198th Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

Main Events 198th Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

198th Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

edition

198

Date

15 October 2025

Venue

Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers

City

New York

Official page Watch the Event

About this edition

This will be the 198th edition globally and the 7th edition in New York 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

07:30 — 08:30

Topic

Delegate Registration & Networking

Susie Teal

Partner

COOKFOX

Topic

Event Convenor & Host

08:30 — 08:45

Topic

Welcome Address

08:45 — 08:55

Topic

Special Tribute to Erik Verboon

08:55 — 09:10

Carlo A. Scissura

Esq., President and CEO

New York Building Congress

Topic

Construction Outlook for 2026

Talk points

How the City of Yes will affect our industry

09:10 — 09:25

Justin D’Alessandro

National Architectural Manager

Vitro Architectural Glass

Topic

Vacuum Insulated Glass Technology

Talk points

Technology overview

Vacuum insulated glass

Project case studies

09:25 — 09:45

John Ivanoff

Principal | Facades

Buro Happold

Topic

From Pixels to Performance: Game Engines for the Future of Façades: How Immersive Technology is Reshaping Design Visualization, Performance Simulation, and Sustainability

Talk points

Immersive design: How game engines transform façade visualization—allowing clients and teams to walk through design options in real time

Performance & carbon insight: Integrating daylight, thermal, and embodied carbon simulations into interactive environments

Engaging stakeholders: Turning complex façade performance metrics into clear, interactive experiences

09:45 — 10:00

Alberto Alarcon

Americas Market Development Manager & MC Global Leader

Kuraray America

Topic

Laminated Glass: A Transparent Solution for Flood Control

Talk points

Understanding the risks and causes

Current flood defense strategies

Engineering & design solutions using laminated glass

10:00 — 10:07

Maic Pannwitz

Senior Executive Vice President

sedak

Topic

From Flat to Fantastic: The Rise of Multicurved FT/HS Glass

10:07 — 11:05

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

11:05 — 11:35

Hugh Dutton

Founder & Director

Hugh Dutton Associés

Topic

A Synthesis of Poetic Intent and Physical Reality of Structural Glass

Talk points

Designs in structural glass

Sustainability: Energy and heritage

Glass as an artistic medium

11:35 — 12:00

Tobiasz Staszak

Area Manager - North America

Reynaers Aluminium

Topic

Project Case Study: 89 Avenue Yorkville

Talk points

Reynaers’ 360-degree approach to the 89 Avenue Project

Virtual Reality as a game changer in architecture and construction

12:00 — 12:30

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

12:30 — 13:10

Moderator

Hagen Scutt

Senior Vice President – Design Hudson Yards

The Related Companies

Panelist

Andrew Black

Director of Product Development and Design

New Hudson Façades

Panelist

Breen Mahony

Director

Roger Ferris + Partners

Panelist

Michael Lin

Design Director

Gensler

Panelist

Rok Lee

Principal – Façades

DeSimone Consulting Engineering

Topic

70 Hudson Yards: Office 2.0

Talk points

70HY is the largest ground-up office development in the U.S. post-pandemic, specifically re-designed to meet the needs of tenants addressing flexibility, productivity and sustainability

1.1M SF side core building with 59’ lease spans and increased floor to floor to provide tenant planning, tenant terraces and an abundance of daylighting

How this all electric building, high performance triple glazed curtainwall, bird glazing all contribute to achieving LEED Platinum and the City of Yes Ultra Low Energy Building credit

How the building was designed as a collaborative effort between various design firms

Session summary

Hagen Scutt

13:10 — 14:10

Topic

Networking Lunch Break

Sameer Kumar

Principal

Techne

Topic

Session Chair

14:10 — 14:30

Zach Craun

Associate Partner

CookFox

Topic

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music

Talk points

Utilization of bio-based materials

Carbon reduction specifications

Designing for circularity

14:30 — 14:50

Joseph Madaghiele

Associate

Thornton Tomasetti

Melissa Wong

Principal

Thornton Tomasetti

Topic

Columbia University’s 600 W 125th Street: From Raw Materials to Finished Product - GFRC Fabrication and Quality Control

