THE LARGEST
BUSINESS OF
ARCHITECTURE
SYMPOSIUM IN THE WORLD
WHEN -
1 - 3 May, 2023
WHERE-
ON ZOOM EVENTS!
MAIN SPONSOR -
UNTIL THE EVENT
success leaves clues —
Disrupt is the first of its kind
Business of Architecture Symposium looking to bring all major architecture practices under one roof to talk about
ways in which they strategise for growth and success.
These are the experts behind Top Architecture Practices. Their everyday decisions help build the world's most admired mega-structures. If you want to learn about the business you want to learn from them.
WHO -
ARE YOU A BUSINESS-MINDED CREATIVE IN THE ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? —
Running a business is not easy!
If you are struggling to find clients, working with clients that don't appreciate you, taking on low-end commodity or draftsmen level work, or finding it difficult to land those dream projects then you are in the right place!
If you’re already successful in your own practice, this Symposium will expand your contacts and expose you to the biggest innovators and disruptors in the industry!
SPEAKERS -
Satoshi Ohashi-
China Director at
Zaha Hadid Architects
Satoshi Ohashi has worked and collaborated closely with Zaha Hadid since 1987 over the period of 28 years. Currently, Director China for Zaha Hadid Architects. He has worked globally, continuously pursuing the possibilities of architecture and design from large scale urban design to smaller scale furniture and product design. There are no boundaries. Born in Japan, grew up in New York City, has lived and worked internationally in New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and now in Beijing, China. From 1988~1993 he was the director and project architect for Zaha Hadid Tokyo office working on the design of the early works of the office. The endless pursuit of design quality and that spirit from the early days has never changed; in fact, it has just been pushed further ahead with the integration of new design tools and communication technologies. He has taught and lectured at many universities around the world and is currently working in China on several large scale projects which include, Galaxy SOHO, Wangjing SOHO, Linkong SOHO, Leeza SOHO, New Beijing Airport and The National Museum of China.
He has taught and guest lectured all over the world. In 2004 Yale University Graduate School of Architecture, visiting critic, and in 2005 lectured and exhibition at the 2005 World EXPO Aichi, Japan. He has received numerous awards including 2005 IIDA International Lighting Award, NTT DoComo Kansai Telecommunications Tower and 2009 CIID China International Interior Design Awards, Selection Committee Juror and Visiting Critic at Central Academy of Fine Arts CAFA University and Tsinghua University.
Gabriela Carrillo-
Co-Founding Partner
Taller Rocha + Carrillo
Gabriela Carrillo, with more than twenty years of experience, was a partner of the multi-award-winning Taller RochaCarrillo and has been recognized with various national and international awards such as the Emerging Voices Awards in 2014, the Federico Mariscal Chair, the highest recognition for professional practice by the Faculty of Architecture from UNAM, the Medallie d'OR from the French Academy of Architecture and the title of ¨Architect of the Year¨ by the Architectural Review in London in 2017 and ¨Architect of the Year¨by Architectural Digest Mexico in 2020. Since 2019 she is Member of the System of Art Creators and since 2021 academic number by the Academy of Architecture of Mexico, CDMX chapter. She is co-founder of Reconstruir MX and of Colectivo c733, a collective of four o ces to develop public projects.
She has been an academic at the FA of UNAM since 2003 and Head of the Estudio RX Research and Graduation Seminar with Loreta Castro since 2018. She has taught at Harvard GSD, the University of New Mexico and the WAVE program in Venice, Italy. Her work has been exhibited in different International Biennials and published in various national and international media such as Domus Italia, Casabella, Arquitectura Viva, Wallpaper and Architectural Review among others.
Jacob Stromann-Andersen-
Director, Innovation and Sustainability, Partner at Henning Larsen.
As Partner and Head of Henning Larsen’s Sustainability Engineering Department, his professional focus revolves around the interaction between engineering, architecture and modern technology. Jakob also manages Henning Larsen’s unique Industrial PhD program, which co-hosts PhD candidates from co-sponsoring institution, in various R&D projects based on Henning Larsen case studies.
