20 Up-and-Comers to Watch out for in the Architectural Design Fraternity

Among a sea of professionals, there are some architects and designers that are far away from the ordinary....

Fri Mar 10, 2023

With the advancement of softwares and technologies, the world of Architecture is welcoming innovations. Fields like computational design, parametric design, and fluid architecture are flourishing with brimming opportunities.
Many architects and designers in the fraternity are contributing towards bringing about a paradigm shift in the industry. But, among a sea of professionals, there are some architects and designers that are far away from the ordinary. Here are 20 Up-and-Comers you should definitely watch out for.

20 Personalities that will shape the future of Architectural Design

1. Karl-Johan Sorensen

computational designers

Image Source: SAGA Space Architects

The co-founder of SAGA Space Architects, Karl-Johan Sorensen is a space architect. With a passion for the intriguing aspects of conceptual design, computational design, and digital fabrication, he aims at making the space livable for future space travellers.

2. Marvin Bratke

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Image Source: LinkedIn

A German Architect, and Entrepreneur, Marvin Bratke is the founding partner of the URBAN BETA Studio. He works on curating spaces that are inclusive, transformative, and unconventional through the process of predictive planning. Thereby, this innovative way of designing creates a positive impact on the social and ecological footprint.

3. Daniel Koehler

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Image Source: UT

Working as an Urbanist, and Architect, Daniel Koehler is the Assistant Professor for Architecture Computation at UT, Austin. He is currently involved in research that pirouettes on the urban implications of distributive technologies. These integrate the elements of sets, data, interfaces, and their architecture.

4. Marziah Zad

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Image Source: IAAC

Besides being an award-winning architect, and researcher, Marziah Zad is the co-founder of UDA. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between advanced digital design strategies and inclusive design.

5. Cody Thurston

Cody Thurston is one of the members of the 3D designing and visualising team at Deckers Brands. He specialises in the facets of advanced concepts, tooling modelling, parametric design, and photorealistic renderings. With his work, Cody intends to amalgamate the outdoors with emerging technological advancements.

6. Ili Shchanikov

Known as a computational designer and educator, Ili Shchanikov is the co-founder at Heracleum Sosnowskyi. His interest lies in the conjunction of historical and theoretical directions in computational architecture with philosophical elements.

7. Dinara Kasko

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Image Source: Dinara Kasko

The founder of Dinara Kasko Pastry Art, Dinara Kasko is also a pastry chef besides being an exemplary architect. She infuses both her points of interest to make use of a baking method that entails the creation of a silicone mould using a 3D printer. Apart from this, she inculcates Voronoi diagrams and biomimicry mathematical ideas in confectionery initiatives to come up with intriguing works of art.

8. Arian Hakimi

Arian Hakimi is the founder and principal of Arian Hakimi Architects. His studio works around the concepts of architecture, urbanism, and design that are inclined toward systematic design strategies. Besides this, he has also contributed to projects pertaining to advanced parametric design strategies and automation in an architectural workflow.

9. Nic Bao

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Image Source: Twitter

An architect, designer, lecturer, researcher, and entrepreneur, Nic Bao is involved in research that explores myriad design methodologies. His work is centred around developing a relationship where the aspects of computational design, structural engineering, behavioural algorithms, and robotic fabrication complement each other.

10. Ebrahim Poustinchi

Ebrahim Poustinchi is an award-winning designer, artist, and inventor. His work pirouettes around the amalgamation of design, space, media, and robotics. Poustinchi has conducted multiple workshops and lectures around the topics of physical computation, UI/UX Design, and tangible interfaces.

11. Elshareef Kabbashi

A Sudanese Architect, artist, and computational designer, Elshareef Kabbashi curates design synthesis that navigates through a comprehensive approach to planning and architecture. He also thinks of parametricism as an idea that gives rise to innovative exploration with the use of technology or algorithms.

12. Irfan Bhakrani

Irfan Bhakrani is an architect and designer who is currently working as a member of Zaha Hadid Architects in London. With a passion for Art, Architecture, and Computation, he is skilled in multiple softwares revolving around parametric modelling. Currently, he is conducting workshops based on Maya and Metaverse with Futurly.

13. Mariana Cabugueira

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Image Source: Teulo

An Architect and Urban Designer from Portugal, Mariana Cabugueira is currently working at Zaha Hadid Architects and teaching at the Architectural Association in London. She is inclined towards doing research that gravitates around Generative, Parametric, Digital, and Iterative aspects of design. Apart from this, she has been a part of a plethora of Tower Projects for Asian Countries.

