I am IIDA

John is a Senior Partner at HLW, an internationally recognized architecture, interior design, engineering and planning firm headquartered in New York City. He has over 20 years of experience working as a design lead on diverse projects integrating architecture and interior design. His project expertise is broad and includes media companies, corporate headquarters, financial and government institutions both domestically and abroad. Current projects include the renovation of the Secretariat Building at the United Nations, offices for Disney Theatrical in the historic New Amsterdam Theatre, and the New York offices for Dechert LLP.

He is a Fellow of IIDA and served as both the International President 2007/08 and as the President of the New York Chapter 2000/2001. John is a registered architect and member of the AIA.

What is your favorite example of great design?

Don’t have a favorite, but those that I admire all have a clear idea from concept to detail and solve complex issues in a simple elegant way.

Who is your favorite designer?

Carlo Scarpa – Modern design with a sensitivity to context, nature, material and craft (my runner up would be Aalvar Alto).

If you weren't a designer, what would you be doing?

Making money

List 5 words that describe design.

Clarity, thoughtful, point of view, craft, otherness (I learned this one from John Hedjuk)

List 3 things you can't live without.

The three “F’s" – No it’s not what you're thinking – Family, felt tip pen, French roast

What is your favorite quote or motto?

"We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." ~ Anais Nin