Ann Thompson, FAIA, is Executive Vice President of Architecture and Design at Related Midwest. In her role, Thompson leads the design and planning of projects across the company’s portfolio of mixed-use, mixed-income, affordable and luxury developments, as well as all engineering, zoning and entitlement efforts. Over 25 years with the company, she has overseen the design of multi-faceted real estate developments across the company’s diverse portfolio of groundbreaking projects. Thompson is a notable thought leader and was recently elevated to The College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), the organization’s highest membership honor for exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society, bestowed on only 3% of AIA members.
Thompson directs the work of architecture, urban planning, interior design and engineering to oversee the design and community vision for Related Midwest’s projects, including the reimagination of the historic Lathrop community along the Chicago River and The Row Fulton Market, Chicago’s first high rise built under Illinois’ new 80/20 tax incentive for affordable housing. She has guided Related Midwest’s work on The 78, a transformative master plan along the Chicago River that will convert a vacant, 62-acre site into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. Thompson has also guided 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, a 400-acre redevelopment site that will house the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP), anchored by what will be one of the largest quantum computing facilities in the world.
In her role, Thompson champions design excellence among a wide variety of stakeholders, seeks impact through community-led development, and prioritizes equity and inclusion in the built environment. Her work in this space includes mentoring early-career women and minority architects and designers, promoting alternative career paths through teaching and civic engagement, and by convening and leading diverse teams on Related’s projects, such as the 120-acre Roosevelt Square master plan.
Thompson is a licensed architect in Illinois and serves as the Board of Trustee Past Chair and Governance Committee Chair of the Chicago Architecture Center and President of the Women’s Board for the Alliance de Francaise. In addition, she is a member of The American Institute of Architects, Economic Club of Chicago, The International Women’s Forum, The Chicago Network, and the Advisory Board for the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign School of Architecture. Thompson received her Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
