Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism

Well done Davis! Great to see you joining SOM, on the back of the MTBVU experience. Best of luck in your new role! Antony

Great news on the MTBVU 2024-25 student traveling design studio, below.....

I am pleased to announce that I have accepted a position as a Junior Architectural Designer at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) Chicago. This achievement would not have been possible without the support of Jorge Rovira, AIA, Jason Fisher, AIA, and many others from the M.TBVU program at the Illinois Institute of Technology and SOM Chicago. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of my architectural journey. Many thanks for everything the Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism brought to my career and thank you, Antony Wood, Ph.D and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) for creating such a wonderful program. I cannot wait to see what the future holds!

The MTBVU Spring 2024 design studio program was under the instruction of three senior colleagues at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) (who also previously led the Fall 2023 design studio): Scott Duncan, Design Partner; Jorge Rovira, AIA, Senior Associate Principal; and Jason Fisher, AIA, Senior Associate Principal. Themed "Nova Pro Forma Adapt," this studio looked at the downtowns of New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco, and the existing tall buildings that don’t fulfill their original intended potential due to socio-economic shifts and the COVID pandemic. The goal for the students was to address these challenges head-on and transform the existing tall buildings through meticulously crafted action plans, which not only focus on architectural redesign but also incorporate robust business cases for new uses of these structures. See the online report on the MTBVU 2024 Spring Program: https://lnkd.in/dckiB_HH

The IIT College of Architecture’s 2024 Open House, titled “In/Print,” commenced on Friday May 3, 2024, at 5:00 PM in Crown Hall. This year-end exhibition highlights the 2023-24 academic year’s collection of student work, including selected projects from the MTBVU studio “Nova Pro Forma,” led by the world-renowned architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). We welcome you all to visit Crown Hall and enjoy the inspiring work of our students! The digital 2024 Open House will officially launch on Friday May 10, 2024: https://lnkd.in/gN-8z9t Learn more about MTBVU: https://lnkd.in/gU4rgdDN Applications for the MTBVU program are currently being accepted: https://lnkd.in/dS6vN-tZ

With the support of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), a group of students participating in the Illinois Institute of Technology’s (IIT) Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (MTBVU) program traveled to Dubai and Abu Dhabi form 10-16 March 2024. Led by Dr. Yohan Kim, Assistant Director of the MTBVU program, students in the Spring 2024 semester Talking Tall II class had the opportunity to travel and experience a wide range of building and office tours, conversations with industry-leading experts, and urban cultural excursions in both cities. See the online report on the MTBVU trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi: https://lnkd.in/dy2zdkwH CTBUH would like to thank and acknowledge our kind hosts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi:  Abu Dhabi Investment Council Aedas Atlantis The Royal DIAR Consult Foster + Partners Kerzner International Nikken Sekkei Ltd SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences

Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (MTBVU) Field Trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi / Day 5: The MTBVU field trip on March 15 concluded with a captivating tour of the renowned Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi, designed by AHR (formerly Aedas UK). Led by Samir Daoud, Chairman & Principal Design Architect of DIAR Consult and Oliver Bruns, Hospitality/Services Manager of Abu Dhabi Investment Council, the tour provided invaluable insights into the building's features and functionalities, including the innovative dynamic façade controlled in response to the movement of the sun in real time.   This dynamic feature not only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the towers but also significantly reduces solar gain, contributing to energy efficiency and sustainability efforts. In addition to the dynamic façade, the tour highlighted several other features of Al Bahar Towers, such as the spatial efficiency of the design, skyspaces providing occupants with refreshing views and ample natural light, and the integration of design concepts both externally and internally (i.e., Mashrabiya-inspired elements). Many thanks to Samir Daoud, Oliver Bruns, and Susan Leaben for their kind support! #iit #mtbvu #ctbuh

Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (MTBVU) Field Trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi / Day 4: Andrew King, Partner of Foster + Partners, provided an insightful and engaging tour of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi on March 14. The tour commenced with the utilization of electric-powered, driverless pod cars to transport us to the Masdar Institute. Masdar City's integration of passive design strategies to respond to the challenging climatic conditions of Abu Dhabi is indeed commendable (building orientation, solar shading, wind tower etc.). The walkable environment created with packed low-rise buildings, shaded spaces, and natural breezes contributes to a comfortable and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors, despite the harsh climate. While the Masdar City's initial plans haven’t been fully realized yet, the existing Masdar Institute can serve as a promising model, which can be incorporated into the design of future sustainable cities. Many thanks to Andrew King, Shereen Badawi, and Nour Bouresli for their kind support! #iit #mtbvu #ctbuh #fosterpartners

Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (MTBVU) Field Trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi / Day 3: An extensive tour of Atlantis The Royal, Dubai took place on March 13. It is one of the iconic buildings located on the Palm Jumeirah Island. The building designed by KPF features the curvilinear form with voids that provide shaded outdoor spaces allowing breezes pass through.   The tour included multiple types of hotel rooms designed to cater to different preferences and needs, an amenity deck on a skybridge connecting the two buildings, conference spaces, and other public amenities. One of the remarkable aspects of the tour was witnessing the integration of architecture and engineering, resulting in the creation of unprecedented spaces.   Many thanks to Timothy M. Kelly, President of Kerzner International; Stewart Jackson, Vice President of Facilities Atlantis The Royal, and ROHIT SALUNKE, CHFE, Director of Technical Services, Atlantis The Royal, for their kind support! #iit #mtbvu #ctbuh #kerznerinternational

Masters of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (MTBVU) Field Trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi / Day 2: Aedas Dubai Office kindly supported the half-day program on March 12, including the office visit and tour of SLS Dubai. A presentation on SLS Dubai and other Aedas projects was delivered by John Gillen, Executive Director; Rubén Urcola Peláez, Associate Director; Khadije Hamad, Senior Associate Architect; and Nada Elemam, Architectural Associate. The office visit was followed by an extensive tour of SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences, which features rotated units with outdoor terraces to maximize the views of landmarks in Dubai and ensure the privacy simultaneously. We enjoyed exploring various types of units and public amenities. Many thanks to Ignacio Gomez Gonzalez, John Gillen, Rubén Urcola Peláez, Khadije Hamad, Nada Elemam, and Kholud Hamad for their kind support! #iit #mtbvu #ctbuh #aedas