THE LARGEST
BUSINESS OF
ARCHITECTURE
SYMPOSIUM IN THE WORLD
WHEN -
1 - 3 NOVEMBER, 2022
WHERE-
ON ZOOM EVENTS!
WITH-
MAIN SPONSOR -
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 -
Ben van Berkel-
founder at UNStudio
UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION AS A
DRIVING FORCE OF CHANGE.
Ben van Berkel studied architecture at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and at the Architectural Association in London, receiving the AA Diploma with Honours in 1987.
In 1988 he and Caroline Bos set up UNStudio, an architectural practice in Amsterdam. With UNStudio he realised amongst others the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Arnhem central Station in the Netherlands, the Raffles City mixed-use development in Hangzhou, the Canaletto Tower in London, a private villa up-state New York and the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
In 2018 Ben van Berkel founded UNSense, an Arch Tech company that designs and integrates human-centric tech solutions for the built environment.
Ben van Berkel has lectured and taught at many architectural schools around the world. From 2011 to 2018 he held the Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor's Chair at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he led a studio on health and architecture. In 2017, Ben van Berkel also gave a TEDx presentation about health and architecture. In addition, from 2017 to 2021 he was a member of the Taskforce Team / Advisory Board Construction Industry for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Winka Dubbeldam-
founder at Archi-Tectonics
How We decided to not Grow and why?
Dutch-American architect and academic. After her education in architectural design at Columbia University, she established her own firm, Archi-Tectonics (with 15 employees), in 1994 in New York City. Her use of a combination of sustainable materials, innovative and inventive building methods with adoption of digital techniques has rewarded her with many accolades for her architectural projects.[3][4] She has earned a reputation as a leading figure in modern architectural designs which has also made her “a real estate newsmaker”. She is a Professor and Chair of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the RIBA External Examiner for the Bartlett UCL London.
Kimberly Dowdell-
Marketing Principal at HOK
Diversity and inclusion in the
work ENVIRONMENT
Kimberly is on the board of directors of the Architects Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the AIA. She also sits on the board of the Chicago Area Central Committee (CCAC), which works to shape the city’s growth, equity and quality of place. She is a board member of Ingenuity Chicago, which increases arts education access, equity and quality.
Kimberly is the past president (2019-2020) of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects Council (NOMAC), which is the organisations highest level of recognition.
Michael Drobnik-
Lead Design Technologies at Herzog & de Meuron
Design Technology and client relations.
Michael was appointed Associate in 2020. In his new role, Michael will lead Herzog & de Meuron’s efforts in BIM and coordinate discussions on the digital future of the architectural profession. Michael (b. 1979, Germany) joined Herzog & de Meuron as BIM Manager in 2014. He received his architecture degree in 2007 from the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the TH Karlsruhe, Germany. Until then, he had already gained practical experience in Amsterdam and New York. In 2007 Michael joined prpm Architekten + Stadtplaner in Munich where he was able to apply computational design and BIM in all phases, from competitions to construction management.
Ammar Al Assam
CEO, Dewan Architects + Engineers
Metaverse for engineers and architects
Ammar Al Assam is the Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Dewan Architects + Engineers, a leading multidisciplinary architectural design firm. In 2003, Ammar joined the firm as Director of Business Development and has held various roles within the firm. He was appointed CEO in 2016.
Ammar has transformed Dewan, overseeing a multi-year strategy to improve profitability and position the firm to seize new opportunities in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. During his tenure, he has led a rapid expansion of the firm into new markets, winning new business and forging strategic partnerships
to enhance the firm’s services. In 2021, Ammar spearheaded Dewan’s expansion into Egypt, opening an office in Cairo, enabling closer collaboration with clients and creating new business opportunities. In 2002, he also oversaw Dewan’s expansion in Southeast Asia, opening an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to meet increasing demand for the firm’s services and to provide a strategic hub for future expansion in the region. Ammar has been instrumental in turning Dewan into a technology-driven design
firm, improving operational performance and service delivery. He is also a key driver of the firm’s Web 3.0 strategy, which includes investing in building a metaverse and fostering collaboration with other firms. Today, under his leadership, Dewan has grown to employ over 500 people across eight offices in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Southeast Asia, and is widely recognised by leading industry publications as one of the world’s top international design firms.
Andy Watts- Director of Design Technology at Grimshaw
AN OPEN APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY
As Grimshaw’s Director of Design Technology, Andy oversees the application and exploration of innovative technological approaches across the practice’s global studios. Driving forward a digital transformation across Grimshaw, Andy spearheads the implementation of computational design, BIM, virtual and augmented reality technology, data-driven intelligence and DfMA in design projects across sectors and scales. In addition to integrated project work, Andy and his team also lead Grimshaw’s research and innovation agenda, carrying out leading-edge practice-based studies into digital technology, engaging with the wider industry and discourse. Andy is also on the organising committee for the London VR/AR User Group which offers a platform to share Grimshaw’s leading knowledge in the field of VR with other architectural firms.
Marzia Bolpagni -
Associate Director at MACE
Industry 4.0 for the Built Environment
Marzia works as Head of Building Information Modelling (BIM) International at Mace where she develops and implements digital construction solutions for public and private international clients in five international hubs. She holds a PhD in ICT and Smart Construction and she is passionate in filling the gap between industry and academia. She is glad to be a member of the
BIMExcellence Initiative, Assistant Editor of the BIM Dictionary
where she coordinates more than 120 volunteers worldwide, Ambassador of the UK BIMAlliance and Expert at the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) TC 442 where she chairs a Task Group on information requirements standardisation (Level of Information Need), an evolution from the concept of “LOD”. She is lead author of the Level of Information Need standard EN 17412-1, Chair of EC3 Modelling and Standards Committee, Honorary Lecturer at UCL The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction and Visiting Professor at Northumbria University. She is also founder of Italians in Digital Transformation Uk, she loves sharing her knowledge with students and she is often invited as keynote speaker at academic and industrial events. She received several awards for her activities including Young Engineer of the Year and the Sir George Macfarlane Medal as overall winner by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Emerging Professional of the Year, Woman of the Future in 2021 and InspiringFifty 2021 and 2022.
