Ryan Roark

Ryan Roark is Assistant Professor and Second Year UG Studio Coordinator at IIT College of Architecture, where her research focuses on radical adaptive reuse as a strategy for urban sustainability. She directs the Novel Biomaterials Lab, developing innovative materials from seafood industry waste for architectural applications.

Research focuses on:

• Historical philosophies of (im)permanence in architecture
• Urban regeneration through industrial building reuse
• Development of sustainable biomaterials
• Representation of temporal change in architectural design

Professor Roark was a finalist for the 2024 Wheelwright Prize for her work on biomaterial applications in adaptive reuse. Her exhibitions and publications explore intersections between historical preservation, community engagement, and ecological design. She teaches undergraduate architecture studios focused on housing and experimental representation of temporal change.

She serves on the board of Docomomo Chicago and advises NOMASiit student organizations, promoting inclusive practices in architectural education.