Wednesday
12 March
WELCOME TO FACADES+ WASHINGTON DC!
The Architect’s Newspaper is celebrating 13 Years of Facades+ Conferences. We are thrilled to welcome both new attendees and longtime facades fanatics to today’s dynamic event. We bring fresh and relevant programming to each city, and have an exceptional group of projects, people, and expertise for you to learn about today.
Facades+ Washington D.C. brings together top professionals from the worlds of design, engineering, fabrication, and construction to consider how high-performance envelopes are evolving and transforming D.C.’s built environment, and are responding to changing codes, climates, technologies, and client needs.
I’d like to thank our amazing conference co-chairs, Vaki Mawema and JJ Rivers of Gensler, who have brought together today’s program of design leaders. We invite you to connect with the presenters and your peers during networking breaks in the Methods+Materials Gallery and after the event.
Please get to know our sponsors exhibiting in the Methods+Materials Gallery today and learn how they will help you shape the future of facade design and technology.
Has Facades+ struck a chord with you? Have a look at our upcoming events held in 14 cities across the U.S. & Canada. Visit our website to learn more about our other events and additional opportunities to earn your CEU's.
We are eager to hear from you about how we might improve the Facades+ experience. Talk to us. And please spread the word—help us to continue to grow the Facades+ dialogue and community.
All the best,
Diana Darling CEO & Creative Director, AN Media Group
CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS
TREVOR SCHILLACI Senior Program Associate, AN Media Group
DIANA DARLING CEO / Creative Director, AN Media Group
MARTY WOOD VP of Events, AN Media Group
DIONNE DARLING VP of Brand Partnerships, AN Media Group
AGENDA
(TIMES IN EST)
8:00 AM CHECK-IN & BREAKFAST | Methods + Materials Gallery
9:30 AM WELCOME: Diana Darling | The Architect’s Newspaper
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION:
9:40 AM
Vaki Mawema | Gensler
JJ Rivers | Gensler
PANEL A High-Performance Building for a High-Performance Brand: Under Armour’s New Global HQ
Presenters:
9:45 AM
10:30 AM
Robert Blabolil | Gensler
Kathy Blessington | Under Armour
SPOTLIGHT Materiality & Urban Scale: The T. Rowe Price Headquarters
Presenters:
Jeffery Kenoff | KPF
Greg Mell | KPF
Max Beatty | Beatty Development
11:00 AM METHODS + MATERIALS BREAK
SPOTLIGHT Capital One Hall: A Return to Marble Veneer
Presenters:
11:30 AM
12:00 PM
Nat Madson | HGA
Alex Terzich | HGA
PANEL Build Better: Improving Building Skins
Presenters:
Mike Augustine | SAFTIFIRST®
Melody Shears | Longboard Architectural Products
Michelle Pearson | YKK AP
12:45 PM NETWORKING LUNCH
1:45 PM TABLE TALKS: PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING SESSION
PANEL Fabrication Futures: Advances in Materials for Building Envelope
Excellence
Presenters:
2:30 PM
Aaron Alterman | STI Specified Technologies
Andrew Pries | Boston Valley Terra Cotta
Dakota Jones | Kingspan Panels
AGENDA
3:15 PM METHODS + MATERIALS BREAK
ROUNDTABLE Bio-Based Materials and Low Carbon Solutions Presenters:
Jack Becker | BLDUS
3:45 PM
4:30 PM
Katie MacDonald | After Architecture
Kyle Schumann | After Architecture
Aïda Ayuk | Eskew Dumez Ripple
PANEL Natural Allusions: The Australian Embassy’s Copper Facade Presenters: John W. Chapman | KCCT
John Jackson | SGH
Earl Patrick | Enclos
5:15 PM CLOSING REMARKS
5:20 PM
Diana Darling | The Architect’s Newspaper WI-FI
COCKTAIL RECEPTION
NETWORK: Westin_Conferences CODE: facadesplus
2025 WORKSHOPS SCHEDULE
Southwest - Mar 13 West - Mar 19
Pacific Northwest - Apr 2 Northeast - Apr 30 Southeast - Jun 18
Mid-Atlantic - Jul 16 Midwest - Aug 6 Mountain States - Aug 13
Tri-State - Sep 10
Southwest - Oct 8
Southeast - Oct 15 West - Nov 5
Pacific Northwest - Nov 19
Northeast - Dec 10 Northeast - Dec 11
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SPEAKERS
CO-CHAIRS
JJ RIVERS
Principal and Studio Director / Gensler
JJ Rivers is a Principal, Studio Director, and Mixed Use & Retail Centers Leader for the Southeast region based in Gensler’s Washington, D.C. office. A multi-award-winning architect, he is sought after in the market for his versatile project expertise spanning mixed-use development, sports & entertainment, master planning, and retail. JJ manages over 50 talented professionals, with his leadership inspiring his colleagues who share a mission to create a sustainable future by designing diverse experiences. His immense impact on advancing resilient design and development can be seen throughout his portfolio leading multiple net-zero designs on some of the largest projects in the nation. He holds a Master of Architecture and Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland.
