11-04-2021
Firmwide Promotions 2021
Autumn 2021 has been a season for growth and change at FXCollaborative as we settle into our new office at 1 Willoughby Square, celebrate recent promotions, and name several new directors of growing market sectors, along with a new Chief Operations Officer (COO).
"FXCollaborative believes that our strength is our people, and our team is structured to foster both specialized expertise and cross-disciplinary collaboration. In naming a new COO and new directors of several thriving sectors, as well as promoting individuals across the firm, we further our mission of bringing a comprehensive approach and creative energy to every project."
— Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
We are pleased to announce that Heidi Blau, FAIA, LEED AP, Partner has been appointed FXCollaborative's new COO. Since joining the firm in 2002, Heidi has led large and complex teams through a design process characterized by a culture of collaboration, collegiality, and respect on projects including Covenant House New York and Lincoln Center Redevelopment. Heidi takes pride in creating an inclusive workplace environment and has been recognized as a leading female practitioner by organizations including the Women Builders Council and Professional Women in Construction. As she takes on new leadership responsibilities as COO, Heidi is even more committed to ensuring the firm provides all the opportunities possible for underrepresented constituents to thrive.
NEW DIRECTORS OF GROWING SECTORS
In recognition of FXCollaborative's growing involvement in the Affordable Housing, Interiors, Transportation, and Zoning & Predevelopment sectors, the firm is excited to announce the following new positions:
Stephan Dallendorfer, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP, Partner, has been named Director of Transportation. Stephan plays a diverse leadership role, having served as a senior designer, project director, and Partner-In-Charge on a range of transportation projects. FXCollaborative's depth of experience in the transportation sector includes projects such as the Penn Station Central Concourse, which will re-program and rejuvenate New Jersey Transit's operations, and the recent Penn Station Master Plan, both lead by Stephan.
Wendi Shafran, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal has been named Director of Affordable Housing. Wendi works towards the creation of inspirational and socially conscious spaces that address specific community needs while responding to local context. FXCollaborative's growing affordable housing portfolio includes projects such as La Central, with 992 highly sustainable, affordable residences in the Bronx; Apex Place, which will provide 442 affordable residences in Queens; and The Crossing at Jamaica Station, which serves the Queens community with 667 mixed-income residences.
Kimberley Petredis, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C, Senior Associate has been named Director of Residential Interiors, and Wilfredo Rodríguez-Joglar, AIA, CAAPPR has been named Design Director of Interior Architecture. Together, Kimberley and Wil will guide the continued development of FXCollaborative's interiors practice, building on projects such as Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge & Offices at Moynihan Train Hall, CareOne, and 250 Park Avenue Lobby. Learn more about Kimberley and Wil's expertise and their thoughts on the future of the workplace in this recent FXCollaborative-hosted Metropolis Think Tank.
Benjamin Abelman, AICP LEED GA, Senior Associate, has been named Director of Zoning & Predevelopment. FXCollaborative's robust Zoning & Predevelopment services allow the firm to translate zoning code—the DNA of a building—into building form, maximizing development potential for our clients. At 601 West 29th Street, Ben oversaw a complex ULURP process resulting in the rezoning of a manufacturing site just south of Hudson Yards to become 1 million SF of residential development. Ben also worked with a multi-disciplinary team and The Trust for Governors Island to facilitate rezoning as part of the Governors Island Redevelopment Plan.
PRINCIPALS
Michael Buesing, AIA, LEED AP, CPHD, has been with FXCollaborative for 16 years. Michael's work bridges the design and technical aspects of architecture, seamlessly translating intent to technical documentation to develop a building that is both constructible and inhabitable. With more than 25 years of experience, he is instrumental in the design and coordination of planning, interiors, code, and sustainability strategies. Seeing a project through from its inception to construction has allowed him to ensure that every vision becomes a constructed reality.
Jim Bushong, AIA, LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for 10 years. Jim believes that a great building not only achieves programmatic requirements but also inspires those who use it every day. With experience on significant projects throughout the world, encompassing a wide range of typologies, Jim prides himself on a rigorous design approach and maintaining excellent communication with clients and project teams.
Sara Davis, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2014. With more than twelve years of experience with large educational and mixed-use projects and commercial interiors, Sara is able to facilitate communication between highly specialized groups to advance the expertise of owners, consultants, and contractors within a cohesive design program.
Amy Patel, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. As a licensed architect with an MBA, Amy fulfills a number of diverse roles on large-scale design and construction projects. With an expertise in Building Information Modeling technology and advanced knowledge of sustainability, she is well-versed in data utilization, performance-based design, and high-tech environmental analysis.
