School of Architecture appoints new director

The School of Architecture at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts has appointed Marc Manack as its new director, effective in August, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

Manack comes to UIC from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he has served as a professor since 2016 and as undergraduate program director for the Ravin School of Architecture since 2024. He is the founding principal of SILO, a Charlotte-based architecture and design practice with a portfolio that includes residential and community-focused projects. In his new role, Manack will lead the School of Architecture as it continues to prepare students for an evolving discipline, bringing together design education, critical inquiry and engagement with practice.

Manack brings more than two decades of design excellence in practice to the School of Architecture. His work explores how the mechanics of architectural production - including design process, project delivery and organizations of practice - shape architecture itself. His teaching, research and built work treat buildings as cultural and creative instruments while expanding the possibilities for architectural expression.

"Insisting that architecture remain intellectually rigorous, design-focused and publicly accountable, the UIC School of Architecture is a leading voice shaping the discipline of architecture," Manack said. "I am excited to build upon the school's reputation for design ambition while expanding the ways our work is imagined, produced and shared - connecting creative projects with forms of practice that make a meaningful difference in the world."

As director, Manack will work closely with the dean of the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts, as well as School of Architecture faculty, staff and administration, on all aspects of the school's operations. His role will also include deepening relationships within and beyond the field to support the school's pursuit to liberate and install new forms of collective association and material arrangement through architectural design and research.

"Architecture schools shape the civic and cultural imagination of our communities while preparing the next generation of designers and thinkers," said Rebecca Rugg, dean of the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts. "Marc Manack's exceptional design ability and understanding of the changing realities of practice make him especially well positioned to build on the School's strengths and to guide it into its next chapter."

In addition to his roles at UNC Charlotte, Manack taught at the University of Arkansas, Kent State University and The Ohio State University. SILO, which he founded in 2012, has been recognized as an Emerging Voice by The Architectural League of New York, a Next Progressive in Architect Magazine and a Top 50 Architect by AN Interior. SILO has been artist in residence at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Loghaven. Recently, Manack was elevated to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows.

"Marc Manack has demonstrated a commitment to educating aspiring architects and designers and investigating the diverse ways in which architecture can manifest and shape the future," said David Brown, professor and outgoing interim director of the School of Architecture. "We are excited to welcome Marc as the next director of the School of Architecture and are confident that his leadership will broaden the school's ability to serve as a place where critical inquiry, meaningful engagement and innovative ideas can continue to thrive."

- Julie Duignan, College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts