Abigail Ransmeier, an architect and educator with 21 years’ experience in sustainability and urban design, has joined SMMA as the firm’s first Head of Research.
In this newly created role, Ransmeier will lead a firm-wide research strategy that enhances SMMA’s capacity to conduct research and develop best practices that drive innovation.
Ransmeier brings a wealth of experience from her previous role at Behnisch Architekten, a renowned international architectural firm celebrated for its innovative and sustainable design solutions. Her leadership on recent projects, such as Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a pioneering project that explored mass timber construction at a parking facility at the University of Toronto, underscores her expertise in sustainability and cutting-edge design practices.
“I’m absolutely driven by the belief that well-designed physical spaces enrich our lives and lay a robust framework for stronger communities,” says Ransmeier. “I get most excited when we can merge high-tech tools with low-tech strategies so that our projects enhance user experience while making responsible use of natural resources. All our design decisions make a difference, from the materials we choose to how we shape space.”
“While this Head of Research position has not existed before, I jumped at the chance to join a successful, growing inter-disciplinary team that includes so many fascinating people doing great work across incredibly diverse markets. I’m excited to find ways to weave in my own interests and to discover what better-organized research should look like for SMMA.”
Ransmeier teaching through the International Interdisciplinary Program (IIP) at Hochschule Biberach in Germany.
