Ismael Soto is an architect and associate at architecture firm Foster + Partners in Los Angeles. Ismael completed his undergraduate architectural studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he currently teaches with their LA Metro program and has also completed a master's in architecture from UCLA. As a practicing architect, Ismael has had experiences globally starting with Coop Himmelb(l)au in Vienna, followed by Zaha Hadid Architects in London, SOM in San Francisco, UNStudio in Amsterdam, 3XN in Copenhagen, RIOS in Los Angeles, and now Foster + Partners here in Los Angeles as well. In this episode, we focus on the design methods, city planning from an interpersonal to computational perspective, and advice to the next generation of architects.

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Julia Sulzer graduated with a Master's in Architecture from ETH Zurich and continued taking an educating role as a design instructor for the Master of Advanced Studies in Urban Design. She has also been pivotal in Zurich’s Office of Urban Planning as the lead director of the Architecture and Urban Space division, successfully overseeing numerous public projects. Currently, Julia is a member of the faculty at the USC School of Architecture and a co-founder of the Co-urbanism group since 2021, committed to incorporating the principle of circularity in architecture.

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Brett Steele is the Dean of the USC School of Architecture. Dean Steele completed his architecture studies at the University of Oregon, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the Architectural Association and has been working as director of architecture schools since 2005. In this episode, we learn more about his prior experiences as a student, educator, architect, and director, his new role at USCArchitecture, and his goals for the program.

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Julia Gamolina is the founder and editor-in-chief of digital magazine, Madame Architect that she began in 2018. Madame Architect has been dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary women in architecture and demonstrating their unique paths as inspiration for young women entering the industry. She is currently working as an Associate Principal and Director of Business Development at architecture firm Ennead in New York. Some of the designs she has worked on include a mixed use project called Frank 57 West designed for The Durst Organization. In this episode, we focus on her experience starting Madame Architect, the transitions from academic to professional practice, as well as her business and strategy approach to architecture.

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Hana Kassem is an architect and principal at architecture firm KPF. Hana completed her architecture studies at Rhode Island School of Design and has been working at KPF for over 20 years. She continues to explore the user and human dialogue with the built environment in her projects around the world.

Hana has developed the design for the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, which provides space for academic research and innovation. One of her ongoing projects is the design of the Red Hook Houses Resiliency and Recovery project for NYCHA, focused on engaging the community to produce resilient housing for the communities in Red Hook affected by climate disasters.

For this episode, we will be focusing on the mediation of climate change in new projects that urge profound attention to wellness and human engagement.

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Elie Gamburg is an architect and partner at architecture firm KPF. Some of the designs he has worked on include the Songdo Master Plan, the Boston Seaport Square Master Plan, and Boston Channel Side. Elie has been dedicated to creating innovative designs and has channeled his focus on urban context and sustainability in each project. In this episode, we focus on the user and planning aspects of architecture, while also examining how they converge to promote innovation. We will explore how each of these aspects takes place by focusing on the Songdo South Korea Master Plan and the Boston Seaport Square Master Plan.

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Alfonso Femia est un architecte et urbaniste Italien. Il a travaillé sur le réaménagement de zones urbaines et de bâtiments importants dans les principales villes italiennes et étrangères : Milan, Rome, Turin, Venise, Florence, Gênes, Alger, Istanbul et Le Caire. Il est le créateur et co-fondateur du studio 5+1 en 1995, devenu 5+ 1 AA en 2005 puis Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia en 2017. Monsieur Femia a gagné de nombreuses compétitions internationales et son travail est publié dans les magazines d’architecture mondiaux.

Alfonso Femia is an Italian architect and urban planner. He has worked on the redevelopment of urban areas and important buildings in major Italian and foreign cities: Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Florence, Genoa, Algiers, Istanbul and Cairo. He is the creator and co-founder of the 5 + 1 studio in 1995, which became 5+ 1 AA in 2005 and then Atelier (s) Alfonso Femia in 2017. Mr. Femia has won numerous international competitions and his work is published in global architecture magazines.

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Micheal Tomlan is the director of the graduate program in historic preservation planning at Cornell University. Tomlan serves as a project director for the National Council for Preservation Education; and president of Historic Urban Plans and as chair to the Senior Board of Advisers to the Global Heritage Fund focusing on projects in Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America. He has also contributed to projects abroad for the World Monuments Fund, the J. Paul Getty Trust, as well as domestic redevelopments.

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