William Baker, Consulting Partner, SOM, demonstrating the forces on tall buildings to students participating in the ARCH 572 Tall Building Technologies I course in Fall 2022, as part of the MTBVU program curriculum at IIT.

William Baker, Consulting Partner, SOM, demonstrating the forces on tall buildings to students participating in the ARCH 572 Tall Building Technologies I course in Fall 2022, as part of the MTBVU program curriculum at IIT.

Students learn about the structural systems from building examples designed by SOM, which William Baker presented in the class.

Students learn about the structural systems from building examples designed by SOM, which William Baker presented in the class.

Rachel Deradoorian, Sustainability Engineer, Buro Happold, discussing the greenhouse gas emissions in cities with students in an MTBVU course, entitled "ARCH 572 Tall Building Technologies I."

Rachel Deradoorian, Sustainability Engineer, Buro Happold, discussing the greenhouse gas emissions in cities with students in an MTBVU course, entitled "ARCH 572 Tall Building Technologies I."

As one of the reviewers, Mark Chiu, Associate, Thornton Tomasetti, attended the studio midterm reviews taking place in October 2022.

As one of the reviewers, Mark Chiu, Associate, Thornton Tomasetti, attended the studio midterm reviews taking place in October 2022.

Mehdi Jalayerian, Senior Managing Director, ESD, providing feedback on the MEP aspect of the studio project on which he worked with the students.

Mehdi Jalayerian, Senior Managing Director, ESD, providing feedback on the MEP aspect of the studio project on which he worked with the students.

The studio curriculum included a trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in February 2023. Students toured Safdie Architects’ Surbana Jurong Campus currently under construction in Singapore.

The studio curriculum included a trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in February 2023. Students toured Safdie Architects’ Surbana Jurong Campus currently under construction in Singapore.

Students accompanied by Mun Summ Wong, Founding Partner of WOHA Architects, at the top of one of his residential projects, “SkyVille@Dawson” in Singapore.

Students accompanied by Mun Summ Wong, Founding Partner of WOHA Architects, at the top of one of his residential projects, “SkyVille@Dawson” in Singapore.

Students were given complimentary attendance to the CTBUH 2022 International Conference at the Radisson Blu Aqua Tower, Chicago, from 9-12 November 2022.

Students were given complimentary attendance to the CTBUH 2022 International Conference at the Radisson Blu Aqua Tower, Chicago, from 9-12 November 2022.

Students attended the opening plenary at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, where 800+ delegates were gathered together.

Students attended the opening plenary at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, where 800+ delegates were gathered together.

Students had an opportunity to speak with high-profile experts during coffee breaks between the conference sessions.

Students had an opportunity to speak with high-profile experts during coffee breaks between the conference sessions.

Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang, presenting “The St. Regis Chicago” (formerly Vista Tower) at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago.

Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang, presenting “The St. Regis Chicago” (formerly Vista Tower) at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago.

Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang, answering one of the questions from the audience.

Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang, answering one of the questions from the audience.

During the opening plenary of the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, students had an opportunity to learn about “Planning for Tall Buildings in Toronto,” from James Parakh, Program Manager of Urban Design, City of Toronto Planning Division, who spoke on this.

During the opening plenary of the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, students had an opportunity to learn about “Planning for Tall Buildings in Toronto,” from James Parakh, Program Manager of Urban Design, City of Toronto Planning Division, who spoke on this.

James Parakh, Program Manager of Urban Design, City of Toronto Planning Division, with his colleagues at one of the conference networking receptions.

James Parakh, Program Manager of Urban Design, City of Toronto Planning Division, with his colleagues at one of the conference networking receptions.

Students interacted with Viviana Muscettola, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects, in one of the sessions at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, where she presented.

Students interacted with Viviana Muscettola, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects, in one of the sessions at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, where she presented.

As part of a session at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, James von Klemperer, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox, gave a presentation on “A Supertall Building that Integrates a Dynamic Base: One Vanderbilt Avenue, New York City.”

As part of a session at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago, James von Klemperer, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox, gave a presentation on “A Supertall Building that Integrates a Dynamic Base: One Vanderbilt Avenue, New York City.”

