How a Small Practice Can Become a Global Player (1 LU)

Lecture

Sponsored by AIA San Francisco's Small Firms and International Committees

What are the tools, techniques, and design philosophies that allow a relatively small firm to win a four million square foot project in India? As more developing countries are becoming increasingly interested in global design, there are growing opportunities for American architects abroad that span well beyond the frontier of China. This panel will explore how a small practice can become a global practice by spearheading a sophisticated digital design practice. Furthermore, the conversation will spotlight the career of design architect and early digital design pioneer John Marx of Form4 Architecture, who recently published the monograph Wandering the Garden of Technology and Passion, and will feature perspectives from an emerging small practice (RHO Architects), a large global firm (Cannon Design), and a renowned software developer (FormZ).

Panel will be moderated by monograph author Pierluigi Serraino and will include John Marx of Form4 Architecture, Roger Hay of RHO Architects, Carl Hampson of Cannon Design, and Chris Yessios of FormZ. Discussion will be followed by a book signing.

Participant Bios:

John Marx has designed more than 150 buildings in 11 different countries around the world. He has expertise working on a diverse range of complex building types, including corporate campuses, fitness facilities, civic and mixed-use buildings, retail and hospitality projects. He is the recipient of numerous international design competitions and awards, including an AIA Justice National Design Citation for the Klamath County Courthouse; First Place in 2D Graphics at the Bay Area Computer Graphics Exhibit for Globo; and a BACA 9th Annual Exhibition Award of Distinction.

Architect and author Pierluigi Serraino, AIA has written numerous books on architecture, including Eero Saarinen, NorCalMod, and TASCHEN's Modernism Rediscovered. His articles and projects have appeared in Architectural Design, ArcCA, Global Architecture, Hunch, Construire, and Architettura, among other publications. Pierluigi is also a practicing architect and distinguished educator. Prior to opening his independent design practice, Pierluigi worked at Mark Mack Architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Anshen + Allen Architects, working on a variety of residential and institutional projects in the United States and overseas. He has lectured widely on the subject of mid-century modern, architectural photography and digital design.

Chris Yessios is the President and CEO of auto.des.sys, Inc., and Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University. He holds a PhD in Computer Aided Design from Carnegie-Mellon University and his formal education includes a BArch and a Diploma in Law, both from the Aristotelian University in Greece. He taught and researched at The Ohio State University where he was a Professor of Computer Aided Design and Director of the Graduate Program in Computer Aided Architectural Design.

D. Roger Hay is a Principal of RHO, and has developed a reputation for leading the design of architecture and urban design projects nationally, across many states, and internationally, including the countries of Malaysia, Singapore, India, Bangladesh, China, Trinidad and Tobago. His expertise is reflected among numerous building types including; commercial, office, hotels, cultural, educational and health institutions, as well as, varied scales of multi-use developments. Prior to RHO, he has headed design studios at SMP, Smithgroup and Ratcliff.

Carl Hampson, AIA, is an Associate Principal with Cannon Design and the Design Leader of the firm’s Western Region offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. His diverse portfolio includes Healthcare, Science and Technology, Higher Education, Sports and Recreation, and Community Architecture. Through extensive use of communication technologies and digital visualization, he is able to work across multiple office locations on a variety of project types. Mr. Hampson’s design approach emphasizes a creative process that melds together context, program, and theory with clearly defined client goals and objectives. His work has been featured in numerous publications including Digital Architecture, Architectural Record, and Architect, as well as in several exhibitions.

Drawing courtesy of Oana Barac.