Currently, five ongoing PhD projects are underway in the department: These projects focus on integrated acoustics simulations, lighting design in learning environments, design for disassembly of facades, and anthropological studies focusing on knowledge sharing in common spaces.Jakob employs specialized software such as DIVA-for-Rhino for highly optimized daylighting analysis, IES-VE for indoor environment optimization, Openfoam to conduce (CFD) computational fluid dynamics and Tally / REVIT for integrated Life Cycle Assessment.
Jakob holds a MSc and PhD in Architectural Engineering and is a LEED / WELL Accredited Professional and DGNB Certified Auditor, specializing in healthy and sustainable design, and is currently working closely together with authorities regarding future building regulations on sustainability topics like Daylight, materials, circular economy and urban microclimate.
Patrick Macleamy - Former CEO of HOK, Chairman at buildingSMART International
Mr. MacLeamy practiced architecture for 50 years at HOK, including 12 as Chief Executive before stepping down in 2017. HOK is a global design firm specializing in large, complex projects using highly advanced BIM collaboration tools. He is currently writing a book, The Story of HOK – Creating and Keeping a Great Design Firm.
Mr. MacLeamy is committed to helping establish standards of quality, reliability and efficiency in the building and infrastructure industry. He advocates changing the fragmented nature of the industry into a vertically integrated, highly efficient system that emulates manufacturing. Mr. MacLeamy supports this vision as a founder and Chairman of buildingSMART International, an organization which fosters standards for data exchange in the building industry.
He is an active speaker at international forums to convey his vision for our digital future and the imperative need for designers, builders and owners to take leading roles in the evolution of the building and infrastructure industries. He has also authored numerous articles for international media, and has testified before the US Congress on the imperative for digital standards in the building industry.
Charles Berman - Associate Principal at
Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Charles Berman is an Associate Principal and Technical Director at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, which he joined in 2013. He has been practicing architecture for over 35 years. Berman was a senior member of the team that designed The Shed, a nonprofit cultural organization that commissions, develops, and presents original works of art, across all disciplines, located in New York’s Hudson Yards.
Berman specializes in facade design and has worked as a facade consultant at Front, Inc. and R.A. Heintges & Associates. Prior to that, he spent 9 years at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, where he led the design for the new headquarters for China Central Television (CCTV) in Beijing, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Beijing, the new headquarters for the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Berman received a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University. Berman teaches the technical seminar on building enclosures at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design.
Courtenay Bauer –
Principal, Verse Design LA
Courtenay Bauer is a Principal of Los Angeles-based architectural firm Verse Design, which has a sister studio in Shanghai. Prior to co-founding Verse Design LA in 2015, Courtenay worked as a project architect at offices on both coasts of the United States.
Courtenay leverages more than 20 years of focused experience in architectural planning, design and contract administration on a variety of projects in the United States and China. Her work is committed to the ideas and importance of efficient and sustainable construction, while advocating for the implementation of innovation in our built environment. As Principal, Courtenay’s strengths lie in her ability to adroitly identify a project’s status and manage a team to exceed delivery expectations (her background in roller derby often proves itself useful during site visits and difficult negotiations).
Courtenay holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the Catholic University of America, as well as a Master of Architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Furthering her connectivity with the profession, Courtenay has been involved in the academic community teaching visual studies seminars and design studios at SCI-Arc, UCLA, and USC.
Manuel Frey - head of Digital Planning & Simulations at Gruner
As the head of Digital Planning & Simulations at Gruner, Manuel has built a reputation for himself, his team and his company as the “go-to” in innovations in HVAC engineering.
He helps decision-makers create operative and sustainable high-performance buildings by utilising VDC & BIM in conjunction with building performance simulations and his 18 years of experience in the HVAC industry. Manuel continuously drives innovation in AEC not just with his forward-thinking, creative collaboration and precise execution but also with his positive attitude and engaging presentations at events such as Autodesk University (AU) Germany and Las Vegas. Beyond his role at Gruner, Manuel is the President of The International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) Switzerland and serves as a guest docent at various international academic institutions.
Giovanni Betti - Head of Sustainability at HENN
Giovanni graduated from ´´La Sapienza´´ School of Architecture (Rome, Italy) in 2005 and has achieved a MSc in Environmental Design From the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY, USA) in 2007; since which time he has developed considerable experience of producing outstanding, concept-driven award-winning architectural projects in the UK, Germany and worldwide.