Dimitris Karampatakis-
founder at K-Studio
The Architecture of wellness: becoming the go to expert
in your niche
As a co-founder and director of a Greek Architecture and Design Firm, Dimitris began his career whilst completing his studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture. The early works brought him back to Athens and over the following years, in partnership with his brother Konstantinos, the studio took shape and began to build a reputation for a totally context based approach to design.
“We take the time to consider the whole story of each project, regardless of scale, location or use. Successful design works in harmony with its context and responds appropriately and energetically to the brief.”
Christian Robert- Director at OFFICEUNTITLED
Creating a Diverse Design Culture to Deliver the UnexPected
Christian Robert has been pushing the boundaries of design for more than 20 years. With an aesthetic and environmental awareness informed by his European upbringing and education, his work balances modernism and a playful spirit that’s grounded in West Coast culture with strong desire to transform existing expected typologies.
Since co-founding the firm in 2013, Christian has led a series of boutique and large hospitality and multifamily residential projects including the 37 luxury condominium “The Harland”, the 150-key Woodlark Hotel and the iconic 200 key 9034 Sunset Hotel tower, slated to open in 2023, as well as the design of all worldwide innovation centers for Boston Consulting Group – Digital Ventures.
Fabio Roberti- Regional Practice Technology Leader at HKS
Information Management to
Increase Productivity.
Fabio Roberti is a Regional Practice Technology Leader (EMEA) and Associate at HKS Architects, where he develops and implements the digital strategy to consolidate processes and workflows to enhance project deliverables. He supports BIM processes in innovative ways to improve technology adoption with a thorough understanding of British Standards and the ISO 19650 framework and has many years of experience using Revit across all design stages. He holds a Master’s degree in Architecture, the Autodesk Revit Architecture Professional Certificate, and a BIM Level 2 Certificate from BRE Academy.
Christina Zweig Niehues -
Director at Zweig Group
AEC WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE.
Christina Zweig Niehues has a long history of involvement with management consulting and the AEC industry. She has held a number of roles at Zweig Group, including writing and researching for The Zweig Letter, and civil + structural ENGINEER magazine. She’s the firm’s Director of Research & E-commerce as well as the leader of the marketing consulting division.
Christina has a passion for online marketing and has worked with many AEC Firms to find the best processes and methods to drive new and repeat business for their individual organisations. Her marketing experience also includes work at The Sustainability Consortium, as a licensed Real Estate Agent, and she runs a horse boarding and training operation for off the track thoroughbreds. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas.
Nikos Nikolopoulos- Founder at Creative Lighting
A vision of creative education?
Nikos has risen to the top of his industry as a creative director and educator. His editorials have appeared in ArchDaily, Dezeen and 3D World Magazine. In addition, Nikos has been the main archviz instructor for some of the world’s top architects, designers and visualisation studios, including Foster + Partners, Make Architects, Perkins & Will, Kilograph, Pureblink and more. His unique cinematic approach to lighting is shared in the CG community globally through masterclasses, workshops and live events.
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.
Scott Rawlings- Z by HP, AEC and M&E, HP Inc
Drive Business Agility and Productivity in the Age of Hybrid Work (Part 1)
Scott has been fortunate to pursue a life-long passion to enable creative expression through technology. He’s worked with teams who pioneered flight simulation, non-linear video and multi-media, human-computer interaction for visual arts, and virtual and mixed reality for a wide variety of professional solutions, including AEC. He’s part of a talented HP team with the tremendous opportunity to enrich the lives of others through workflow solutions that will help transform the way we work.
Ken Hauck- Teradici Industry Strategy,
AEC and Manufacturing, HP
Drive Business Agility and Productivity in the Age of Hybrid Work (Part 2)
Ken Hauck manages AEC and Manufacturing industry strategy and business development for Teradici solutions at HP. Working with partners, he builds solutions around the portfolio of Teradici products to provide powerful remote display capabilities to users of highly graphical interactive applications.
In architecture and engineering, the need to access highly performant 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. This is the new hybrid work economy that can result in a more agile and successful business for you too.
Discussion and demo will cover how accelerated computing and remote visualization are meeting the needs of demanding roles in your industry and you’ll see these tools in action. You’ll learn how remote work technologies can drive greater efficiencies in creative design, free you to hire regardless of employee location, save your business money and increase security of your invaluable IP.
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 -
Zweig Group is the leading research, publishing, and advisory services resource for firms in the AEC industry. With industry performance metrics shattering all-time records, there’s never been a better time to be in this profession. There’s also never been a better time to be running an AEC firm – and that’s where Zweig Group can help. With a vision to Elevate the Industry™, Zweig Group’s mission is to be the leaders in driving performance and purpose for the AEC industry. Driven by the latest data and case studies from the highest performing firms in the industry, Zweig Group equips you with the tools and resources you need to be even more successful. We’re in the relationship business. We take time to know you and your firm and are committed to understanding – and providing solutions – to the challenges you face on a daily basis, this is why we are supporting Disrupt Symposium as we know that you come here to elevate your business game.
Chad Clinehens, President and CEO at Zweig Group.
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 -