SENIOR ASSOCIATES
Tyler Cukar, AICP, LEED AP ND, joined FXCollaborative in 2015. An architect and urban designer, Tyler approaches projects with an eye towards community and interconnectivity, emphasizing the fundamental aspects that shape a place by questioning 'who' in addition to 'what'. He works on some of the firm's largest-scale projects, including regional growth strategies, district revitalizations, high-level reuse strategies, and transit networks and stations.
Ted Lampa, AIA LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for eight years. Ted designs responsive solutions that shape the urban environment in positive ways. With over ten years of experience working on residential, recreational and hospitality projects in New York City and Chicago, he focuses on the user's experience, seeking to enhance what makes a comfortable and beautiful home or workplace.
Iva Zoretic, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, joined FXCollaborative in 2014. Iva views research, discovery, and design as continuously interwoven in an architect's role. Her ability to develop a comprehensive vision is matched by her execution at every level during in-depth collaborations with clients, team members, and consultants. From both a practical and experiential point of view, Iva explores the purpose of buildings and interprets them in design details that encourage the awareness of one's environment through tactility, a sense of comfort, and acoustics.
ASSOCIATES
Daniel Chilcote, NCIDQ, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2016. Daniel is an interior designer for workplace. He starts his engagement with our clients by really understanding their needs—why are they looking to making a change, what do they like or dislike about their existing experiences, and what future business goals they have. He believes these lays the foundation for a strong project narrative, creates transparency and trust, and identifies measures for success.
Christos Constantinou, AIA, LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for five years. Christos is a Job Captain with experience on residential and mixed-use projects of various scales throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. As the BIM manager for his team, he spends his time producing drawing sets and Revit models. His high technical skill makes him frequently sought out by others in the firm to create 3D models from their sketches.
Gavet Douangvichit, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Gavet is an architect who manages projects and teams through documentation and construction and is experienced in addressing the complexities of project delivery. With a background in prefabrication, she values efficient project workflows and well-coordinated designs.
Ram Hidalgo, LEED GA, has been with FXCollaborative for eight years. Ram is a Senior Executive Assistant, serving Dan Kaplan, John Schuyler, Gustavo Rodriguez, Stephan Dallendorfer, Mark Strauss, and Irina Rice.
Jais Kwon, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. As a Sustainability Design Specialist, Jais works with design teams to incorporate sustainable design elements and ideas into projects. Understanding the importance of environmentally conscious building, Jais joins the design team early in the design process to achieve a high standard of building performance. Using sophisticated environmental modeling and analysis tools, paired with new and innovative building techniques, she is able to create optimized design scenarios across scales and typologies.
Frank Lindemann, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, has been with FXCollaborative for six years. Frank is an architect within our Cultural and Educational Studio. As the BIM manager for the studio, he combines his skills in Revit, Rhino, and Grasshopper to create 3D and parametric models to form data driven designs, using the surrounding context to help shape and form the building mass while keeping an eye on sustainability. For the façade design, it allows him to drive decisions on curtainwall panels and materials, seeing what reflections might make the building more interesting to see.
Henry Pemberton, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2016. Henry is a designer focusing on construction administration for high-rise residential projects throughout Manhattan. He ensures coordination between the Construction Manager, the Client, and the consultant team, and helps provide solutions to construction issues that can save time and money, while preserving the quality and intent of the design.
Thomas Reeves, AIA, LEED GA, has been with FXCollaborative for nine years. Thomas is a Designer in our Urban Studio working on a wide scale of projects from prototype houses to large urban gestures. As Job Captain, he is the interface between the project manager, project architect, and the design team to coordinate design and production efforts. He also serves as the team's sustainability leader.
Anna Shtobbe, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Anna is an architectural designer and job captain, spending her time working on high-rise residential buildings. For her, it's not just about creating a space, but creating a home, that she finds most rewarding. Designing for how people live incorporates a number of influences, taking into consideration the demographics of the neighborhood and how generational lifestyles may impact future needs.
Jason Voss, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. Jason has a wide variety of experience, ranging from design, permitting, and construction administration to master planning. He joined FXCollaborative to lead the construction administration effort for a large, mixed-use high rise, though he also has previous experience working on schematic design and construction documentation for various research and academic projects.
Kirsten Youngren, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Kirsten is responsible for overseeing projects through all phases of the design and construction process. With an extensive understanding of building code and zoning, her strengths in technical coordination allow her to skillfully translate design ideas into reality. Focusing on high-end residential, affordable housing, and educational projects, Kirsten coordinates the many layers of each project so that they complement each other, while working out the inevitable kinks.
