52nd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

This was the 52nd edition globally and the 1st edition in New York. It showcased the latest innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to building envelopes and the latest technological solutions.

Speakers and Panelists
Senior Principal, Populous
oldspeaker
Façades Manager - North America, Cosentino Group
Regional Architectural Team Manager, Vitro Architectural Glass
With 20 years in the glass and commercial construction industries, Flickinger has worked on domestic and international projects to secure the glass for Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG). Flickinger has worked closely with top-level architects and engineers to develop glass...
Specification Leader US, Axalta
Ben Mitchell, is Segment Manager for Architectural powder and liquid coatings at Axalta Coating Systems, a global paints and coatings company. He has a bachelor’s degree in comprehensive science as well as an MBA from Urbana University in Ohio. Ben...
Principal, Perkins Eastman
A talented and visionary design leader, Nick Leahy designs, manages, and directs the projects for the Civic & Cultural studio at Perkins Eastman, a global design and architecture firm with offices in 17 locations around the world. He has designed...
Director of Architecture - New York Metro, AECOM
Mr. Lynch is Vice President and Director of Architecture, as well as Commercial Market Sector Leader, for the New York Metro District. He leads the strategic growth and diversification of the New York architecture practice. He is an expert in...
Principal, TECHNE
Sameer Kumar is a Principal of Techne. With over 20 years of experience as an architect and a façade specialist, Sameer has distinguished himself as an emergent leader at the nexus of architectural design, engineering, fabrication, and material and process...
President - Global Coil & Extrusion, Sherwin Williams
Michael Bourdeau is President, Global Coil & Extrusion for the Sherwin Williams Corporation. Mike joined Sherwin Williams in 1986. Prior to his current role, he held various positions in Sherwin Williams including Director for Global Heavy Machinery, Business Director for...
Principal, SOM
Christoph Timm leads SOM’s Enclosure Group, a practice embedded among the design and engineering studios in the firm’s New York office that focuses on the design of building enclosures and facades. With more than two decades of experience in the...
Architectural Marketing Consultant, Kuraray America
Valerie Block is currently a senior marketing specialist for Kuraray America, formerly DuPont Glass Laminating Solutions, located in Wilmington, DE. She leads the global architectural team responsible for large projects. In this role, she works with architects and specifiers, structural...
Group CEO, Priedemann Façade Experts
Lars Anders is the CEO of Priedemann Façade Experts and Façade-Lab Research & Development Center, which accomplishes tasks relating to the façade or building envelope. In this role, He manages and leads along with his managing partners, a team providing...
Principal - Façades & Special Structures, Hatfield Group
Manan Raval, PE is widely recognized as a leader in facade design and specialty glass systems. He has led facade engineering for complex buildings worldwide, including high-profile arts institutions, residential developments, and mixed-use hubs. His areas of specialization include developing...
Principal, Heintges
Daniel Vos joined Heintges in 2004 and has collaborated on many high-profile building facades in New York and around the world. His expertise in structural glass design and knowledge of building envelope energy performance contribute to the realization of innovative...
Founding Principal, CetraRuddy Architecture
John Cetra co-founded CetraRuddy in 1987 on the principle that architecture should engage the urban fabric while enriching the human spirit. With a passion for innovative, inspiring designs and a commitment to real world solutions, Mr. Cetra has led the...
Senior Associate Principal, KPF
A Senior Associate Principal with over 16 years of experience, Franz Prinsloo has contributed to KPF’s portfolio of iconic projects, from Austin’s first supertall tower to the final plot at New York’s World Trade Center. He has been central to...
Principal & Director of Specifications, HOK
As Director of Specifications for HOK, I oversee firm-wide specifications initiatives, to ensure high quality design and technical excellence in project delivery. I am a registered Architect, a Certified Construction Specifier, a LEED AP BD+C, and a WELL AP with...
Head of Technical Advisory Service & Strategic Communication, Interpane
Michael Elstner is Director of Technical Advisory Service & Strategic Communication. He is a member of the managing board of the German Flat Glass Association and the Quality Association for Flat Glass. He is also a member of the Technical...
President, Gordon H Smith Corporation
Upon graduation from Yale University, Gordon joined Albro Metal Products Corporation, working in various capacities including those of Draftsman, Shop Mechanic, Field Mechanic, Plant Engineer, Field Superintendent, Estimator, Chief Engineer, Vice President and President. He worked in virtually every capacity...
Senior Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Sean O’Brien is a senior principal and head of the Building Technology group in the NYC office of SGH., a national building design and consulting firm. He specializes in building science and building envelope performance. He has investigated and designed...
