Ian Manire

Generous spirit, with deep knowledge and appreciation for buildings that last and music that moves.

Ian brings together an ethical mission and pragmatic know-how to every project he works on at Union. He specializes in working with historic fabric and loves the challenges and rewards that come with revitalizing the beauty and function of the buildings our forebears crafted. He is committed to traditional and classical principles in design and believes our greatest challenge as a firm, a profession, and as a society is to create sustainable and equitable places to live, work, play and share culture – and to do so in great profusion. Ian believes the ancient principles Vitruvius expressed as irmitas (durability), utilitas (usefulness), and venustas (beauty), are essential in meaningfully meeting those needs in ways that will outlive us and serve future generations.

Ian is an urbanist through-and-through, in love with both big cities and walkable small towns – with life at human scale. He has lived car free since 2005 in Portland, Oregon; New York City; South Bend, Indiana; and now happily living in the vibrant neighborhood of downtown Providence. He is fortunate enough to have a three-minute walk from Union’s office as well as several of his major projects.

Ian earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hendrix College and a Master of Architecture with an emphasis on traditional urban design from the University of Notre Dame.