Benjy Ward, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Design Director, Principal
Benjy Ward is a principal in Gensler’s Chicago office whose 25 years of varied design experience have been applied to high-rise and mixed-use development, urban planning, luxury retail, and development of an urban spaces mobile application. He spent seven years working in Gensler’s Shanghai office, and served as the Regional Design Leader before he transferred back to the U.S., where he served as the Global Leader for Design Experience. He holds a Bachelor’s of Architecture from Lehigh University and a Master’s of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Benjy is currently working on mixed-use urban infill and building repositioning projects in Chicago’s downtown. Most notably, Benjy was the Design Principal in charge of the repositioning of the iconic Willis Tower and Navy Pier. He led teams to design McDonald’s LEED Platinum Head Quarters in Fulton Market and Starwood Capital’s Headquarters in Miami.