Associate Partner, Ennead Architects
Kathleen is a technical lead architect specializing in exterior enclosure design and detailing. Kathleen prioritizes energy efficient practices, an integrated design response, and technical innovation in the development of building facades to support and inform broader project objectives. She works...
Principal | Design Director, Perkins & Will
In over 25 years of practice, Rob Goodwin has created a compelling body of work, spanning a broad range of types and scales that is unified by the desire to create a unique expression for each project. Driven by a...
Vice President - Design, The Durst Organization
Tony oversees the design and execution of major projects in the Durst portfolio.  He combines years of experience in the design and construction worlds with a keen understanding of the final deliverable and the implications of owning and operating buildings...
Regional Manager - Eastern US, Renson
Julien is an international project and business development manager with experience in the building industry. He has worked on large industrial projects in Europe before moving to the United States to head the development of the East Coast sales activities...
Partner, Handel Architects
Blake Middleton FAIA LEED AP is a Partner at Handel Architects LLP and Lead Designer for some of the firm’s most prominent work. Blake’s expertise – and passion – is the hybrid mixed-use building as a catalyst for creating sustainable,...
Commercial Manager, Kingspan Insulation North America
Andrew is the Commercial Manager for Kingspan Insulation North America, and specializes in high-performance insulation products. Originally from the UK, Andrew began his career in technical support and continued to grow into a consultative sales role, helping architects and developers...
Director - Passive House Services, Steven Winter Associates
Lois Arena, Director of Passive House Services at Steven Winter Associates, Inc., possesses over 25 years of experience in the building science field and has extensive experience with new and existing buildings. She holds both US and international Passive House...
Anchor Business Unit Manager, Hilti North America
Scott Rutledge is the Marketing Leader for the Anchoring Business Unit at Hilti North America. At Hilti, he also managed the Façade business development functions associated with Hilti Anchor Channel and spent 3 years in the San Francisco Bay Area...
Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Craig is an architect, sculptor, and industrial designer who is the Associate Partner in the New York City studio of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, and founding partner of Situcraft in Long Island City, New York. His first major projects collaborating...
Architectural Market Segment Manager Americas - Powder Coatings, Akzonobel
Gabriel Morales-Sada resides in San Diego, California and serves as Architecture Coatings Marketing Manager Americas for AkzoNobel – Performance Coatings Division. Mr. Morales-Sada has served as  Director for Global Architectural Coating companies from 1996 to 2014 and gained strong market...
Associate Principal, Weiss/Manfredi
Matthew Ferraro is an Associate Principal at WEISS/MANFREDI. Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, a multidisciplinary design practice based in New York City. He is a registered architect, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and a LEED Accredited Professional with significant experience orchestrating...
Associate Principal, Arup
Tali Mejicovsky is an Associate Principal at Arup in New York and Façade Skills Leader across four façade groups in the Americas (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto). She has more than 20 years of façade experience around...
Managing Partner, Transsolar KlimaEngineering
Erik is an international climate engineering firm determined to create exceptional, highly comfortable indoor and outdoor spaces with a positive environmental impact. He leads the New York office in working collaboratively with architects worldwide to develop and validate low-energy, architecturally...
Managing Director, NR Group
Attila Arian is a senior level executive with 30 years of progressively responsible experience in the German and American Construction and a known entity in the Façade industry. He has served as CEO of several German Design Build Contractors before...
Director Pre-Construction Services, Schueco International
Gerd Hoenicke is a chartered engineer and problem solver with an extensive knowledge of project delivery from initial planning and design stages right through construction and handover. He is the ideal partner for architects working on bespoke and challenging projects...
Associate, Vidaris
Arbour has over 15 years of experience working on new construction projects, specializing as a façade system designer and consultant to architects. His professional work has been focused on the conception, detailing and construction of custom-designed building facades. He has...
Partner, Rafael Viñoly Architects
Charles Blomberg has more than two decades of experience in design, construction documents, and construction administration for institutional, commercial, and residential work and provides extensive technical knowledge and skill to Rafael Viñoly Architects. As a Partner and Director of Technology,...
