102nd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

This will be the 102nd edition globally and the 4th edition in New York which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

Speakers and Panelists

Alan Cation

Computational Design Leader, KPF

Alan Cation is a computational designer, artist, and educator based in New York City. His work focuses on parametric architecture, complex geometry, sustainability, and simulating how natural behavioral systems interact with each other and their environments. Alan utilizes his expertise...

Samaneh Pakishan

Senior Project Manager, AECOM Tishman

As AECOM Tishman’s Senior Project Manager, Samaneh leads the curtain wall trade and complex structures where curtain wall and structural steel are highly integrated. She was the lead on managing the engineering and fabrication of 30 Hudson Yards Observation Deck...

Jesus Barreda

Director of Façade Segment, Hilti

Jesus Barreda joined Hilti North America in 2014 as a Facade Structural Engineer II. Eighteen months later, he was promoted to Facade Structural Engineer III. From 2018-2019, he led the Hilti Facade Steuctural Engineering team where he also worked closely...

Guy Tremblay

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, SWBV PRECAST

Guy Tremblay, Professional Engineer, graduated from Laval University in 2001, began his career in the precast concrete and building science industry over 20 years ago. His early years in the field has been dedicated to quality assurance management, project management,...

James Hickerson

Principal, Woods Bagot

James Hickerson possesses a strong background in integrating design and technical elements on a broad range of project types, including commercial-office, mixed-use, and hospitality projects in North America, Asia, and the Middle East. His experience covers the complete development process...

Eran Chen

Founder & Executive Director, ODA

Since establishing ODA in 2007, Eran Chen has earned a reputation for mold-breaking designs that will deliver a better urban future. Having completed more than 50 buildings in just over a decade, he has become one of the most prolific...

Bruce Sohn

CEO, Halio

A Halio, Inc board member since 2015, Bruce Sohn was most recently the CEO of Siva Power. Prior to that, he led First Solar’s rise from start-up to the world’s largest solar manufacturer and utility systems contractor with $3.2 billion...

Joseph Welker

Studio Director, James Carpenter Design Associates

Joseph Welker is Studio Director at James Carpenter Design Associates, managing the studio’s cross-disciplinary staff and coordinating its collaborations with landscape architects, architects, structural engineers, environmental engineers, fabricators and materials engineers. Joseph works across the studio’s diverse range of projects,...

Chris O’Hara

Founding Principal, Studio NYL

Chris O’Hara is a Founding Principal of Studio NYL. Trained as a Structural Engineer, Chris has a passion for Architecture. This passion has fostered the collaborative approach that is a cornerstone of Studio NYL’s collaborative approach to structures and enclosures....

William Mandara

CEO | Co-Owner, Mancini Duffy

William Mandara Jr., AIA, is the CEO and co-owner of Mancini Duffy, a national design firm with a 100+-year-old history and tech-forward approach based in New York City. Bill comes from a family in the business: his father and grandfather...

Will Babbington

Principal | Façade Design Director, Studio NYL

Will Babbington’s passion lies in the leveraging of both high- and low-tech methods to merge high performance and high design. As both an architect and an engineer, he has designed award-winning and high performance building enclosures on local, national, and...

Tommaso Bitossi

Associate Director, Transsolar

Tommaso Bitossi focuses on two aspects of climate responsive design: architecture and climate engineering. His unique perspective on the integrated design process together with his understanding of both the architectural and the engineering approaches facilitate the communication of complex strategies...

Tansu Kumru

Vice Chairman, TurkishGlass

Tansu Kumru has 30 years of experience in the glass sector and has been working for Şişecam which is currently one of the world’s leading glass manufacturers with production operations located in 14 countries on four continents. She is currently...

Shreshth Nagpal

Managing Principal | Design Analytics, Elementa Engineering

Shreshth Nagpal’s professional focus over the past two decades has been to understand and model building performance that results from the interaction between envelope configuration, climatic context, functional requirements, conditioning systems, and occupant behavior. More recently, his doctoral research focused...

Sebastian Claussnitzer

Associate, Bjarke Ingels Group

Sebastian Claussnitzer is an Associate at BIG’s New York office. He has extensive architectural experience with a range of commercial and residential projects in New York City, California, China, and Germany. Sebastian has expertise in strategic design and computation; he...

Ross Cameron

Vice President, Elkus Manfredi Architects

Architect and team leader, Vice President Ross Cameron, creates environments for learning, living, and working. Recent work includes Boston University’s Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and College of Fine Arts Production Center, University of Southern Maine Portland Commons Residence Hall...

Roberto Garcia

Associate Principal, Perkins Eastman

Roberto Garcia is an Associate Principal at Perkins Eastman. He brings over 28 years of experience as a project designer, project architect, graphic designer, and draftsperson on a variety of mixed-use commercial and residential projects. Roberto is currently involved in...

Robert Israel

Executive Vice President, L&L Holding Co.

At L&L since 2017, Robert Israel leads and directs all aspects of the TSX Broadway project development’s design and construction activities, including budget, schedule and delivery of the newly created asset including the theater, retail and hotel uses. Robert was...

