Zak World of Façades Zak World of Façades
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Zak World of Façades USA

edition

193

Date

17 September 2025

Venue

United States

City

Chicago

Official page Watch the Event

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

08:00 — 08:50 Delegate Registration & Welcome Coffee Hour
08:50 — 09:00 Welcome Address
10:15 — 10:55 Networking Tea / Coffee Break

Session 2

12:45 — 13:35 Networking Lunch Break

Session 3

15:15 — 15:55 Networking Tea / Coffee Break

Session 4

17:10 — 17:15 Thanks/Conference Concludes

Lynda Dossey

Director

Jahn/

Topic

Event Convenor & Host

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

10:55 — 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

Sean McGuire

Senior Associate

Gensler

Panelist

Paul B. Wende

Business Manager

Financial Secretary, Treasurer, IW63

Panelist

Dave Murray

Business Agent

IW63

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.

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 - Technical Service and Development 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

Mark Nagis

Principal

SOM

Brad Young

Senior Associate 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

15:55 — 16:15

Nathan McRae

Director

Snøhetta

Jamison Guest

Principal

Heintges

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

Mark Schwamel

Regional Director

Ware Malcomb

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

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

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Chapters

Partners

Associate Partners

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