Rory McGowan

About

Rory has extensive experience globally in multidisciplinary engineering design lead across a range of projects. He has lived and worked internationally, leading high-profile projects such as the CCTV headquarters in China from design to delivery, working closely with clients, users, architects and stakeholders. In 2018, he was appointed as an Arup Fellow, the highest recognition for technical excellence.

Rory McGowan
Arup Fellow and Director of the global firm , Rory is currently based in Dublin, Ireland from where he works internationally. He is known for leading the engineering concept design of numerous successful high profile projects where he has collaborated closely with Architects and other professionals and subsequently led the Engineering Design Team to realise the project. During his early career he worked on projects in Ireland, the UK and later Europe and on development projects in Cameroon and Tanzania.
Until early 2005 Rory was a member, and later a leader in Arup London, from there he led, in various capacities, a range of high-profile international projects. These included the Kansai Airport - Japan (Renzo Piano), Congrexpo – Lille France, ITT Student Centre - Chicago, Casa da Musica – Oporto Portugal (all OMA), VPRO TV HQ - Netherlands (MVRDV), National Space Centre - Leicester UK, and Fundación Caixa Galicia - La Coruña, Spain (Grimshaw Architects).
In 2002 Rory led the Arup team that won the CCTV design completion with OMA and led the engineering design of the landmark building until its completion in 2008. Between 2005-2010, Rory was a Director of Arup’s Beijing office where he helped lead the development of the firm’s practice in China. Among his projects in Asia were the Korean National Pavilion Shanghai Expo 2010 (Minsuk Cho), Shenzhen Stock Exchange HQ, Mahanakhon Tower – Bangkok, The Interlace – Singapore (OMA and Buro Ole Scheeren), Taipei Performing Arts Centre – Taiwan, and the CCTV HQ - Beijing (OMA).
In 2010, Rory returned to Dublin. Since then, he has worked on projects including Yongsan # Tower - Seoul Korea , Dubai Creek Observation Tower (BIG Architects), Aurora Tower - Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (Bureau Ole Scheeren), Leijona Square Tower and Helsinki Library - Finland (ALA), New Holland Island Cultural Centre - St Petersburg Russia (WorkAC), Pyramida repurposing , Downtown 1 & Tirana Boulevard towers in Tirana, Albania (MVRDV), the American Museum of Natural History- Gilder wing– New York (Studio Gang Architects), and the new Irish Embassy in Tokyo, Japan (Henry J Lyons) , and numerous current projects in Albania with a number of Architects.
He was appointed as an Arup Fellow in 2018. This life-long, honorary title is awarded to individuals who exemplify exceptional talent, technical excellence, vision and ingenuity, not just within Arup, but in the global industry.
With a strong interest in International Development work and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Rory is involved in numerous development and resilience related projects including the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India, Accord Factory Safety Methodology Design and Surveys following the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, Nepal 2015 Earthquake Reconstruction Programme (World Bank) , the development of new Design Guidelines for the design of Bhutan’s National Schools Programme, the Masterplan for Thimphu City (Bhutan’s capital city) , the UKDT & ARCC Peru Schools Reconstruction Programmes, and currently an applied research 6 storey mass timber pilot project focused on A Regenerative Construction Industry for Bhutan.
Rory is involved in a number of key activities in Arup. He leads the ongoing global “Architect Market” discussion initiative. In Europe since 2015 he has led the development , design, and delivery of 2 major training programmes on Technical Design Excellence with a focus on Design & Technical Review culture. During 2020, he played a leading part in Arup’s Community Engagement response to COVID-19 focusing on how to make mainstream research and advice relevant and available to international NGOs.
A Fellow of Engineers Ireland, with a Masters in Resilience, and a Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers, he has had numerous engineering design related articles published, and frequently lectures and tutors at international architectural schools, including the Berlage in Rotterdam, the Architectural Association and the Bartlett in London, UIC Chicago, Columbia University NYC, Kentucky University , and the Anthology Festival Manila, Philippines.
Aiming to encourage the public to take an interest in how our buildings and cities are designed and the built environment’s role in shaping our communities, Rory worked with the Irish Architecture Foundation, to develop the New Now Next talk series. Since 2013, leading international architects have taken part and shared their insights on new ideas, regarding contemporary issues that are relevant now and can impact on the next generation.