VAKI MAWEMA
Principal and Co-Managing Director / Gensler
As Co-Managing Director of Gensler Baltimore, Vaki has created a team-based design culture that embodies creative passion, innovation, and rigor. His work focuses on experiential, branded environments for retail centers, mixed-use, and hospitality projects, showcasing his technical acumen and commitment to design excellence from project visioning all the way through construction administration. Vaki is wellknown within the commercial real estate industry as an expert and thought leader in design as well as business leadership. Vaki’s leadership extends through his role as co-chair of Gensler’s Global Race and Diversity Committee and being named a Leader in Diversity by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2021. Vaki has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
AARON ALTERMAN
Curtain Wall & Facade Specialist / STI Specified Technologies
Curtain Wall & Facade Specialist for the Strategic Accounts Division of STI Specified Technologies, covering the central United States and Canada. Aaron joined STI Specified Technologies in 2015 and has over 30 years of experience in construction materials. He has conducted firestop trainings for STI, The International Firestop Council and to a variety of groups including; architects, engineers, consultants, code officials, inspectors and all types of trades. He is certified at Level 2 of Firestop Instructional Training (FIT II).
MIKE AUGUSTINE
Director of Architectural Promotion / SAFTIFIRST ®
Mike Augustine has over 20 years of experience in the architectural glazing industry. As the Director of Architectural Promotion at SAFTIFIRST ®, he brings his extensive knowledge and expertise of fire rated glazing systems and fenestration in general when working closely with architects, specifiers, glazing contractors and code officials. Mike is a dynamic presenter and speaker who has been delivering the company’s AIA-registered presentation to various architecture firms, AIA local chapters, CSI local chapters, and at other architectural and glazing industry events.
1200 17th Street, Washington, DC
Architect: ZGF
Contractor: Modern Mosaic LTD.
General Contractor: Balfour Beatty
Owner/Developer: Akridge Company
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AÏDA AYUK
SPEAKERS
Sustainable Design Coordinator / Eskew Dumez Ripple
Aida Ayuk is the Sustainable Design Coordinator at Eskew Dumez Ripple, where she leads sustainability efforts firmwide. Specializing in the integration of sustainable, healthy, and equitable design strategies, Aida coordinates pledge commitments, facilitates design charrettes, and identifies opportunities for impactful solutions. She collaborates closely with project teams to build internal capacity and ensure a shared foundation in sustainability, health, and equity across all design decisions.
MAX BEATTY
Director of Operations / Beatty Development
As the Director of Operations for Beatty Development, Max oversees the firm’s development activities from initial concept through completion. Max drives the design of each project, and his experience in retail and hospitality development puts the end-user at forefront of the process. Prior to joining Beatty Development, Max worked for JLL as an Associate Project Manager. Max graduated from Kenyan College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts and later earned his Master of Science degree in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
JACK BECKER
Principal & Founder / BLDUS
Jack Becker is a principal and founder of BLDUS, a DC-based architecture and development practice that operates throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, making architecture that connects past with future, modernity with tradition, and humanity with nature. Jack is a fourth-generation licensed architect, with a B.Arch from Cornell University and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard GSD. He has been honored with a 2023 AR Vanguard Award, a 2021 AIA Young Architect Award, and a 2019 Young Architect Award from The Architect’s Newspaper.
ROBERT BLABOLIL
Senior Associate / Gensler
Robert (Bobby) Blabolil is an accomplished architect at Gensler, known for his innovative approach and keen attention to detail. With expertise spanning design, documentation, and construction administration, he excels at navigating complex projects from inception to completion. Bobby has led a wide variety of high-profile projects across sectors like commercial office, mixeduse, residential, and repositioning. Passionate about sustainable design and smart technologies, Bobby frequently contributes to industry discussions, shaping the future of architecture and urban development.
KATHY BLESSINGTON
VP of Real Estate / Under Armour
With over three decades of leadership in corporate real estate, Kathy has shaped real estate strategies for some of the world’s most respected organizations, including Fidelity Investments, The Coca-Cola Company, and now Under Armour, where she serves as Head of Global Corporate Real Estate. In this role, Kathy leads a global team focused on developing strategies that align real estate with broader business goals—driving value through clear strategic management of data and analytics, facilities and operations management, thoughtful design and project delivery, and financial portfolio oversight.
JOHN W.
CHAPMAN
President | Principal / KCCT
A founding principal of KCCT, John Chapman is a leading authority on US diplomatic design worldwide, borne out through an extensive portfolio of secure, sustainable facilities for government, institutional, and private clients and diplomatic, military, intelligence, and transportation market sectors. He guides the firm’s overarching business strategy, planning, and development initiatives, while maintaining a lead design role on multiple national and international projects each year.