Giovanni is a talented and experienced designer with particular experience of complex projects that require a high level of artistic and technical integration often requiring innovative approaches and building techniques without compromising the strategic concept.
His work spans across architectural and engineering disciplines, driven by the desire to design the best possible built environment for the people that will live in it.
Michael Poris-
Founding Principal at McIntosh Poris Architects
Michael Poris, AIA, is a founding principal at McIntosh Poris Architects, where he’s led the charge on restoring Detroit’s most iconic neighborhoods and landmark buildings. Since his return to the city in 1995, he has tirelessly worked to preserve the legacy of its beloved 20th-century architecture and historic districts while also helping implement change through innovative design.
His architectural leadership has transformed Detroit with groundbreaking projects, such as the Foundation Hotel and the East Riverfront Framework Plan, both recognized with numerous awards. The firm has gained more than 130 design accolades, including 30 AIA Honor Awards and 70 Detroit Design Awards. His design work has been featured in more than 100 prestigious publications worldwide, including Dwell, Urban Land, Architectural Record, and Interior Design.
Michael is currently spearheading the adaptive reuse of the 600,000-square-foot Fisher Body Plant in Detroit, and a 600 prefabricated home community in Colorado. Recently, Michael received the prestigious AIA Detroit Charles Blessing Award, recognizing his significant leadership in planning and civic issues and his unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for all Detroiters.
Scott Sullivan - Cofounder
Relativity Architects
Scott Sullivan, AIA, grew up on an organic farm in Southern California. He studied mathematics and engineering at Harvey Mudd College before transitioning to architecture at the Southern California
Institute for Architecture (SCI-Arc). During his first year of graduate school there, Scott and classmate Tima Bell began designing projects for clients in a “pre” partnership to Relativity. Their first
collaboration: designing and building a straw bale house for an organic farmer in San Diego, CA. This project allowed Scott to merge both art and science through architecture and was the start of a lasting partnership.
In 2000, Scott began his professional career in Los Angeles. He has worked as a Senior Designer at (fer) Studio, Marmol Radziner, and Crockett Architects. As co-founding principal of Relativity, Scott has
collaborated on a wide range of design projects, including urban master planning, production studios, and hospitality projects. He also directs Relativity’s affordable housing projects, providing thousands of units per year to our most vulnerable populations.
Tima Bell - Cofounder
Relativity Architects
Tima Bell, Assoc. AIA, grew up in Venice Beach, California. He studied fine art at Rice University and in Aix-en-Provence, France. His passion of art led him to the practice of architecture as a launching point to explore the three-dimensional space within his own paintings. After completing his M.Arch at SCI-Arc with Scott Sullivan, and starting his own firms prior to Relativity, Tima served as an artist-in-residence in Israel and played professional basketball in China. He’s always been his own boss, never having worked
for another firm.
Tima pursues the exploration of art and the built environment through his own practice of architecture and design. From Relativity’s various high-end hospitality projects to specialized expertise in production studios/soundstage design to master plans, Tima is vigilant throughout the process to achieve balance
between quality, style, and efficiency. Tima was an adjunct professor at Woodbury University and acts as a guest juror at several Los Angeles universities. He is a past recipient of both the Individual Boutique 18 Design Award and the Boutique 18 Design Restaurant Award.
Ginna Claire Nguyen - Associate
Relativity Architects
Ginna Claire Nguyen, Assoc. AIA, is Relativity’s fifth employee. As Associate Principal and Studio Director, she leads the firm’s design direction and oversees all daily operations: design and master planning, managing projects and the 45-person staff, marketing and business development, and Relativity’s international expansion. Ginna has a broad portfolio of experiences from her work with a variety of organizations, including architecture firms, publications, non-profits, and restaurant and real estate management companies.
After receiving her M.Arch from the University of Pennsylvania, she co- designed and built two award winning pavilions at international exhibits in Japan and New York. These
explorations were additionally informed by her background in painting and drawing, which were developed by her art degree from Pepperdine University. Ginna also served as an Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Pasadena City College prior to joining
Relativity. During this time, Ginna established a highly collaborative practice that explored new typologies of living, from urban master plans to rural single-family homes. Ginna serves on the Board of
two Southern California not-for-profit organizations and is an active member of ULI. Her honors include the Boutique 18 Up-and-Coming Designer Award.