From left: Robert Schiffer, Executive Vice President, SL Green Realty Corp., James von Klemperer, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and Viviana Muscettola, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects in a session, "Best Tall Building Award By Function: Office, Part 1."

From left: Robert Schiffer, Executive Vice President, SL Green Realty Corp., James von Klemperer, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and Viviana Muscettola, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects in a session, "Best Tall Building Award By Function: Office, Part 1."

The multidisciplinary MTBVU advisory and teaching panel, consisting of prominent and distinguished experts in the industry, interacted with MTBVU students throughout the 2022-23 academic year. One of the panel members, William Baker, Consulting Partner, SOM gave the comprehensive presentation, “Tall Building Structural Engineering Principles” as part of the MTBVU “Tall Building Technologies” course. He described structural systems of high-rises and walked through key examples of SOM projects. He is a world-renowned structural engineer for supertall buildings including Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building, and is immensely knowledgeable and passionate about his expertise. Students found his involvement in the MTBVU program excellent and greatly helpful, not only in assisting with their studio projects, but also in thinking about the process of building tall structures.

“The supertall building was invented in the basement of IIT’s Crown Hall, through the work of Fazlur Khan, David Sharpe, and others,” said William Baker, Consulting Partner, SOM.

_{The studio curriculum included a trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in February 2023. Students toured Safdie Architects’ Surbana Jurong Campus currently under construction in Singapore.}

In addition to MTBVU classes at IIT, students had an opportunity to connect with the advisory and teaching panel, as part of a two-week fieldtrip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in February 2023. The students explored some of the major, large-scale projects in Singapore, designed by Moshe Safdie, Founder of Safdie Architects, which included Marina Bay Sands, Surbana Jurong Campus, and the Jewel Changi Airport finding inspiration for their studio project, “Future Timber City.” Furthermore, students enjoyed learning about his vision toward the three-dimensional city and how architecture is informed by geographic, social, and cultural elements.

_{Students accompanied by Mun Summ Wong, Founding Partner of WOHA Architects, at the top of one of his residential projects, “SkyVille@Dawson” in Singapore.}

Mun Summ Wong, the Founding Partner of WOHA Architects, kindly spent an entire day with students, accompanying them as they visited key WOHA-designed projects in Singapore, including Oasia Hotel Downtown, Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel, Newton Suites, SkyVille@Dawson, and Parkroyal on Pickering. He not only visited with the students but also provided an extensive explanation of each project. It was a great opportunity for the students to investigate design strategies for the application of greenery, sky gardens, and skybridges found in the tropical climate, which bring biodiversity into the urban area and build a community within tall buildings. Their experience in Singapore significantly influenced their design schemes of the future timber city and thinking about “future” tall building design.

_{Students were given complimentary attendance to the CTBUH 2022 International Conference at the Radisson Blu Aqua Tower, Chicago, from 9-12 November 2022.}

As part of the studio in the MTBVU program, students were given complimentary attendance to the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, taking place on the theme of “Tall Excellence: Seeking the Ideal in Vertical Urbanism,” at the Radisson Blu Aqua Tower, Chicago, from 9-12 November 2022. This was a four-day, seven-track, professional conference that drew 1000+ of the world’s top owner-developers, architects, engineers, and others from the building industry. Registration typically costs $1,200 per attendee for the four-day event, with its associated networking receptions, workshops, and off-site programs.

_{Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang, presenting “The St. Regis Chicago” (formerly Vista Tower) at the CTBUH 2022 International Conference, Chicago.}

A number of the MTBVU advisory and teaching panel members attended the conference program and had a role as a chair or presenter in various sessions at the conference. Thus, students had a unique experience and learned from these experts on important aspects of vertical urbanism, in an environment of professional peers compared to the less formal presentations in classes at IIT. The session chair and presenters at the conference, as part of the MTBVU advisory and teaching panel, included Jeanne Gang, Founder of Studio Gang; James von Klemperer, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox; Viviana Muscettola, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects; and James Parakh, Program Manager of Urban Design, City of Toronto Planning Division.

The multidisciplinary MTBVU advisory and teaching panel is expected to have a committed and significant involvement in the program’s courses and activities that will help the next generation grow in the world’s first multidisciplinary advanced degree program, focusing specifically on tall buildings and vertical urbanism.