JOHN JACKSON
Associate Principal / SGH
John Jackson applies his creative and technical skills to design and engineer innovative enclosure systems. With experience in diverse projects both domestically and abroad, he specializes in curtain walls, custom glazing systems, structural glass, and glass investigations. He has managed complex building enclosure design projects for governmental buildings, including the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC, and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Beyond his work in building enclosure design, John leads SGH’s Glass and Glazing Systems.
DAKOTA JONES
Business Development Manager / Kingspan Panels
Dakota Jones is a Business Development Manager at Kingspan Insulated Metal Panels with a Master’s degree in Architectural Building Sciences. Passionate about sustainable envelope design, he specializes in connecting clients with high-performance materials that promote energy efficiency and climate-conscious solutions. Dakota is dedicated to advancing building practices that prioritize sustainability while delivering innovative, high-performance designs.
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SPEAKERS
JEFFERY KENOFF
Principal / KPF
Jeff views each project as an opportunity to better connect the city, as he believes the integration of buildings with their surrounding urban fabric is pivotal to success. Driven by his commitment to creating spaces that positively contribute to the greater community, Jeff led the designs of Huamu Lot 10 – The Summit in Shanghai, which features cultural programming activated by a central plaza; T. Rowe Price Headquarters in Baltimore, which reimagines a brownfield site into a pedestrian haven on the waterfront; and Sequis Centre Tower in Jakarta, one of the first LEED-certified buildings in the city.
KATIE MACDONALD
Co-Founder / After Architecture
MacDonald is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia where she is Director of the Before Building Laboratory, leading material research and development. MacDonald pioneers renewable, carbon-sequestering material assemblies. Current projects focus on rapidly renewable biomaterials, including wood, bamboo, grass, various invasive plant species, and hemp. In 2022, she co-curated the Biomaterial Building Exposition
NAT MADSON
Design Principal / HGA
Nat Madson is a design principal at HGA with over 15 years of experience working on a range of arts, civic, and education projects.Passionate about architecture’s transformative impact on the social life of the city, his recent projects include Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA, Mills Hall and the Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies at Bowdoin College in Maine, as well as the Blake Early Learning Center in Hopkins, MN. Nat is the recipient of the Rapson Traveling Fellowship, and holds a Master of Architecture from the university of Minnesota where he frequently teaches both graduate and undergraduate level design studios.
GREG MELL
Director / KPF
Greg Mell has worked on a variety of projects throughout North America, ranging from workplace and commercial buildings to academic and community centers. As a Director, Greg enriches KPF’s practice through the pursuit, conception, and execution of innovative work, such as the T. Rowe Price Headquarters in Baltimore, a sustainable office building that reinvigorates the city’s industrial waterfront, and Burrard Exchange in Vancouver, one of the tallest exposed hybrid mass timber office buildings on the continent.
MICHELLE NICHOLS
Business Development Manager / Longboard Architectural Products
Driven by a passion for building materials and market development, Michelle has cultivated over a decade of expertise in the industry. Currently, Michelle is focused on expanding Longboard’s presence throughout Florida, leveraging a deep understanding of industry trends, strategic initiatives and customer needs. A Miami native, now residing in Merritt Island, Florida, Michelle combines professional expertise with a passion for travel and enjoying the coastal lifestyle.
EARL PATRICK
Director of Design / Enclos
Earl Patrick is Director of Design and oversees Enclos’ design efforts in new and prospective work. With over 22 years of experience in the facades industry, including 9 with Enclos, he has worked on monumental projects across the United States. Throughout his career, he has assisted clients with refining design alternatives and worked diligently to help architects achieve their vision while helping project teams meet their budgets. Notable projects with which he’s been involved at Enclos include The Golden State Warriors Arena Complex, Raiders Stadium, The Australian Embassy, 415 Natoma, San Diego Terminal 1, Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, and the Sherwin Willams Headquarters.
MICHELLE PEARSON
Sales Representative / YKK AP
Michelle Pearson is an Architectural Sales Representative for YKK AP America covering Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia. She has 20 years experience in the glass and glazing industry helping architects, general contractors and glazing contractors with their fenestration needs and challenges.
ANDREW PRIES
Technical Sales Director / Boston Valley Terra Cotta
Andrew Pries, Technical Sales Director at Boston Valley Terra Cotta, holds a BS in Architecture from the University at Buffalo and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. With a focus on design development and leveraging diverse fabrication methods to expand the applications of terra cotta, he has played a pivotal role in high profile projects such as the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and 120 Stockton.
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KYLE SCHUMANN
Co-Founder / After Architecture
Kyle Schumann is Cofounder of After Architecture, an awardwinning architecture studio which has completed projects for a wide range of clients including Landmark Columbus Foundation, the Washington D.C. Department of General Services, Lycoming College, Cornell University, and Marriott. Schumann is Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia where he is Director of the Before Building Laboratory, leading robotic fabrication research and development.
ALEX TERZICH
Associate
Vice President / HGA
Alex Terzich is a registered architect specializing in custom facade design and detailing, and the development of high-performance technical solutions for complex projects. Alex is an Associate Vice President at HGA in Minneapolis, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
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