Northeast Region Technical Service & Development - High Performance Building, Dow Performance Silicones
Phil Imbesi is the Northeast Regional Technical Service & Development Representative for High Performance Building within the Consumer Solutions business of The Dow Chemical Company. Previously in a Research & Development Scientist role, Imbesi was responsible for advancing new technologies for the...
Vice President - Building Envelope, Entuitive
Christopher is a Vice President at Entuitive and leads their building envelope group in the New York office. With nearly 20 years of industry experience in building envelope consulting, construction administration, project management and architectural and object design, he has...
Director, Atelier Ten
Nico Kienzl has over 20 years of experience in sustainability consulting with expertise on the application of advanced building analysis for façade optimization, daylight and shading analysis, and optimization of building systems. As Director of Atelier Ten’s New York office,...
Managing Director, knippershelbig
Roman Schieber joined knippershelbig in 2007 and is now a managing director. Leading the knippershelbig Facades team in Europe and North America allows Roman the opportunity to work on unique, challenging projects all over the world. His association to structural...
Partner, BIG Group
Kai-Uwe Bergmann is a Partner at BIG who brings his expertise to proposals around the globe, including work in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. KaiUwe heads up BIG’s business development which currently has the office working in...
Director of Strategic Development, Schüco USA
Mic Patterson is a designer, researcher, educator, futurist, author, photographer, and entrepreneur. He has concentrated his professional and academic career on advanced façade technology and sustainable building practices. He pioneered the introduction of structural glass façade technology in the US...
VP - Global Product & R&D, Cosentino Group
Valentin is the worldwide R&D and Product and Innovation Director for Cosentino and is motivated by challenges both technical and strategic. He has strong technical skills honed by market insights after years of travelling around the world understanding market dynamics...
Co-Founder, Eckersley O'Callaghan
James O’Callaghan is a world leading Structural and Facade Engineer who is widely acknowledged as an authority in application and engineering of structural glass. His innovative and practical approach has made him an integral part of the design team for...
Global Director - High Performance Products, Kuraray
Ron Hull, P.E, CDT® is the Global Director of High-Performance Products for Kuraray. Ron is based in the USA and holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration. He currently serves on the Board of Directors...
Senior Principal, Thornton Tomasetti
Sergio De Gaetano is the global leader of the Façade Engineering practice at TT with over 20 years of international experience and working knowledge of complex façades and roof systems. His design credits include Sky SOHO in Shanghai with Zaha...
Conference Agenda
  • Translating identity into unique façade concepts
  • Innovation in materials and fabrication techniques
  • Accelerated research and development during design
  • Comparison of recent design approaches to passive house façade design, including panelized systems, curtain wall and masonry walls
  • Achieving passive house performance using “off the shelf” façade technologies
  • Impact on overall energy reduction through the implementation of passive house principles on a local and city-wide scale
  • Creating new non-square facades by having more freedom with curving flat glass
  • Examining the unique shapes of the Sandcrawler in Singapore and the Denver Art Museum Expansion, as well as others, which are achieved with bent low-e glass
  • Bendable low-e coatings and ultra-clear glass to achieve out-of-the-box designs while meeting energy requirements for projects around the globe
  • How façade performance still matters on large, internally load driven urban buildings
  • How façades can play an integral part in urban ecologies and occupant well being
  • How resilience planning will change the way we think about façades
  • The new retractable roof at the existing No.1 court at Wimbledon
  • The ‘Magic’ glass-to-glass corner at 20 Grosvenor Square
  • Zero carbon technology for the Lambeth Palace Library
  • Team status (explanation of both systems)
  • The winners and losers (pros and cons of each)
  • Reviewing the game tapes (examples, case studies)
  • Exploring forces that shape our cities and buildings and their envelopes with case studies of projects through the scorching heat of the Arabian Desert to the unforgiving chill of the Finnish tundra
  • Exploring how design solutions are shaped by their cultural and climatic contexts to unlock the immense possibilities of adaptive architecture
  • Mitigating the climatic extremes for hospitable human life, while finding solutions that can be both economically and environmentally profitable
  • Digital Influence on façade construction: How is the horizon changing?
  • State-of-the-art trends in contemporary façade designs & aesthetics for North American projects
  • Culminating complexity of design with safety and sustainability features of the façade
  • Latest materials on the block being used for contemporary façade designs