14. Mumun Keser

houdini computational designers

Image Source: Exparch

Based in Innsbruck, Austria Mumun Keser is an architect and a computational designer. He has a keen interest in data-driven design techniques as well as experimental investigations. With his inquisitive nature, Keser aims at infusing media in architectural expression and curating user-oriented adaptive hyperspaces. Currently, he is conducting workshops based on the software Houdini with Futurly.

15. Bryan Garcia

An architect and architectural designer, Bryan Garcia is inclined toward Parametric Scripting and Rhino Modelling. He is currently working as a team member of the GEA Architects in Spain. Besides this, he is known for pushing design boundaries using Grasshopper and curating aesthetically suggestive images.

16. Ignacio Revenga

Ignacio Revenga is a Spanish architect, artist, and computational designer who masters in parametric design and computational protocols pertaining to architecture. Currently, he is engaged in developing architectural ideologies through the parametrization of geometry and its associated behaviours.

17. Dimitar Pouchnikov

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Image Source: Twitter

Practising globally and majorly in London, Dimitar Pouchnikov is a US Architect and the founder of UH Studio. His design philosophy is centred around the intersection of design, a sense of place, and technology. Dimitar likes to delve into how open-source digital tools can democratise and further advance design processes to put together better environments to live, work, learn, and play. Currently, he is conducting workshops based on the software Blender with Futurly.

18. Omar Kaddourah

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Image Source: Twitter

Omar Kaddourah is an architect, computational designer, and blogger who recently onboarded Zaha Hadid Architects in London. He is inclined towards research work in the facets of computational methods such as mesh typology, optimization, and digital fabrication. Omar also specialises in parametric design as well as form-finding techniques by putting the latest technological softwares to use.

19. Kesra Mansuri

The founding partner of Co.Re. Lab’s, Kesra Mansuri aims at articulating generative design approaches along with digital manufacturing methodologies. In collaboration with his exemplary team, he is involved in the additive manufacturing of clay and porcelain bodies.

20. Jack Oliva-Rendler

Jack Oliva-Rendler is currently the Director of Design at e7 Architecture Studio. He has put his specialities to use to curate fractal formulations along with mathematical simulations in Mandelbulb 3D. Through this, he intends to articulate organic and crystallographic systems that can be put to use for more applications than one. Currently, he is conducting workshops based on Fractal Architecture with Futurly.

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The Architecture of Tomorrow…

Architecture and design are shifting towards a future that is synonymous with innovation and novelty. The facets of computational design, parametricism, and fluid modelling have played an important role in bringing a paradigm shift in the way the industry is perceived.

The up-and-comers discussed are not just creating architectural works that are nothing short of marvels but also breaking down the rigidity and constraints in the fraternity. If their journey inspires you and makes you want to take up such career paths, now is the time.

You can start by observing, learning, and eventually implementing. Platforms like Futurly put forward courses and workshops that bridge the gap between your skills and passion. Therefore, look up what interests you the most and begin your journey in the fraternity right away.

FAQs: Computational Design

1. What is Computational Design?

Computational Design is a design method that amalgamates algorithms and parameters to curate architectural solutions infused with advanced computer processing.

2. Who are some amazing personalities in the Parametric Design fraternity to look out for?

Following are some amazing personalities in the fraternity you should look out for:

  • Cody Thurston
  • Arian Hakimi
  • Irfan Bhakrani

3. How can one establish themselves in the Computational Design Fraternity?

You can start by observing, learning, and eventually implementing. Platforms like Futurly put forward courses and workshops that bridge the gap between your skills and passion. 

4. Is computational design the future?

Architecture and design are shifting towards a future that is synonymous with innovation and novelty. Therefore, computational design can be termed as the architecture of tomorrow.

5. Is computational design in demand?

With the advancement of softwares and technologies, the world of Architecture is welcoming innovations. Thus, fields like computational design, parametric design, and fluid architecture are flourishing with brimming opportunities.

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Saili Sawantt
An Architect + Writer, Saili has worked as an Architectural writer & brand storyteller where she has collaborated with firms, studios, organizations, luxury brands, events & educational institutions to communicate in the real estate & travel industry. Her recent initiatives include curating an online workshop on communication and networking within the AEC industry. She is a commentator on the design industry’s upkeep through her social handles while also being an avid reader and traveler.