In Atlanta green building circles these days, Ryan Gravel is a bit of a “rock star,” according to one co-worker at Perkins+Will. But he's not a “starchitect,” whose big reputation comes from signature buildings. Instead, he's an urban designer, and the mastermind behind the multibillion-dollar BeltLine project, the 22-mile collection of light rail, public mixed-use trails and parks that is now progressing in Atlanta.
The project is among the more celebrated urban redevelopment efforts under way across the country, similar to New York City's rejuvenation of the High Line into an urban park.