Legat Architects’ Bryan Archibald caps two decades of challenging assumptions, earning clients’ trust, and guiding emerging professionals.
It’s become an inside joke. When employees of Legat Architects speak at firmwide meetings, they often finish their presentations with some variation of, “Are there any questions? Bryan, any questions?”
Bryan Archibald, the individual they are referring to, is well known among his coworkers for his quest to learn more. Some have even called him “the Chef” for his tendency to “stir the pot” with challenging questions.
On June 12, 2026, the Southern Illinois University (SIU) graduate celebrates 20 years of stirring the pot at Legat while delivering complex projects and supporting clients, coworkers, and partners.
Archibald’s curiosity has fueled his ascent to a respected project leader and director of the firm’s Quad Cities studio in Moline, Illinois. Clients have entrusted him with repeated work, with projects ranging from minor upgrades to high-profile new facilities. In 2024, coworkers honored Archibald with the Wayne F. Machnich Commitment Award. The annual recognition commends an individual who embodies the positive values at the company’s core.
Bryan Archibald celebrates 20 years at Legat Architects on June 12, 2026.
“Bryan is a major asset to our team,” said Legat President and CEO Jeff Sandberg. “He not only keeps a close eye on budget and schedule, but he has also established himself as a skilled designer — he challenges assumptions, and he pushes beyond the obvious solution. He is highly respected by his clients for his commitment to their success.”
Jennifer Hamm, assistant superintendent of finance and operations at Galesburg Community Unit School District #205, has worked with Archibald for nearly 10 years.
“Beyond his brilliance in design, his ability to seamlessly marry form and function, and his unwavering attention to budgets, Bryan is truly one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of working with,” she said.
Read on to learn more about Archibald’s football roots, his path to Legat, his major projects, and why some coworkers also call him “the Nomad.”
Bryan Archibald has exceeded every expectation and checked every box on a long list of qualities we hoped to find in an architect. His impact on our district will be felt for generations of students and staff to come.
Jennifer Hamm, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Galesburg Community Unit School District #205
Tackling an Architectural Obstacle
Archibald’s appreciation for architecture harks back to childhood visits to his grandmother’s Chicago home, where he would play with Lincoln Logs or draw plans on her graph paper.
When his high school canceled pre-architecture courses, Archibald did not settle for another subject — at lunchtime, he traveled to a nearby high school to take drafting courses.
His other great passion was football. Archibald’s high school gridiron performance earned him a full athletic scholarship to SIU. There he pursued his architectural degree while racking up impressive stats as a defensive end and securing a spot on the defensive line of the Salukis’ All-Century Football Team.
Archibald’s junior year at SIU brought a significant obstacle — he could no longer balance the demands of football practice and architecture studio. He switched his major to criminal justice and made a promise to the university’s dean: he would eventually find a way to bring architecture back into his career.
Following graduation, Archibald played professional arena football for a year and a half and coached high school football on the side. But his incomplete architectural studies continued to nag at him: he returned to SIU to complete his coursework and earn his architectural degree.
As a team member for College of DuPage’s Homeland Security Education Center, Archibald drew from his degrees in architecture and criminal justice.
The Opening Chapters at Legat
Archibald’s introduction to Legat came through a weeklong internship at the firm’s Oak Brook studio. He worked on a locker room and elevator renovation at Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan, Illinois, the firm’s founding town.
One week was enough time to convince the firm’s leadership of Archibald’s potential — just days after graduating from SIU, he packed his things and began the long trip northward to Oak Brook, where he would begin working full-time.
Archibald developed a reputation for working on repeat projects for the same client. At North Palos School District 117, for instance, he played a key role in improvements to all six of the district’s facilities. Highlights include a kindergarten addition to Sorrick Elementary School, a new learning center at Oak Ridge Elementary School, and a six-phase project that rejuvenated Conrady Junior High School. One successful project led to another, and the experience gave Archibald the opportunity to lead presentations and run projects.
Archibald outside the revived event entrance at Conrady Junior High School.
Another foundational episode in Archibald’s career involved back-to-back projects at the College of DuPage (COD). Among these were a major physical education center renovation and two projects that would create a model for campus-based first responder training facilities: the Homeland Security Education Center and Homeland Security Training Center combined high-caliber design with technology-rich simulated learning environments.
The COD experiences enabled Archibald to absorb lessons from veteran designer Steve Brubaker and to sharpen technical abilities under coworker and project manager Jay Johnson. The projects not only strengthened Archibald’s expertise, but they also allowed him to fulfill his promise to the SIU dean made years earlier — he had bridged his architectural and criminal justice knowledge.
Archibald led a retrofit that transformed a church into the nature-inspired Bright Futures Preschool.
Big Plans and Wild Ideas in Galesburg
Galesburg Community Unit School District (CUSD) #205 started searching for a new architect in 2017. According to Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Jennifer Hamm, the district had a tall order — the ideal candidate would bring an innovative design approach, a deep understanding of schools, and the ability to balance different stakeholder perspectives.
