Creative Design as a Way to Address Community and Public Architecture

In the wake of winning the 2023 AIA Gold Medal, Carol Ross Barney of Ross Barney Architects discusses the design process behind both the Chicago Riverwalk project and the Oklahoma City Federal Building. She explains the importance of design and sustainability in public spheres, the role of mentors, and some of the greatest challenges and learning experiences she’s had in her long, well-renowned career.

Learning objectives:



1.   Describe Carol Ross Barney’s philosophy on the importance of design in all projects.

2.   List the reasons Barney got involved in the Oklahoma City Federal Building and what she learned from it.

3.   Discuss how the two MacDonald’s projects Barney’s firm worked on fit into the work they had done previously in public parks projects.

4.   Explain how Barney views collaboration, leadership, and the evolution of women in architecture.

0.50 AIA LU/HSW

Speaker: Aaron Prinz