Dennis M. Ryan is Associate Professor Emeritus of Urban Design, Planning and Architecture at the University of Washington. He was the director of the Urban Design Program, 1976 – 1986 and chair of the Urban Design and Planning Department, l986 – 1996. Dr. Ryan holds a B. Arch (1966) from Clemson University, and a Masters of City Planning (1968) and Ph.D. (Architecture/Urban Design) (1976) from the University of Pennsylvania. He was founding director of the award-winning Community, Environment and Planning (CEP) Program, l994 – 2014, the undergraduate major based on the principles of educational democracy, interdisciplinary learning that takes advantage of the entire University and community-engaged education.
Professor Ryan's research interests beyond education and social learning processes include urban design, regional-scaled concepts, and critical, reflective professional action. His recent research has focused on issues of design, urbanism and "region-thinking" in the Puget Sound Region and the larger context, the Cascadia Pacific region, between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. A former member of the Seattle Design Commission, the Public Arts Commission and the Seattle Planning Commission, he has served as an urban design consultant to neighborhoods, towns and cities, as well as professional architectural and planning firms. He is past president of the San Juan County Arts Council (2013 – 2017) and serves as a member of the Lopez Village Planning Review Committee in the San Juan Islands.
Arranged in 5 series.
Urban Design program and administrative records from the University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning; administrative records for the Community, Environment & Planning (CEP) Program; studio and course files; research files; grant files; writings; conference and workshop files; consulting files; portfolio and urban design practice records
No restrictions on access. Digital media is closed until evaluated.
Material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.
Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Dennis Ryan
Urban Design in College of Architecture and Urban Planning and College, Environment & Planning (CEP)
Correspondence, materials related to establishing the Urban Design Program
Correspondence, early development material and overview pieces
Correspondence, materials from colloquium group – founders of the program
Materials related to outreach and first entering cohort of students
Initial formation materials
Correspondence, early materials related to developing CEP program structure.
CEP Open House event
CEP Program first curriculum assessment process
Correspondence, materials, reports
Early development of CEP Attendance Policy
Materials related to CEP experience in UW Teaching Portfolio Project
Material from internal assessment
Correspondence and materials related to CEP’s award recognition
Conference records: ACSP session, CEP program
Conference records: ACSP session, CEP program
Future needs, initiatives, research alliances and educational structures
Reference materials related to early years of CEP program
Reference materials related to early design of CEP program
Reference materials related to early design of CEP program
Early course materials related to urban design
CAUP 200- Introduction to the professions/departments of the College
CEP 220 Field Studies
CEP 498D – Inquiry on Planning
NSF-RANN funded research, conference, report with Richard Ludwig. UW Graduate School Research Fund- Clarifying the concept of environmental continuity.
Correspondence and materials related to Edmonds, WA and Puget Sound regional workshops
Sea Grant funded project with P. Burke, and others.
Materials related to design-assistance projects, R/UDAT (AIA)
Materials related to design-assistance projects, R/UDAT (AIA), including Jackson Hole, WY; Howell, MI; Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX.
Materials related to design-assistance project, R/UDAT (AIA), North Tahoe, CA.
Puget Sound Reginal Strategy (RDS) for PSRC Vision 2020+20 materials
Materials related to Cascadia Pacific region and the GreenHeart project
Correspondence, materials related to UW leadership in the urban world
Correspondence, materials related to Globe 750: Symposium and design study of The Hague
NEA grant application, Analysis of the Visual Urban Environment, Ryan and Moudon
San Francisco Urban Design Plan- grant application materials (proposal, grant, responses)
San Francisco Urban Design Plan- grant application materials (proposal, grant, responses)
College Dean search and Committee on the College
Correspondence, materials related to Seattle
Copies of several UD Review (APA) issues
Professionals Council, practice and education
Correspondence, materials related to Alaska Way Viaduct deliberations
Correspondence, materials related to UW Dinner Series with Tim Nyerges, Geography
The California Tomorrow Plan, 1971; The Bay Area at a Crossroads, 1987
Includes resume
Urban design- related materials in development of Lopez Village Plan
iMac files titled Academic, CEP Courses, CEP matters, GreenHeart, Region, Ryan CV, SJCArts Council, The Urban, UDP courses.
5 aerial photographs