Robert Somol

Robert Somol is Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Architecture, where he served as Director from 2007 to 2022. His interdisciplinary background includes a PhD (University of Chicago), JD (Harvard Law School), and BA (Brown University). He held visiting positions including Baumer Distinguished Co-Professor at Ohio State University and a UIC Institute for the Humanities Fellowship (2015-2016).

His research examines architectural criticism and theory through the lens of modernism's interaction with mass culture. Current projects include the book manuscript This Will Cover That: Writing and Building from the Death of Corbusier to the End of Architecture and essay collection Nothing to Declare.

Awards and Honors:

• Institute for the Humanities Fellowship (UIC, 2015-2016)
• Award for experimental design of 'off-use' Los Angeles studio/residence

As Director, he led the School of Architecture for 15 years, overseeing academic programs and faculty development while maintaining an active research agenda bridging theoretical discourse and design practice.