Morris Adjmi

Principal, Morris Adjmi Architects

Morris Adjmi loves cities. As the founder and principal of MA, he is dedicated to understanding the history and complex forces that shape them to create buildings and environments that are contextual but unmistakably contemporary. The resulting work has become...

Michael Signorile

Exterior Envelope Supervisor, Pavarini McGovern

Michael Signorile is an expert in building envelopes, and is a critical member of all of PMG’s project teams. Michael is experienced in all phases of the design and construction process and has worked on projects ranging from residential and...

Michael Buesing

Principal, FXCollaborative

Michael Buesing, AIA, LEED AP, CPHD, is a Principal at FXCollaborative, a New York City-based architecture, interiors, and planning design firm. With more than 25 years of experience, he is instrumental in the design and coordination of planning, interiors, code,...

Melissa Wong

Associate Principal, Thornton Tomasetti

Melissa Wong is an Associate Principal in Thornton Tomasetti’s Façade Engineering practice. Based in New York, she has been leading the design and construction of façade and enclosure systems from residential & commercial developments, to prominent institutions throughout the east...

Marcin March

Associate Principal, Thornton Tomasetti

Marcin March is a Vice President in Thornton Tomasetti’s Façade Engineering practice. Originally based in the United Kingdom where he earned a master’s of engineering degree from the University of Oxford, Marcin has built a global portfolio of experience that...

Matt Capone

Principal, FacadesX

Matt Capone is a design and construction professional driven to create projects which leave lasting positive impacts for our communities and environment. As the founder of facades X Inc. in 2015, Matt has worked on many prominent and complex projects...

John Oliver

Director - Architecture, Snøhetta

John is a licensed architect with over 20 years of experience working on large scale domestic and international projects. He brings significant early-phase design expertise to projects by collaborating with teams to establish a design vision and then creating an...

John Alexander

Group Sales Director, Accsys

John is responsible for Accsys Group Sales, managing a team across the globe. Following degrees in Forestry and Forest Products from University of Wales, Bangor and an MSc in Timber Engineering from the University of Maine, USA, John’s career in...

James Carpenter

Principal & Founder, James Carpenter Design Associates

James Carpenter has worked at the intersection of architecture, fine art, and engineering for nearly 50 years, advancing a distinctive vision based on the use of natural light as the foundational element of the built environment. Originally studying architecture before...

J. Benjamin Alper

Principal, Severud Associates

Benjamin Alper joined Severud Associates in 2005 as an engineer. He steadily progressed upward through the ranks and, in 2020, was promoted to associate principal. Throughout his career, Ben has taken on increasingly challenging projects such as the TSX Broadway...

Hauke Jungjohann

Founder and Principal, Jungjohann

Hauke Jungjohann has more than 20 years of international practical experience as a civil engineer and architect in the world’s most innovative companies in the industry. In leadership positions at Buro Happold, Thornton Tomasetti and Knippers Helbig, he has worked...

François Guillemot

Glass Sustainable Offer Manager, Saint-Gobain

François Guillemot has held several management positions in Research & Development for the Building Flat Glass Activity of Saint-Gobain over 10 years: innovation, surface chemistry, wet coatings, process expertize for mirror and laminated glass. He has recently headed his career...

Flora Bao

Senior Project Manager, Bjarke Ingels Group

Flora Bao is an Architect with 16 years of experience as a Designer and Project Manager. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. Her architectural career began at Kohn Pedersen Fox in NY as a Junior Designer,...

Evan Berger

Engineering Manager - Façades | Americas, LendLease

Mr. Berger has over 24 years of façade project management and engineering experience as both a construction manager and façade contractor on numerous signature New York City structures. In his role as Engineering Manager – Facades – Americas for Lendlease,...

Daniel Sutton

VacuMax Product Manager, Vitro Architectural Glass

Daniel Sutton is a Product Manager within the Marketing and Innovations Group at Vitro Architectural Glass and was formerly the National Architectural Manager for the Great Lakes Region. Daniel brings years of design and sustainability experience, having worked with stakeholders...

Dan Reynolds

Senior Associate | AI Product Lead, Walter P Moore

Dan Reynolds has spent the majority of his career engineering complex projects that are generally considered “specialty structures” due to aspects requiring advanced analysis methods. He is driven by the challenge of capturing a designer’s intent by using creativity empowered...

Cori Kwitkin

Associate Principal, Hatfield Group

Cori Kwitkin, PE, LEED Green Associate is Associate Principal at Hatfield Group. She has over two decades of experience in structural design, analysis, and project management on buildings ranging from super-talls, hospitality developments, and restaurants to stadiums and academic hubs....

Chris Cooper

Design Partner, SOM

Based in New York, Chris Cooper is an ambitious design leader who brings foresight, elegance, tectonic rigor, and artful experiences to his buildings. Throughout his two decades at SOM, he has led projects with a careful attention to scale, sustainability,...

