acsa-arch.org/conference/114th-annual-meeting/

“It was an honor to serve as a Global Community Professor at the University of Monterrey. I was truly impressed by the t...
03/31/2026

“It was an honor to serve as a Global Community Professor at the University of Monterrey. I was truly impressed by the talent of the students and the exceptional caliber of their instructors; the creativity and rigor of the work was inspirational! This week, they visited Chicago and explored my city, as they participated in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture conference.” - Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, AIA Gold Medal Recipient and 2026 UDEM Global Community Professor, University of Monterrey (UDEM)

“We could not be happier that Carol spent the week with us, it was truly a privilege to host her. Sharing these moments together throughout the week was very meaningful for our students, faculty, and community. We are grateful for her generosity, insight, and the exchange of ideas, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration.” - Rosaura Guadalupe López Pérez, Head of Department of Architecture, University of Monterrey (UDEM) https://crgs.udem.edu.mx/arte-arquitectura-y-diseno

Photos courtesy of UDEM.

Happy Belated Birthday, Chicago!Since its incorporation on March 4, 1837, Chicago has grown into a global city shaped by...
03/16/2026

Happy Belated Birthday, Chicago!

Since its incorporation on March 4, 1837, Chicago has grown into a global city shaped by bold ideas, resilient communities, and visionary design. As Sandburg wrote of this “City of the Big Shoulders,” Chicago continues to build its future through the civic spaces, schools, and transit that connect communities.

Ross Barney Architects is proud to contribute to that legacy through projects like the Chicago Riverwalk, transforming former infrastructure into vibrant public space along the river, community schools in Little Village and Back of the Yards, early childhood education centers in Lawndale and the University of Chicago, transit stations that tie the City together at Cermak/McCormick Place and Morgan Street, the Searle Visitor Center at Lincoln Park Zoo, the O’Hare International Airport Multi Modal Terminal facility, mixed use housing in Auburn Gresham and a sustainable flagship restaurant for McDonalds.

Here’s to the city that inspires us every day, and to the public spaces, connections, and communities that make Chicago extraordinary.

02/24/2026

The Class of ’26 Allworth Scholars had an incredible opportunity Wednesday morning, visiting AIA and the globally recognized firm of Regina alumna Carol Ross Barney ’66.

Having witnessed the construction of the Ross Barney–designed first phase of our campus plan as freshmen, this behind-the-scenes experience brought their journey full circle. Students explored the inner workings of the vibrant firm, reviewed key portfolio projects, and discussed emerging trends shaping the architecture and design industry.

Krista Simons Gliva, Principal and Project Manager with more than 20 years of experience in public architecture, led the tour and portfolio review. She highlighted themes such as creating moments of beauty in everyday spaces, net-zero design, right-sizing projects, eco-friendly innovation, and designing environments that foster community. Students also engaged in conversations around balancing client needs, budgeting, lighting, building codes, collaboration in green design, materials, aesthetics, uncovering a project’s “why,” and creative problem-solving.

We are deeply grateful to Ross Barney for welcoming our students into their inspiring, light-filled studio and for investing in the next generation of thoughtful leaders and designers.

Listen in to the National Building Museum’s program, Future Fridays, as Carol Ross Barney, Michelle Woods, our client, a...
02/16/2026

Listen in to the National Building Museum’s program, Future Fridays, as Carol Ross Barney, Michelle Woods, our client, and Ciere Boatright, the Commissioner for the Department of Planning and Design, discuss the evolution and impact of the Chicago Riverwalk.

Learn more and register here: https://nbm.org/event/future-friday-chicago/

Date: February 20, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (EST)

“On public projects where budgets are limited, and maintenance is an ongoing concern, we often look to utilize natural m...
02/06/2026

“On public projects where budgets are limited, and maintenance is an ongoing concern, we often look to utilize natural materials that are expressive, durable, sustainable, and cost-effective,” said Ryan Giblin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, in this contribution to Green Building & Design Magazine, featuring McHenry County College’s Foglia CATI.

Read the full article here: https://gbdmagazine.com/future-ready-community-college/

Ross Barney Architects is featured in Dezeen for the Foglia Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation at McHenry Cou...
01/22/2026

Ross Barney Architects is featured in Dezeen for the Foglia Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation at McHenry County College.

The industrial-style building exposes ducts and mechanical systems—turning the very infrastructure students study into a learning tool, writes Ben Drieth of Dezeen.

“I like this term, noble space,” said Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Design Principal and Founder. “They couldn’t just fulfill the purpose of being a lab. The client wanted it to be aspirational.”

Read the full story: https://www.dezeen.com/2026/01/09/ross-barney-architects-mcc-foglia-technical-school-illinois/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_75e09b23d4ae91866fb23aa4b26dacbc&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Ross%20Barney%20Architects%20exposes%20mechanical%20elements%20at%20Illinois%20technical%20school

Address

10 W Hubbard Street Fl 5
Chicago, IL
60654

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13128320600

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