After an extensive search, the district chose Legat. When district leadership visited the firm’s Oak Brook studio to discuss its facilities’ future, Archibald was asked to lead the conversation. He opened the meeting with a straightforward approach. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s figure this out.”
Additions and renovations directed by Archibald’s team revived Galesburg’s 60-year-old high school and expanded it to include junior high.
Since then, Archibald has been the architectural lead behind more than $75 million in construction encompassing eight district facilities.
“Bryan has exceeded every expectation and checked every box on that long list of qualities we hoped to find in an architect,” said Hamm.
Projects include an expansion and renovation of King Elementary School, transformation of the district’s 60-year-old high school into Galesburg Junior/Senior High School, and Bright Futures Preschool. The latter project, a retrofit that converted a church into a play-friendly preschool with references to nature, went on to receive multiple awards from the design and educational communities.
Accepting the AIA Illinois Excellence in Interiors Award for Bright Futures Preschool. Pictured: Jennifer Hamm (Galesburg CUSD #205), Monique Taylor (Legat), Maury Lyon (Galesburg CUSD #205), Dr. John Asplund (Galesburg CUSD #205), Bryan Archibald (Legat), Jeff Sandberg (Legat)
“He is consistently available to his clients and always willing to listen to questions, concerns, and even ideas that may seem unconventional,” added Hamm. “Some of my wildest ideas have become reality because Bryan was willing to see possibilities where others might not have. Galesburg simply would not be where it is today with its facilities without Bryan’s vision, leadership, and partnership. His impact on our district will be felt for generations of students and staff to come.”
Today, Archibald continues to lead Galesburg CUSD #205 projects including wrestling and weightlifting room additions as well as an indoor softball/baseball practice facility.
Bryan Archibald and his family at Jones AT&T Stadium, after last year’s Texas Tech conference championship.
The Nomad
One aspect of Archibald’s career that many coworkers marvel over is the frequency with which he has moved while meeting his work goals — over the past two decades, he and his family have moved across states five times, earning him the nickname, “the Nomad.”
While living in Georgia or Texas, where he is based today, Archibald would fly into Chicago once or twice a month to work in the Oak Brook studio for a week.
Many of those moves have supported Archibald’s wife, Tara, who has coached women’s softball programs at several prominent universities. In 2025 and 2026, she helped lead the Texas Tech Red Raiders to back-to-back NCAA Women’s College World Series finals.
“I was not going to stand in the way of her coaching career, and Legat Architects has always supported me in that decision,” said Archibald. “I learned to overcommunicate with my teams to make sure everyone was on the same page and that projects always stayed on track.”
Archibald’s flexibility helped Rock Island High School overcome hurdles to the aquatic center now under construction.
The Twists and Turns of Architecture
Over the course of his career at Legat, Archibald has learned a valuable lesson: the architectural process is never linear. One recent example is a new $18 million aquatic center at Rock Island High School. The initial plan to renovate the school’s existing facility fell through. The project came back to life with a proposed expansion, but that plan was also shelved for financial reasons. Archibald and his team attempted a third design: a standalone facility on the campus. This time, it worked — construction of the new aquatic center is 60% complete. The facility, featuring an eight-lane competition pool and bleachers for over 200 spectators, will serve school athletes, PE classes, and the community.
“Projects always have twists and turns, but you don’t realize this until you go through the process many times,” said Archibald. “You have to be resilient to designs and respectful of others’ viewpoints.”
Coworkers appreciate Archibald’s talent for motivating teams and asking insightful questions.
A Friend to Emerging Professionals
Archibald has also set a strong example for the next generation of architects. Coworkers like Brandon Edwards and Cooper Frakes commented on his ability to motivate teams and make himself available at any time to answer questions or offer guidance.
“He’s great at providing clarity when there are many tasks to do,” said Edwards. “He helps assess my progress, prioritize, and get support where I need it.”
“Bryan knows how to alleviate stress and keep spirits high during tight deadlines,” added Frakes. “His detailed project schedules and problem-solving skills help keep us all on track.”
Archibald’s penchant for asking questions also comes out during interactions with his teams. When early-career designers were debating which metal panel system to use for a school, Archibald asked about ease of repair for each system.
Edwards said the question pushed the team to consider the client’s perspective. “It wasn’t something we had thought about. We discovered that one system would be a pain for the client to replace a damaged panel. Bryan’s question gave us the knowledge to move forward with a maintenance-friendly modular system.”
Archibald encourages students and early-career professionals to embrace curiosity and look beyond the obvious. He often ends his meetings with a short sendoff: “Do great things.”
Be curious. Ask questions. Do great things. These principles have defined Bryan Archibald’s career.
Have a facilities challenge or a story about working with Bryan? Contact us to start a conversation.