Charlotte Escudier

Senior Project Manager, Werner Sobek

Charlotte Escudier has been a Senior Project Manager at Werner Sobek New York since 2020. She also worked for 8 years at Eckersley O’Callaghan New York and has more than ten years of experience designing high end structural glass projects,...

Charlie Whitney

Vice President & General Manager, Turner Construction

As VP and General Manager, Charlie Whitney is responsible for developing and overseeing short- and long-term strategic plans that affirm Turner’s position as one of New York City’s largest and most trusted construction service providers. In this capacity, he oversees...

Caitlin Mueller

Associate Professor, MIT Departments of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Caitlin Mueller is a researcher and educator who works at the creative interface of architecture, structural engineering, and computation. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Architecture and Department of Civil and Environmental...

Brian Delaney

Associate, Heintges

Brian Delaney is an Associate at Heintges, and joined the firm in 2017. During this time, he has worked on major projects in the New York City area, including Citigroup’s Trading Headquarters reclad, The Edge at 30 Hudson Yards, and...

Benjamin Gilmartin

Partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Benjamin Gilmartin joined Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) in 2004 and became a partner in 2015. Ben led the redesign of Alice Tully Hall, multiple public spaces within the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts campus, and the Berkeley Art...

Arturo Lugo

Architectural Specification Sales Representative, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings

Arturo Lugo is an architect who, over ten years ago, developed a passion for coatings and supporting the design and construction industry in selecting perfect colors and specifications for projects. Arturo was born and raised in Puerto Rico, graduated Architecture...

Areta Pawlynsky

Senior Principal, Heintges

Areta Pawlynsky, AIA, has overseen complex facades in the United States, Asia, and the Middle East since joining the firm in 1991. Areta is interested in exploring the energy efficiency, technical capabilities, and design potential of cladding materials and systems....

Alexandra Pollock

Chief Technology Officer, Principal, FXCollaborative

As FXCollaborative’s Chief Technology Officer, Alexandra leads the firm’s Digital Practice group, overseeing design technologies, information technologies, and business technologies. Alexandra has been instrumental in the development of digital methodologies and processes, and aims to further improve project delivery through...

Alan Kinder

Regional Architectural Manager - East Coast, Guardian Glass

Alan Kinder is the Regional Architectural Manager covering the East Coast for Guardian Glass. In his current position he leads a team of Architectural Design Managers that work directly with design professionals to assist with project review and provide guidance...

John Krouse

Chairman of the Board, Boston Valley Terra Cotta

John Krouse, Chairman of the Board, Boston Valley Terra Cotta, Founder – Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop John Krouse is the COB of Boston Valley Terra Cotta in Orchard Park, NY, as well as a Ceramic Engineer by trade. Boston Valley...

Danielle Tyson

Architectural Design Manager, Guardian Glass

Danielle Tyson is the Architectural Design Manager covering the New York City area for Guardian Glass. In her current position she works directly with design professionals to assist with project review and provide guidance on glass and glazing selections for...

Brendan Mercier

Façade Manager, Cosentino North America

Brendan Mercier began with Cosentino in 2015 as an architect & design sales manager, selling multiple applications, including facades. In 2017 he took on additional responsibility as the façade application specialist in the Northeast region and in 2019 became the...

Dan Popadynec

Principal | Director, New Construction Façades, SOCOTEC

With over 20 years of building envelope expertise, Mr. Popadynec’sbreadth of his experience spans consulting, design, testing, manufacturing, installation, special inspection and rehabilitation, with a focus primarily on new construction. Assisting clients from the conceptual stages of a project through...

Alberto Alarcon

Marketing Manager, Kuraray America

Alberto is the Global MC leader in the Advanced Interlayer Solutions Division of Kuraray; he is located in New York City and is responsible of the Global Marketing Communications and Americas Downstream Marketing . Alberto, through the Trosifol® and Sentryglas®...

Philipp Hofmann

Managing Partner, Hofmann Façades Group

Philipp Hofmann is the Managing Partner at HOFMANN FAÇADES GROUP. He has over 20 years of experience in the façades and construction industry, gaining knowledge and experience both domestically and abroad in the design, manufacturing, unitization and installation of primarily...

Miguel Silva

UK Head of Specification, Effisus

Miguel Silva has a relevant past experience of more than 20 years in the construction industry covering a wide range of façade systems in the weatherproofing thematic as well as special refurbishment, recladding and remedial works. With over 100 major...

Erik Verboon

Principal & Managing Director, Walter P Moore

Erik Verboon is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Walter P Moore New York office. Trained in both architecture and engineering, Erik brings a deep global experience with a focus on the design of complex and high performance building...

Sameer Kumar

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...

Christoph Timm

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...

Stanley Yee

Building Design and Construction Specialist, Dow

A LEED® Accredited Professional, Stanley is a building design and construction specialist for Dow. He has over 25 years experience in the global building enclosure industry working in curtain wall and exterior cladding contracting, as well as providing construction industry...

Tali Mejicovsky

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...

Roman Schieber

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...

Conference Agenda

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