Peter Arbour

  • Designing a timeless and memorable facility in the context of a national landmark
  • Optimizing and documenting a structurally integrated skylight
  • Utilizing an interdisciplinary project delivery method with a high degree of collaboration between engineers, architects, material fabricators, and educators
  • Rationalizing and optimizing of the skylight to ensuring easily constructability with efficient use of materials
  • Performance standards and specification of powder and liquid coatings
  • Benefits of powder and liquid coatings
  • Recent innovations & track record in powder and liquid coatings
  • Structural design benefits with ionoplast interlayers
  • Transparent guards and walking surfaces
  • Iconic projects with spectacular views
  • Multi layered envelopes: Novel approaches with multi layered glazed façade execution
  • Refurbishing with structural glass: Taking aesthetics and value addition together
  • Glazing with large glass panes: Strategies to steer clear with challenges of their application
  • Curved laminated glass: Structural behaviour and performance of cold bending

Christoph Timm

  • Creating a unique architectural expression through innovative programming and environmental responsiveness combined with high minimalism
  • The Commons as a conceptual pivot: A semi-conditioned spatial network of circulation and gathering spaces
  • The Commons as a carefully tempered comfort zone: Natural ventilation, light and shade controlled through a highly transparent glass wall with large operable panels which automatically react to exterior and interior temperatures, wind speeds, weather, etc.
  • How contracts and traditional role models influence the digital workflow
  • How digital design tools changed architecture in the last decades and how the façade industry reacts on the new challenges
  • Approaches of non-interrupted process chains from design to construction
  • Understanding high-performance coating options and application methods for building façades
  • How PVDF coatings have enhanced monumental projects across the globe
  • Exploring endless color and aesthetic options available for metal building products
  • Defining types of air barriers and the different solutions currently on the market for sealing penetrations and transitions to create a complete air barrier system
  • Overview of the basic requirements air barriers must meet
  • Identifying the key areas within a wall system where detailing is important to overall system success
  • More and more building owners are recognizing the value of natural ventilation in commercial buildings for both improved occupant health and productivity and energy savings. However, neither of these benefits will be realized if ventilation openings aren’t careful addressed. This panel will explore some of the key challenges that the increasing demand for natural ventilation imposes on façade design.

Erik Olsen

  • Current status on design and execution process: Split responsibility
  • How digitalization can change the façade industry: Why this is really the game changer
  • Case studies on not reflecting free energy, robots and 3D printing: Realizing innovation in time and budget by continuous support
  • Challenges and possibilities
  • Coatings as part of the solution
  • Coatings on demand? Vision or reality
  • Advances and innovations in glass and façade engineering
  • Case studies throughout the US and beyond
  • Material and envelope technologies influencing façade designs of the future
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