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Keynote Speaker:  Joseph Brancato

CCS and the School of Architecture are pleased to announce the Smart Cities MIAMI 2020 Keynote Speaker is Joseph Brancato, FAIA, NCARB, Vice Chairman, Gensler. Joe is a Managing Principal for Gensler’s Northeast and Latin America Regions, with offices in: New York; Morristown, NJ; Boston; Toronto; San José, Costa Rica; São Paulo; Mexico City; and Bogotá consisting of over 1,300 professionals. He is Vice Chairman of the firm’s Board of Directors, for which he sits on the Executive & Governance Committee and the Global Practice Committee.

With vision and focus, Joe has led Gensler into new markets, providing leadership to the architecture, urban planning and design studios. He provides thought leadership and regularly speaks on topics such as the impact of driverless cars and ride-sharing on urban planning and development, designing future cities, experience-driven design, and the urbanization of suburbia. Joe is also active in talent development and mentoring, having shaped Gensler’s gconnect program, which focuses on professional development for next-generation leaders in the firm. Engaged in professional outreach, he is an active member of the AIA (American Institute of Architects), NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Properties), ULI (Urban Land Institute), Urban Design Forum, and CoreNet Global. He is a registered architect in 23 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. Joe holds Bachelor Degrees in Architecture and Urban Studies from the University of Maryland.

Save the date Tuesday, April 2, 2020 and join us on campus at the Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center.

Joseph visited UM in November, 2018 as a guest lecturer in the School of Architecture’s Currents Lecture Series (“a forum for the diversity of voices and interests in an expanded field”). For some insight into the future of smart cities, watch as Joseph shares how Gensler works and the wide variety of projects they are working on:

The 5 major global forces that are impacting cities, businesses, and human experience:

1. Unprecedented Demographic Shifts
2. Technological-Driven Disruption
3. Rapid Urbanization
4. Climate Change
5. Global Volatility and Impact on the Built Environment

Gensler’s MIAMI office is located at 801 Brickell. One of their projects is the “Paseo de la Riviera” going up next door to the Gables One Tower. Gensler operates with a “studio structure” overseeing 215 studios in 48 offices, all working as one company. Studios are small with 15-40 people.

Gensler is a learning organization. They have:

• Talent Programs
• Gensler University
• Gensler Research Institute (gives out grants)
• Design Labs

Co-creating in design labs, Gensler doesn’t do design presentations in conference rooms anymore. They use VR, 3D-printed models, and materials from their Library. As part of the lecture on video above, Joseph presented “Designing Digitally”, which covered their DIGITAL TOOLS:

• Site-Map Generator
• Available Building Area
• Point Cloud from Laser Scan
• Program Adjacent Study
• Shadow Study
• Sunlight Hours Analysis
• Augmented Reality
• Hololens Tour
• 3D Printed Structures
• Digital Fabrication

Gensler is a key player in the evolution of cities. Densification is accelerating: 55% of people live in cities, that will be 70% by 2050 (2 billion more people). The trends reveal a major shift in the work sector: Purpose versus productivity.  “Talent is the new currency.” Every country except India and Africa will have a talent deficit in the future.  Co-working spaces are growing because they are self-directive, collaborative, flexible, and voluntary. It is a workstyle based on mutual trust and the sharing of common core values. Freelancers prefer to be with others in an inspiring office design space.

One project Joseph mentioned was the Waterfront Toronto and Sidewalk Labs partnership (headed Google’s Dan Doctoroff), which is leveraging technology and solving urban problems. Another project is an experimentation with 3D concrete-printed structures. They are also looking going vertical. This process is affordable and greener. There is a concept office building in Dubai that even has some printed furniture.

In summation, Joseph says “People are at the center of design solutions. The best experiences anticipate people’s needs, tap into their emotions, and engage their senses.”