Since the M.TBVU program was officially launched in fall 2022, several professors (i.e., Program Director and Assistant Director) and external experts (i.e., SOM architects) have taught the high-rise studio in the M.TBVU program. See more information on the design studio tutors and links to the student work for the academic years, 2022-24, below.
Scott Duncan, Design Partner, SOM
Throughout his 22-year tenure at SOM, Scott Duncan has developed a body of work recognized by The American Institute of Architects, the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, MIPIM Asia, and the World Architecture Festival. His work has been featured in numerous national and international publications. An expert in tall building design, his extensive experience in the design and implementation of complex projects around the world includes large-scale mixed-use, transportation, commercial, hospitality, and residential developments. Mr. Duncan’s most recent projects include 600 Lonsdale, a mixed-use tower with a dynamic stack of programs in Melbourne; WeBank, a headquarters for China’s first online-only bank; One Bangkok, a sustainable, mixed-use neighborhood in Thailand; 400 North Lake Shore Drive, a new residential development serving as a symbolic gateway to Chicago; and two new satellite concourses at O’Hare International Airport.
Jorge Rovira, Associate Principal & Studio Head, SOM
Jorge Rovira is a Associate Principal and Studio Head in the Chicago office of Skidmore Owings and Merrill. From concept to construction, he is responsible for leading multiple project teams with a focus on the craft, technology and detailing of architectural systems. Jorge's passion for sophisticated building enclosures, technological advances in AI and machine learning, and smart building with integrated digital twins results in cutting edge projects. Emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration and an innovative approach to projects, Jorge demonstrates his strong commitment to a humanistic, integral approach to Architecture and Engineering. Jorge's professional experience includes large scale mixed-use, complex supertall towers, as well as unique civic projects in diverse geographic markets spanning the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and China.
Jason Fisher, Associate Principal & Studio Head, SOM
Jason Fisher is an Associate Principal and Design Studio Head in the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Throughout the course of a project, he is responsible for leading the overall design vision of the project from concept to detailing of architectural systems. He collaborates and develops design concepts with the project design team, engineers, and various consultants to lead a successful project team. Utilizing the latest technology and design tools, Jason demonstrates an innovative approach to design and a passion for design excellence at various scales. His experience includes large-scale, mixed-use projects including office, hotel, and retail in addition to a number of unique cultural projects.
Antony Wood, Director, M.TBVU, IIT; President, CTBUH
Dr. Antony Wood is President of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), responsible for leading the Council’s thought leadership, research, and academic initiatives. Prior to this, he was CTBUH Chief Executive Officer, from 2006-2022. Wood is a Professor-in-Practice and Director of the Masters in Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism program in the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago; and a visiting professor of tall buildings at Tongji University, Shanghai. A UK architect by training, his field of specialization is the design, and in particular the sustainable design, of tall buildings. Prior to becoming an academic, Wood worked as an architect in practice in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and the UK, between 1991-2001. Wood’s PhD dissertation explored the multi-disciplinary aspects of skybridge connections between tall buildings. He is the author of numerous books and papers, and lectures regularly around the world.
Yohan Kim, Assistant Director, M.TBVU, IIT; Academic Coordinator, CTBUH
Dr. Yohan Kim is Assistant Director of the Masters in Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism program in the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and Academic Coordinator at Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). Kim’s research centers on high-performance building façades, natural ventilation in tall office buildings, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and analysis. His doctoral dissertation, entitled “The Feasibility of Double-Skin Façades (DSFs) to Provide Natural Ventilation in Tall Office Buildings,” investigates the impact of DSF configurations on indoor airflow behavior in tall office buildings and the integration of computational simulation into the design process. His areas of interest include sustainable tall buildings, performance-based façade design, double-skin façades, natural ventilation, parametric design studies, and CFD simulation.
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