Ryan Chester

Ryan is an architect based in Chicago. He grew up in Milwaukee and attended the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM); School of Architecture and Urban Planning where he graduated with a master’s degree in architecture in 2005. Upon graduation Ryan worked in New York and London before returning to the Midwest where he has been since 2011.

Ryan has a deep appreciation for the process of creating architectural space and designing which has pushed him into his passion for drawing. He is always finding time to draw and sketch not only in his daily architectural work but also to document the world around him whether it be Chicago or on his travels around the globe. Since 2017 Ryan habitually draws Chicago weekly in the form of onsite drawing over the lunch hour or from photos. His first published work “Chicago Reflected – A Skyline Drawing from the Chicago River” was published in 2023 with plans for more books in the future. In addition to drawing cityscapes Ryan creates custom drawings from homes to cities using photographs and aerial imagery.

Along with his work as an architect and drawing projects, Ryan is teaching and lecturing at various universities with a focus on the design process and encouraging exploration through drawing.