Buildings 2.0

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Rutger Huiberts, Design Director at KPF, shares his journey to leading innovative architectural projects worldwide, including the influence Japanese design principles have had on his own ideas and the value of beauty, art, and preservation in even the most data-driven processes. 

Rutger also reflects on the importance of designing cities on a human scale and the integration of data-driven approaches in modern architecture. He discusses the practicalities of translating these philosophies into everyday work, from virtual meetings to on-site visits.

Topics discussed:

• The importance of designing cities and buildings with a focus on human needs and uses, making spaces livable and interactive.

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, I spoke with Cortney Koenig Worrall, President and CEO of Waterfront Alliance, who talks about the importance of consulting help, the catalysts and turning points of climate change that apply to the building industry, and the significance of the Waterfront Edge Design guidelines. 

Cortney emphasizes the positive impacts of collaborative efforts from not only the building and real estate industry but from all fields to implement the systemic changes we need to see to become more sustainable and mitigate climate change impacts. She also touches on the future outlook of housing, work, and parks in the next 50 years.

Topics discussed:

• Historical context of climate change awareness, with a spotlight on Hurricane Sandy's impact on New York and New Jersey.

In our recent episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Jason Ivaliotis, AIA, Architecture & Design Expert, who shares how he both practices and teaches the integration of digital tools like VR and BIM to enhance communication and design processes between his team and the contractors they work with. 

Jason also emphasizes the importance of understanding social contexts and reflects on the evolving nature of architecture towards mixed-use buildings and adaptive reuse projects.

Topics discussed:

• Integration of digital tools like VR and BIM for enhanced communication and design processes between architects, contractors, and clients.

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Blima Ehrentreu, Founder and CEO of The Designers Group (TDG). She shares the firm's approach to incorporating AI in design processes for innovative solutions to even the most complex of spaces. 

Blima also emphasizes the importance of designing spaces not just for aesthetics but also for functionality, sustainability, and the overall experience of the people who are going to use them. The discussion also touches on adapting to the changing workplace landscape, balancing virtual collaboration with in-person interactions, and TDG's commitment to giving back to the community.

Topics discussed:

• How education and having a strong sense of the fundamentals is crucial, but experience is also very important.

In our recent episode of the Buildings 2.0 podcast, Jose speaks with Robin Elmslie Osler, Principal and Creative Director at Arcadis, as they explore the interweaving of creativity, architecture, and design. From the intersection of generations to the power of storytelling and technology in shaping human-centered spaces, Robin shares her insights into the enduring principles of successfully creating immersive spaces.

She also talks about the delicate balance between technology and the human element of inspiration and innovation and how she helps her team harness both. 

Topics discussed:

• The influence of Robin’s family background on career choices in architecture and design.

In this special episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Michael Cohen, President, Tri-State Region, Colliers. Michael shares valuable lessons his mentor taught him, how a building owner might think differently about their building depending on its classification, and the metamorphosis he is seeing in New York. 

He also discusses emerging trends in how landlords in the area are trying to get creative with how they use their spaces and how technology will never replace human brokers.

Topics discussed:

• The day-to-day of a broker: it's a juggling act and a little like triage.

In this special episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Thomas Czerniawski, PhD, Applied Machine Learning Scientist at Integrated Projects, about the intersection of raw information and digital technology. 

They also discuss the role of reality capture in building information modeling and their building information modeling tool, for which they have received a provisional patent. Thomas also reflects on his own journey to becoming a machine learning scientist from his start as an engineer and gives the advice to "seek moments of stewardship" that future generations will be thankful for.

Topics discussed:

• The intersection of raw information and digital technology: how the latter helps analyze the information.

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Sales Manager Heather Fisher and Building Incentives Manager Michael Royster at Corporate Tax Advisors about cost segregation. They discuss what cost seg is, the benefits and challenges, and when a building owner should look into it for themselves. 

Topics discussed:

• What is cost segregation and who it might apply to. 

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Serge Reda, Co-Founder at AlphaRithm AI and Chair of Fordham REI Technology Committee. They discuss technology and data science within the commercial real estate industry and how using programming tools like Python can help stitch together disparate SaaS applications. They also talk about how early adopters today will set the standards for doing business tomorrow, the need for specialized tools leveraging AI and machine learning, and how the industry can unlock the insights in dormant data sets.

Topics discussed:

• Why technology is the future of the commercial real estate industry, and why its competitive advantage today will become business as usual tomorrow.

In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Patrick Chopson, Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer at cove.tool. They discuss the changes the architecture industry needs to encourage innovation, training, and new software, as well as how to rethink SaaS subscription models. They also discuss the current trend in computational building, what regulations are encouraging reduced carbon buildings, and how AI can serve as a consultant.

Topics discussed:

• How architectural design has vacillated between performance and aesthetic, and how the current trend is computationally deriving a building.