Talk points

Why GFRC was selected as the project cladding material

GFRC technical review for project compliance and performance requirements

GFRC fabrication process, quality control and testing

14:50 — 15:05

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

15:05 — 15:20

Dean White

Regional Façade Sales Manager

Cosentino

Topic

Sustainable Façade Design with Ultracompact Stone

Talk points

Ultracompact Stone, a sustainable carbon neutral façade material

Attachment methods for ventilated rainscreen and curtainwall integration

Design considerations related to performance, budget, and design intent

15:20 — 15:55

Moderator

Diego Cuevas

VP Business Development USA

Onyx Solar

Panelist

Carmelo Guido Galante

Director of Design

Gualini

Panelist

Leo Henke

Principal

Front

Panelist

Yan Torres

Chief Estimator and Project Manager

PGNY

Topic

Photovoltaic Façades: The Intersection of Energy, Architecture, and Innovation

Talk points

Solar façades around the world

From concept to commissioning: The art of managing a glass with wires

262 Fifth Avenue: Integrating photovoltaics at height

Session summary

Diego Cuevas

Kate Kulpa

Associate Partner

Ennead Architects

Topic

Session Chair

14:10 — 14:30

David Kubik

Partner

BKSK Architects

Todd Poisson

Partner

BKSK Architects

Topic

New Skins, Old Stories – Reimagining Historic Context Through Façade Design

Talk points

Using contemporary craft in historic context

The Twenty-Two: Transforming an 1891 boarding house into a luxury hotel with a restored and reimagined façade

Village West: Selecting the right materials for contemporary projects in historic districts

14:30 — 14:50

Jun Schick Lee

Associate Principal - Façades & Envelopes

Hatfield Group Engineering

Manan Raval

Partner - Façades & Envelopes

Hatfield Group Engineering

Topic

Skin Deep Efficiency: Engineering Performance-Driven Façades

Talk points

Cladding's impact on thermal and daylighting performance

Façade integration with urban revitalization and building codes

Strategies for combining architectural expression with sustainability

14:50 — 15:05

Gary Tongco

National Architectural Manager

ES Windows

Topic

Measuring Thermal Performance

Talk points

Building codes and measuring system performance

Materials and system designs that affect thermal performance

Effects on building design and system application

15:05 — 15:20

Andrew Pries

Director of Innovation & Technical Sales

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

15:20 — 15:55

Moderator

Lee Brandt

Senior Principal

HLB Lighting

Panelist

Christopher Steffens

Architectural Lighting Designer | Energy Modeler

HLB Lighting

Panelist

Jennifer Sage

Partner

Sage and Coombe

Panelist

Miguel Angel Maldonado

Principal

Beyer Blinder Belle

Topic

Layers of Light and Layers of Daylight - Tools and Technique

Talk points

Materiality and Reflection - metal panels, terra cotta, coves, depth of façade

Daylighting as an integral part of sustainable design

Frit as a visual identity, telling a story

Session summary

Lee Brandt

Nidhi Sekhar

Technology & Innovation Manager | Digital Development Lead

STV Inc.

Topic

Session Chair

14:10 — 14:30

Paul Granger

Senior Project Architect

Selldorf

Tali Mejicovsky

Director of Design for Building Envelope

Turner Engineering Group

Topic

The Frick Collection Expansion and Enhancement: A Dialogue Between Old and New

Talk points

Designing a new building façade to reinforce a landmarked building

Integrating new architecture within a historic fabric

Balancing aesthetic integrity with modern performance

14:30 — 14:50

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

14:50 — 15:05

Sean Og Coyle

Chief Commercial Officer

IG Masonry Support Systems

Topic

Inspiring Innovation in Brick: Pushing Boundaries in Modern Masonry

Talk points

Next generation stainless steel masonry support systems

Realizing intricate brick features with prefabricated brick slip soffit systems

Case studies from the UK & Europe: Innovation in action

15:05 — 15:20

Ben Haigh

Senior Director - Fire-Rated Division

McGrory Glass

Topic

From Outdated to Outstanding: Steel Fire/Ballistic/Security-Rated Systems Evolved

Talk points

Sleek steel profiles and expansive glass replace yesterday’s clunky frames

Design-forward hardware options eliminate past limitations

Fire- and ballistic/security-rated systems that meet lot line codes

15:20 — 15:55

Moderator

Frank Mahan

Principal, Adaptive Reuse Practice Leader

SOM

Panelist

Jonathan Taylor

Senior Associate

Higgins Quasebarth & Partners

Panelist

Kevin Kim

Associate

SOCOTEC

Panelist

Victoria Ponce de Leon

Vice President, Principal

TYLin (Silman)

Topic

Transforming the Waldorf Astoria: Preservation, Modernization, and the Next Century of an Art Deco Icon

Talk points

The Waldorf Astoria New York has been transformed for the future through a careful combination of adaptive reuse, preservation, and restoration

Through restoration and subtle reconfiguration, the exterior enclosure evokes the original architects’ intent while meeting contemporary standards

The reconstruction of the twin pinnacles provides a case study in the collaboration required among architects, engineers, enclosure specialists, and landmarks consultants

Session summary

Frank Mahan

15:55 — 16:35

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

16:35 — 17:00

Hugh Trumbull

Principal

KPF

Topic

Hidden Windows: Performative Façades and Natural Ventilation

Talk points