"FXCollaborative believes that our strength is our people, and our team is structured to foster both specialized expertise and cross-disciplinary collaboration. In naming a new COO and new directors of several thriving sectors, as well as promoting individuals across the firm, we further our mission of bringing a comprehensive approach and creative energy to every project."
— Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
We are pleased to announce that Heidi Blau, FAIA, LEED AP, Partner has been appointed FXCollaborative's new COO. Since joining the firm in 2002, Heidi has led large and complex teams through a design process characterized by a culture of collaboration, collegiality, and respect on projects including Covenant House New York and Lincoln Center Redevelopment. Heidi takes pride in creating an inclusive workplace environment and has been recognized as a leading female practitioner by organizations including the Women Builders Council and Professional Women in Construction. As she takes on new leadership responsibilities as COO, Heidi is even more committed to ensuring the firm provides all the opportunities possible for underrepresented constituents to thrive.
NEW DIRECTORS OF GROWING SECTORS
In recognition of FXCollaborative's growing involvement in the Affordable Housing, Interiors, Transportation, and Zoning & Predevelopment sectors, the firm is excited to announce the following new positions:
Stephan Dallendorfer, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP, Partner, has been named Director of Transportation. Stephan plays a diverse leadership role, having served as a senior designer, project director, and Partner-In-Charge on a range of transportation projects. FXCollaborative's depth of experience in the transportation sector includes projects such as the Penn Station Central Concourse, which will re-program and rejuvenate New Jersey Transit's operations, and the recent Penn Station Master Plan, both lead by Stephan.
Wendi Shafran, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal has been named Director of Affordable Housing. Wendi works towards the creation of inspirational and socially conscious spaces that address specific community needs while responding to local context. FXCollaborative's growing affordable housing portfolio includes projects such as La Central, with 992 highly sustainable, affordable residences in the Bronx; Apex Place, which will provide 442 affordable residences in Queens; and The Crossing at Jamaica Station, which serves the Queens community with 667 mixed-income residences.
Kimberley Petredis, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C, Senior Associate has been named Director of Residential Interiors, and Wilfredo Rodríguez-Joglar, AIA, CAAPPR has been named Design Director of Interior Architecture. Together, Kimberley and Wil will guide the continued development of FXCollaborative's interiors practice, building on projects such as Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge & Offices at Moynihan Train Hall, CareOne, and 250 Park Avenue Lobby. Learn more about Kimberley and Wil's expertise and their thoughts on the future of the workplace in this recent FXCollaborative-hosted Metropolis Think Tank.
Benjamin Abelman, AICP LEED GA, Senior Associate, has been named Director of Zoning & Predevelopment. FXCollaborative's robust Zoning & Predevelopment services allow the firm to translate zoning code—the DNA of a building—into building form, maximizing development potential for our clients. At 601 West 29th Street, Ben oversaw a complex ULURP process resulting in the rezoning of a manufacturing site just south of Hudson Yards to become 1 million SF of residential development. Ben also worked with a multi-disciplinary team and The Trust for Governors Island to facilitate rezoning as part of the Governors Island Redevelopment Plan.
PRINCIPALS
Michael Buesing, AIA, LEED AP, CPHD, has been with FXCollaborative for 16 years. Michael's work bridges the design and technical aspects of architecture, seamlessly translating intent to technical documentation to develop a building that is both constructible and inhabitable. With more than 25 years of experience, he is instrumental in the design and coordination of planning, interiors, code, and sustainability strategies. Seeing a project through from its inception to construction has allowed him to ensure that every vision becomes a constructed reality.
Jim Bushong, AIA, LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for 10 years. Jim believes that a great building not only achieves programmatic requirements but also inspires those who use it every day. With experience on significant projects throughout the world, encompassing a wide range of typologies, Jim prides himself on a rigorous design approach and maintaining excellent communication with clients and project teams.
Sara Davis, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2014. With more than twelve years of experience with large educational and mixed-use projects and commercial interiors, Sara is able to facilitate communication between highly specialized groups to advance the expertise of owners, consultants, and contractors within a cohesive design program.
Amy Patel, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. As a licensed architect with an MBA, Amy fulfills a number of diverse roles on large-scale design and construction projects. With an expertise in Building Information Modeling technology and advanced knowledge of sustainability, she is well-versed in data utilization, performance-based design, and high-tech environmental analysis.
