Structural engineering
We make clear, buildable structural systems that give architecture room to work. From early massing through construction, our engineers stay close to the decisions that shape a building.
Independent by design · Chicago, Illinois
Structures that stand up to the next hundred years.
Structural and building enclosure engineering for architects, owners and builders across the Midwest.
Built for the long view
34 engineers
Chicago · Midwest · 14 states
Good engineering is not a layer added to a building. It is the quiet logic that lets architecture become useful, durable and generous. We bring structure and enclosure together, from first sketch to the last site question.
412
Completed projects
26
Years of practice
14
States licensed
What we do
One building.
A connected practice.
Building enclosures
Our enclosure team brings structure, air, water, thermal performance and durability into one conversation—so the exterior performs as thoughtfully as it looks.
Mass timber
We help project teams turn timber ambition into a coordinated, code-compliant building system, with practical attention to vibration, connections, fire strategy and carbon.
Seismic & retrofit
We assess what is already there, then strengthen with precision. Our retrofit work balances life safety, constructability, budget and the value of keeping a building in use.
Forensic investigation
When a building behaves unexpectedly, we combine measured field work with structural judgment to find the cause, explain the risk and lay out a useful path forward.
Selected work · 1998—2025
The work speaks
for itself.
Lakeshore University Learning Commons Evanston, IL
Architect: Morrow Studio
Harland Medical Pavilion Chicago, IL
Architect: Fieldwork Architects
Riverline Civic Center Milwaukee, WI
Architect: Common Ground Design
Ashland House Chicago, IL
Architect: Northbank Atelier
Foundry Works Chicago, IL
Architect: Common Ground Design
Prairie Design Institute Madison, WI
Architect: Morrow Studio
People who stay close
Small enough to listen.
Deep enough to deliver.
Kessler Ward is a 34-person practice built around direct access, thoughtful debate and continuity from first conversation to final walk-through.
Founded in Chicago in 1998 by Dana Kessler and Arjun Ward, we bring senior attention to the details that matter.
Dana Kessler
Principal · Structural Engineering
PE · SE · IL, WI, IN
Dana leads structural design with a focus on adaptive reuse, higher education and resilient public buildings. She believes the best systems are easy to understand and rewarding to build.
Arjun Ward
Principal · Building Enclosures
PE · SE · IL, MI, MN
Arjun brings structure and enclosure into the same room early. His work centers on high-performance facades, careful detailing and buildings that stay dry, safe and useful over time.
Mina Patel
Principal · Mass Timber & Retrofit
PE · SE · IL, CO, OH
Mina helps teams find the right balance between new material systems and existing buildings. She is known for clear field investigations and practical, low-carbon structural strategies.
Notes from practice
Questions worth
working through.
What mass timber changes about lateral design
Timber asks the lateral system to be legible in a different way. We look at stiffness, connection slip and the coordination choices that keep a hybrid frame honest.
Explore the work behind the thinkingRetrofitting unreinforced masonry in Chicago
A useful retrofit starts with what the building can tell you. A field-first approach to assessing masonry, choosing interventions and keeping a neighborhood asset in use.
See a careful reuse in practiceCareers at K/W
Make thoughtful work
with good people.
We are a collaborative, technically curious team who care about the craft and the people who use what we design. Here, early-career engineers learn directly from principals, and experienced engineers get room to shape the work.
Our Chicago studio supports flexible schedules, licensure and continuing education. We welcome people with different paths into the building industry.
Introduce yourselfLet’s make something last
Start a project.
Tell us what you are working on, where you are in the process and what questions are already on the table. A principal will get back to you directly.
- Chicago office
- 205 W Wacker Drive, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60606 - Call the studio
- +1 312 555 0198
- Write to us
- studio@kesslerward.com
- Studio hours
- Monday–Friday · 8:30 am–5:30 pm CT