Our Keynote Speakers

Revitalize By Design
Thursday, September 24, 2015

Our speakers include:
Jim Goodman: Local trailblazer/pioneer and head of Capital Broadcasting
Deborah Berke, FAIA: Principal of Deborah Berke Partners Architects and architect of 21c Museum Hotel
Craig Greenberg: Co-founder of 21c Museum Hotels

Suspend Disbelief
Friday, September 25, 2015

Our speakers for this panel include:
Moderator-  Sara Young, Assistant Director for Strategic Planning in the Durham City-County Planning Department

Jury Chairs Recent Works
Saturday, September 26, 2015

Design Awards Chair: 
Takashi Yanai, AIA:  Takashi Yanai has been the Partner in Charge of the Residential Studio since 2004, where he focuses on the design of custom single-family, multi-family and mixed-use residential projects. Takashi believes that the best solutions start with an understanding of how to use the land. He then adds to this a keen interest in craft and materials. But most of all there is a deep conviction that the residential projects, while aspiring to the highest standards of art, are ultimately vessels for the enhancement of the lives being lived within. Takashi holds degrees in literature and architecture from UC Berkeley and a Masters of Architecture from Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD). Prior to practicing architecture, Takashi was a staff editor for GA Houses in Tokyo, Japan, where he absorbed lessons from the world's finest residential architects. He has taught for the Career Discovery Program for the Harvard GSD and the USC School of Architecture and served on juries at the GSD, Boston Architectural Center, the MIT School of Architecture, OTIS, Woodbury University and the USC School of Architecture. He currently serves on the AIA Committee on Design and was the Chair for the 2014 AIA COD Conference in Palm Springs.

Residential Design Awards Chair: 
Randall Mars, AIA: Randall Mars believes that modern architecture succeeds only when both functional program and aesthetic composition are completely resolved. The firm focuses on dynamics of lights and space as defined or created by the walls and masses.