An Architects Eye, from Oklahoma to London
Exploring unique buildings, standout developments, or bustling cities can motivate any architect, and Jlees Ahmed (B.Arch. ’25) has more international inspiration than most students.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ahmed spent his childhood sneaking pictures of the downtown skyline. His experience steps far beyond the Great Plains, though—London is home to Ahmed’s grandparents, so he spent time throughout his childhood in England, soaking in the mix of new glass towers and houses older than the United States.
“I was realizing the importance of architecture,” Ahmed says. “It clicked in high school that I want to do something more utilitarian than other forms of art.”
Ahmed wanted to stay near family in Oklahoma for his architectural education, but a last-minute application to Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture brought him to Chicago. “It was the cheapest option with financial aid, and of course it’s in Chicago,” Ahmed says. “There are not many better places to study for an architect.”
The search for an internship in summer 2024 led him to Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, a London-based architecture firm with offices in Oklahoma City, Australia, and Spain. Ahmed learned of the group from Assistant Professor Ryan Roark. He was able to explore the idea of adaptive reuse during his internship at the firm’s Oklahoma City office. “It’s the best tool for combatting the climate crisis,” Ahmed says.
After graduation, Ahmed will join the inaugural Masters in Conservation and Reuse program from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London to further explore the reuse and renovation of buildings.
As a student at ɫӰ, Ahmed joined the podcast Beyond the Surface, which brings guests to highlight underrepresented voices in architecture and is run by College of Architecture students. “There are other podcasts about design and architecture, but not often telling the story of the people behind the projects,” he says.
As for the city, Ahmed has fallen for the architecture, layout, and people of Chicago. He visited the Art Institute of Chicago weekly during his first months in the city. His favorite studio project, Lincoln Park Music Hall, highlights the iconic park while Ahmed learned how to look at architecture from a different, more mature light.
In the end, the faculty, staff, and friends of the college made his time at ɫӰ special.
“Anytime I hang out with friends, work with friends, they’re my favorite memories,” he says. “I look fondly at S. R. Crown Hall, and all we did in there.”
