193rd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

Main Events 193rd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

193rd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

edition

193

Date

17 September 2025

Venue

Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile

City

Chicago

Official page Watch the Event

About this edition

This will be the 193rd edition globally and the 2nd edition in Chicago which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

Speakers & Panelists

Conference Agenda

Every speaker for the day, grouped by session. Select a topic to see who is presenting, the session focus and the talk points.

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

08:00 — 08:50

Topic

Delegate Registration & Welcome Coffee Hour

Lynda Dossey

Director

Jahn/

Topic

Event Convenor & Host

08:50 — 09:00

Topic

Welcome Address

09:00 — 09:25

Daniel Dadoyan

Director

KPF

Topic

1325 West Fulton Street: Translating Traditions

Talk points

Fulton market today—evolving demographics have led to a consumer-oriented sidewalk culture thirsty for a reinvigorated public realm

Fulton market history—an industrial meatpacking district built from fire-safe masonry materials, scaled to a dense urban grain

Bridging the two through sensitive design—translating a traditional architectural language to the 21st century, using refined details and contemporary façade systems

09:25 — 09:45

Bryan Howard

Associate

Thornton Tomasetti

Stephen Shatswell

Project Leader

Krueck Sexton Partners

Topic

Charles E. Whittaker U.S. Federal Courthouse Façade Replacement Project

Talk points

Stories of successful project planning and coordination with a number of involved parties

How to upgrade and update an existing government building to current design and safety standards

Tales of how to leverage expertise and experience to find creative solutions in design and construction

09:45 — 10:00

Eric Claeys

Founding Partner

Fassada Steel

Topic

Hybrid Steel Curtain Walls

Talk points

Hybrid steel curtain walls, the long-waited disruption in the market?

Fire resistance, tower infernos belong to the past

Drastic reduction of CO2 emission

10:00 — 10:15

Jim Lamm

National Architectural Manager – Midwest

Vitro Architectural Glass

Topic

Advanced Bird-friendly Glass Design Considerations

Talk points

Become mindful of collision preventative glazing technologies

Know the design and specification considerations of each bird-friendly solution

Understand how to lower some of the costs of bird-deterrent glazing

10:15 — 10:55

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

10:55 — 11:15

Lisa Rammig

Director

Eckersley O'Callaghan

Topic

The Future of Glass

Talk points

Rethinking form, function, and materiality — how does glass look, feel and perform in the next generation of sustainable buildings?

11:15 — 11:30

Eneko Igartua

Regional Façades Sales Manager

Cosentino

Topic

Sustainable Façade Design

Talk points

Circular economy and sustainability

Ultracompact stone - What is it?

Case studies on ultracompact stone applications

11:30 — 11:45

Casey Pritchard

Sales Manager

Boston Valley Terra Cotta

Topic

Innovating the Architectural Terra Cotta Industry for Sustainable, High-Performance Façades

Talk points

Addressing global issues in the built environment and realizing the potential of terra cotta solutions

Materiality and performance benefits of terra cotta façades in modern architecture

Terra cotta façade innovations that address global challenges and enhance building performance

11:45 — 12:10

Luis Palacio

Design Director

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill

Topic

Beyond the Envelope, Exploring the Boundary of Building Façades

Talk points

Role of a façade beyond the envelope

Levels of performance - How much can a façade do?

Evolution - Ever-evolving building component

A blended system - A combination of functions that responds to various asks

12:10 — 12:45

Moderator

Scott Hurst

Principal | Design Director

Gensler

Panelist

Dave Murray

Business Agent

IW63

Panelist

Paul B. Wende

Business Manager, Financial Secretary, Treasurer

IW63

Panelist

Sean McGuire

Senior Associate

Gensler

Topic

Ironworkers Local 63 Training Center | Laboratory of Learning

Talk points

Introduce the challenge of how to address IW's needs: Visibility, innovation, recruitment, etc.

Examine the evolving perception of the trades, labor shortage, aging work force, potential growth

Explore the role of "next gen" training facilities

Describe the building itself, its program, the façade, sustainability, precast, etc.

Session summary

Scott Hurst

12:45 — 13:35

Topic

Networking Lunch Break

13:35 — 14:00

Basim Shamsuddin

Senior Designer VP

HKS

Topic

Bally’s Chicago: Riverwalk Revitalization with an Entertainment Destination

Talk points

Form and layers

Textures and scale

Sustainable features

14:00 — 14:20

Colleen Stuber Zukanovic

Project Director, Building Technology Group

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)

Lincoln Taylor

Consulting Engineer

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)

Topic

Sealing the Deal: Achieving Airtightness in Modern Façades

Talk points

Identify common air leakage pathways and analyze enclosure details to improve airtightness across different systems and transitions

Apply practical detailing and coordination strategies to improve airtightness outcomes during design and construction

Implement quality assurance and testing procedures, including mockups and field performance testing, that verify airtight enclosure performance

14:20 — 14:35

Delayna Bure

Marketing Specialist

Kuraray America

Topic

Selecting and Specifying the Appropriate Interlayer for Laminated Glass

Talk points

Structural performance & safety in demanding applications

Acoustic, aesthetic & UV solutions for modern architecture

Real-world case studies featuring iconic projects

14:35 — 14:50

Skyler Will

Associate Scientist

Dow

Topic

Design with More Freedom by Engineering Less Impact; Carbon-Neutral Silicones for Façades

Talk points

Why reducing embodied carbon in building materials such as silicones is important for reducing greenhouse gases

Recognizing the carbon-neutral silicone sealants that are available for three different building façade applications

Identifying the benefits that the project-specific carbon neutrality service can offer architects, design consultants and building owners

14:50 — 15:15

Brad Young

Senior Associate Principal

SOM

Mark Nagis

Principal

SOM

Topic

State/Lake and Across Chicago: Elevated Vision for the City

Talk points

The design concept behind Chicago next gateway into the city

The rationalization and realization of the station's canopy

Additional transformative work emerging in Chicago

15:15 — 15:55

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

15:55 — 16:15

Jamison Guest

Principal

Heintges

Nathan McRae

Director

Snøhetta

Topic

Parallels in Automotive and Façade Design: Inspiration Through Realization

Talk points

Inspiration for façade systems focusing on frit and specialty glass

Development of performance criteria and prototyping

Mockups and realization

16:15 — 16:30

Robert Miller

President

Jansen America

Topic

Practical Tips for Sustainable Architecture

Talk points

Historical renovations: Traditional aesthetics with modern performance

New building designs with optimized materials

Tips for LEED certification

16:30 — 17:10

Moderator

Sara K. Beardsley

Associate Principal and Director of Technical Design

SCB

Panelist

Allison Toonen-Talamo

Restoration Consultant

Walker Consultants

Panelist

Elizabeth Blasius

Architectural Historian, Partner

Preservation Futures

Panelist

Gary Stoltz

Principal + Chief Design & Development Officer

R2 Companies

Panelist

Mark Schwamel

Regional Director

Ware Malcomb

Topic

Initiatives & Incentives for Adaptive Reuse & Historic Preservation

Talk points

The projects aim to transform Chicago's neighborhoods and spark an economic restart

Preserving original materials vs. modern performance requirements

Office to resi conversions, creating affordable housing while retaining cultural heritage

Session summary

Sara K. Beardsley

17:10 — 17:15

Topic

Thanks/Conference Concludes

Watch

Chapters

Partners

Associate Partners