Julie D. Taylor-
Founder/Principal,
Taylor & Company
Julie Taylor, describes herself as a “design evangelist.” She has been professionally involved in the design industries since 1982, as publicist, marketer, writer, critic, and editor.
She founded Taylor & Company in 1994 to provide public relations and marketing
services to professionals and organizations involved in architecture, design, and furnishings. She was the 2014-2016 Public Director of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Board of Directors. She was granted Honorary AIA status from the national organization in 2018, and from the Los Angeles chapter in 2007. Taylor is the recipient of the AIA/California Council’s Professional Achievement Award for 2012. She has served on the organizing committee of the Monterey Design Conference, is the co-founder of CANstructionLA, and is the
Past-Chair of the AIA/LA Design Awards Committee.
Tania Ihlenfeld – Founder of Ede Enablers
Tania is an architect, entrepreneur, and author with more than twenty-three years of
experience leading, observing, and innovating within multi-disciplinary teams, including almost thirteen years with Grimshaw, London. She has led small-scale residential projects through to large-scale national infrastructure projects.
Tania is a leader with significant experience navigating through complex project terrains and successfully out the other side. Her passion for effective leadership and her keen eye for what does and doesn’t work has been honed through her roles as a designer, chief
motivator, inspirer, negotiator, facilitator, and conduit between design teams, stakeholders,
and the client. She is convinced that there is an easier and more effective way to lead and
enjoy projects - and she wrote a book titled BUILD SUCCESS, which provides a blueprint to do just that.
Tania is keen to improve the legacy of the built environment. Her primary motivation is so that high-quality projects are achieved without compromise, and leaders along with their teams are not experiencing burnout in the process.
Jerónimo Van Schendel-
Director of the Master in Business for Architecture and Design at IE School of Architecture and Design.
Disrupting the built environment through business-focused architecture education.
He is a Spanish Architect, graduated from ETSAM in 2011 and Master in Architecture (M.Arch II) with Distinction, from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, since 2016.
He has worked with some of the most renowned architects in Spain such as Cruz y Ortiz, Rafael Moneo, and AS+, and is an IDEO SF CoLab Fellow 2016 (IoT & Blockchain Innovation Lab). After serving as Office Manager at Ábalos + Sentkiewicz AS+, with several projects in Spain, China and Latin América, he started a new professional endeavor in 2020, founding and leading www.Bildia.com a platform for integrated procurement in construction.
His teaching and independent work is focused on identifying scalable entrepreneurship opportunities in the intersection of design, AEC, and technology, mainly through platform business models.
DISRUPT SYMPOSIUM —
Gives practice leaders and decision-makers in the architecture industry the tools and knowledge to help prepare for and take advantage of ever-present opportunities. We are here to help you facilitate business growth and success.
SPONSORS -
As the worlds of business and architecture intertwine and overlap in myriad ways, a disconnect between the education that future architects are receiving and the needs of the modern industry itself remain. Surveys have found that architectural schools do not adequately equip students for the workforce.
IE School of Architecture and Design aims to put an end to that trend. With a track record of more than ten years of training leaders and entrepreneurs in the world of architecture, engineering and construction, the Master in Business for Architecture and Design re-imagines the role of an architect by integrating the institution’s expertise on business, management and entrepreneurship into the program structure.
IE School of Architecture and Design gives individuals the resources to unlock personal transformation and growth. Look us up at: www.ie.edu/school-architecture-design
Jerónimo van Schendel Erice, Director of the Master in Business for Architecture and Design at IE School of Architecture and Design.
HP Inc. is a technology company that believes one thoughtful idea has the power to change the world. Its portfolio includes high-performance laptops, desktops and solutions from Z by HP and powerful remoting software from HP Anyware to help bring these ideas to life.
In architecture and engineering, the need to access high-performance computing resources is only increasing as is the need to increase productivity through collaboration with peers. Companies of all sizes are finding ways to meet these needs while also supporting full and part-time work from home arrangements. Access to the right technology solutions can positively impact productivity and profitability, particularly in complex 3D environments like architectural design and engineering. Visit us at www.hp.com/Z and https://www.hp.com/us-en/solutions/digital-workspaces.html for more information.
Barbara Marshall, Z by HP Industry Strategy, AEC and M&E, HP Inc
ORGANIZER -
