Ryan Madson

Ryan Madson is a Professor of Architecture at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where he has taught since 2011. He specializes in architecture studios emphasizing design fundamentals, urban design, and environmental design, with research focusing on 'The Open City' and social justice. His professional experience includes leadership roles in urban planning and landscape design through his firm Madson Modern Workshop (2012–17). He holds an M.L.A. in landscape architecture from Harvard University, an M.U.E.P. in urban and environmental planning, and a B.A. in English from Georgia Southern University.

Madson's research spans 'Projective Preservation' (2012–17), regional planning for the Galapagos Islands (2016–21), and collaborations with entities like Disney Imagineering and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. As Graduate Coordinator for the Master of Urban Design program (2012–22), he shaped SCAD's urban design curriculum. His professional affiliations include the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

His publications and presentations explore topics like post-industrial aesthetics, infrastructure poetics, and speculative urban futures, blending artistic, environmental, and social justice dimensions. Notable works include Pop-cycled Apocalypse (2024) and Projective Preservation: A Manifesto for Savannah (2016). Madson actively contributes to Savannah’s civic life through roles on the Tourism Advisory Commission (2023–present) and the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Advisory Committee (2019–24).