Chris Ryan - AIA, NCARB
Building Design & Development Consultant
Licensed Architect & Registered Contractor
Board Member & Speaker
Trusted By
REIMAGINING SPACES FOR WORK & PLAY
The lines between life and work are increasingly blurred, and our digital lives leave people craving opportunities for in-person engagement and interaction.
That's where a new type of Third Space(+) comes in; spaces that curate an ecology of parts that support the different aspects of our lives; our work, play, and personal growth; spaces that inspire while fostering connection, creativity, and well-being.
Whether our visionary clients want to build a state-of-the-art climbing and fitness facility, an innovative coworking hub, or a vibrant community center, they are committed to creating spaces that improve our mental, physical, and social well-being.
By blending life, work, and play, while balancing vision with risk, we create strong businesses and spaces that are vital to our collective thriving.
From climbing to coworking, fitness to food & beverage, education to events, ramps to recovery, waves to wellness, and playspaces to performance and community centers, these are the core pieces our projects.
Your unique intent and mix of parts is the "fingerprint" of your building project, which we use to create a space that serves today’s needs but also inspires what’s next..
Over the last 20+ years, Chris has:
Designed and developed over 50 million dollars in construction projects.
Is currently working on over 90 million dollars of future construction.
Has opened 17 dedicated climbing and mixed-use facilities.
Has worked on 5 continents.
Designed over 75 climbing walls for gyms, universities, and community centers.
Created over 100 climbing facility concepts and test fits.
Project Framework
STEP 01
Project
Launch
Advising
Includes:
1-1 advising sessions, editable support materials, drawing markups, document
reviews, and other support.
STEP 02
Proof of
Project
Concept
Includes:
Pre-design goals & concepts.
Analyze vision and risk.
Program your project spaces.
Financial planning & analysis.
Initial budgets and schedules.
STEP 03
Rapid
Concept
Visuals
Includes:
Quickly testing ideas and concepts.
Find & test-fit locations.
Create materials for presentation, fundraising, stakeholder buy-in, etc.
STEP 04
Organize/
Funding/
Strategy
Includes:
Put the project pieces in place.
LOI/ lease issues.
Look for opportunities.
Revise budgets and schedules.
Pin down a path forward.
STEP 05
Draw/
Permit/
Build
Includes:
Hiring the larger A/E team.
Zoning & permit issues.
Working with builders.
Working with specialty vendors.
STEP 06
Presale/
Hiring/
Opening
Includes:
Getting ready to open in the best position possible.
CREATING A 3rd SPACE(+)
BALANCING VISION WITH RISK
Visualize Your Concept
Envision and understand your project by bringing your vision to life to ensure it aligns with your goals.
See what your vision could be and test ideas
Build support for your project
Conceptualize what's next
Balance Investment and Returns
High-level Financial Planning & Analysis that balances all the parts of your project, so that you only build what you need.
Balance vision with the reality of finances and investment
Balance business model and investment with returns
Determine how best to use every dollar
Map Your Path Forward
Organize your entire project from start to finish, so you know exactly what to do next at any given moment.
Bridge the gap from idea to open doors
Stay on top of key milestones
Reduce delays
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About Chris
For over 20 years, Chris Ryan has been designing, developing, and building award-winning projects and creating meaningful 3rd spaces that mix work and play, by balancing the people you're serving, the purpose you're sharing, and the profit you need to survive.
Chris is a licensed Architect, registered contractor, and former development executive, and over the past two decades he's learned what it takes to bridge the gap between idea and open doors.
After years spent working for multidisciplinary architecture and design-build companies, learning how to balance design with cost and execution, Chris spent a decade designing next generation climbing gyms across the country.
Today, he pays every lesson learned forward to help his clients build meaningful third(+) spaces that end up firmly at the center of peoples’ lives.
An avid rock climber, surfer, skier, and former national-level competitive athlete, Chris has experienced firsthand how play can profoundly impact our lives.
His award-winning work has been written about in Fast Company and Forbes, and his YouTube channel has over 18,000+ subscribers.
He has taught design, construction, and professional practice courses at Roger Williams University and as a Visiting Lecturer at Northeastern University, and received his Master of Architecture degree from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
Testimonials
"It's his experience not only in the Architectural genius in the designs he creates, but in the many details found in-between.
Everything about how we approach our growth as a company has evolved so measurably since beginning to work with Chris."
Britt Riley
Founder - Haven Daycare/ Coworking/ Fitness
"Chris Ryan has been an invaluable resource helping us to convey our concepts to various municipal departments in an expeditious and cost effective manner.
His ability to rapidly translate concepts into visual realities and to scale is remarkable"
Jesse Levin
Founder - Tactivate
"I feel like I wouldn't be in the process of opening and making it happen without Chris; and the guidance through the development world has been great.
Turning an idea into reality, I attribute a lot of that to your help."
Mark Messner
Founder - Rendezvous Climbing
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