Philip Enquist

Who is Philip Enquist?

Philip Enquist, FAIA is a partner in the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP in charge of Urban Design & Planning. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

Since joining SOM in 1981, Enquist has focused on strengthening the physical, social, and intellectual infrastructure of cities. He strives to create a framework for humane and rational habitats, workplaces, open spaces and agricultural areas on a rapidly urbanizing planet. Enquist’s work emphasizes the rebuilding of inner cities, including commercial centers and neighborhoods; the improvement of infrastructure of city streets and transit; as well as the conservation of the natural environment. He is known for his ability to synthesize the various elements of city design. The focus of his work also extends to regional ecosystems such as North America’s Great Lakes region and the Bohai Rim in China.

Enquist is active in the city planning profession through one-on-one mentorships, his instruction of a studio for architecture and urban design students at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, and as the Charles Moore Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.