SENIOR ASSOCIATES
Tyler Cukar, AICP, LEED AP ND, joined FXCollaborative in 2015. An architect and urban designer, Tyler approaches projects with an eye towards community and interconnectivity, emphasizing the fundamental aspects that shape a place by questioning 'who' in addition to 'what'. He works on some of the firm's largest-scale projects, including regional growth strategies, district revitalizations, high-level reuse strategies, and transit networks and stations.
Ted Lampa, AIA LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for eight years. Ted designs responsive solutions that shape the urban environment in positive ways. With over ten years of experience working on residential, recreational and hospitality projects in New York City and Chicago, he focuses on the user's experience, seeking to enhance what makes a comfortable and beautiful home or workplace.
Iva Zoretic, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, joined FXCollaborative in 2014. Iva views research, discovery, and design as continuously interwoven in an architect's role. Her ability to develop a comprehensive vision is matched by her execution at every level during in-depth collaborations with clients, team members, and consultants. From both a practical and experiential point of view, Iva explores the purpose of buildings and interprets them in design details that encourage the awareness of one's environment through tactility, a sense of comfort, and acoustics.
ASSOCIATES
Daniel Chilcote, NCIDQ, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2016. Daniel is an interior designer for workplace. He starts his engagement with our clients by really understanding their needs—why are they looking to making a change, what do they like or dislike about their existing experiences, and what future business goals they have. He believes these lays the foundation for a strong project narrative, creates transparency and trust, and identifies measures for success.
Christos Constantinou, AIA, LEED AP, has been with FXCollaborative for five years. Christos is a Job Captain with experience on residential and mixed-use projects of various scales throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. As the BIM manager for his team, he spends his time producing drawing sets and Revit models. His high technical skill makes him frequently sought out by others in the firm to create 3D models from their sketches.
Gavet Douangvichit, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Gavet is an architect who manages projects and teams through documentation and construction and is experienced in addressing the complexities of project delivery. With a background in prefabrication, she values efficient project workflows and well-coordinated designs.
Ram Hidalgo, LEED GA, has been with FXCollaborative for eight years. Ram is a Senior Executive Assistant, serving Dan Kaplan, John Schuyler, Gustavo Rodriguez, Stephan Dallendorfer, Mark Strauss, and Irina Rice.
Jais Kwon, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. As a Sustainability Design Specialist, Jais works with design teams to incorporate sustainable design elements and ideas into projects. Understanding the importance of environmentally conscious building, Jais joins the design team early in the design process to achieve a high standard of building performance. Using sophisticated environmental modeling and analysis tools, paired with new and innovative building techniques, she is able to create optimized design scenarios across scales and typologies.
Frank Lindemann, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, has been with FXCollaborative for six years. Frank is an architect within our Cultural and Educational Studio. As the BIM manager for the studio, he combines his skills in Revit, Rhino, and Grasshopper to create 3D and parametric models to form data driven designs, using the surrounding context to help shape and form the building mass while keeping an eye on sustainability. For the façade design, it allows him to drive decisions on curtainwall panels and materials, seeing what reflections might make the building more interesting to see.
Henry Pemberton, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2016. Henry is a designer focusing on construction administration for high-rise residential projects throughout Manhattan. He ensures coordination between the Construction Manager, the Client, and the consultant team, and helps provide solutions to construction issues that can save time and money, while preserving the quality and intent of the design.
Thomas Reeves, AIA, LEED GA, has been with FXCollaborative for nine years. Thomas is a Designer in our Urban Studio working on a wide scale of projects from prototype houses to large urban gestures. As Job Captain, he is the interface between the project manager, project architect, and the design team to coordinate design and production efforts. He also serves as the team's sustainability leader.
Anna Shtobbe, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Anna is an architectural designer and job captain, spending her time working on high-rise residential buildings. For her, it's not just about creating a space, but creating a home, that she finds most rewarding. Designing for how people live incorporates a number of influences, taking into consideration the demographics of the neighborhood and how generational lifestyles may impact future needs.
Jason Voss, AIA, LEED GA, joined FXCollaborative in 2018. Jason has a wide variety of experience, ranging from design, permitting, and construction administration to master planning. He joined FXCollaborative to lead the construction administration effort for a large, mixed-use high rise, though he also has previous experience working on schematic design and construction documentation for various research and academic projects.
Kirsten Youngren, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, joined FXCollaborative in 2017. Kirsten is responsible for overseeing projects through all phases of the design and construction process. With an extensive understanding of building code and zoning, her strengths in technical coordination allow her to skillfully translate design ideas into reality. Focusing on high-end residential, affordable housing, and educational projects, Kirsten coordinates the many layers of each project so that they complement each other, while working out the inevitable kinks.