An Inside Look into the Design and Construction Process of USC’s Newest Campus Building

SPEAKERS:

Jerome Jontry – Senior Project Manager, Capital Construction Development, USC
David Frey, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C – Technical Principal, HOK
Sean Quinn, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, BREEAM, BEAM Pro – Director of Regenerative Design, HOK
Meng Gong, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, FITWEL – Sustainable Design Leader, HOK
Carl Johnson – Project Manager, HOK
Tim Decoster – Project Designer, HOK
Jose Alday – Project Executive, Turner Construction
Breanne Metropolis – Regional Sustainability Manager & Project Engineer, Turner Construction

MODERATED BY:

Mark Oberholzer, AIA, LEED AP – Principal, KTGY & C0-Chair, AIA|LA Building Performance & Regulations Committee (moderator)

Context is everything. In cities like Los Angeles, context includes not just existing buildings and neighborhoods, but an emerging sense of urban identity and possibility. Mark Oberholzer’s strength is engaging with the context of client goals, zoning complexity, urban design, stakeholder influences, economic imperatives and design integrity to tease out extraordinary architectural solutions.

Over the last five years, Mark has been at the forefront of KTGY’s expertise in innovative construction techniques – harnessing the design possibilities of modular construction, bearing steel stud systems and heavy timber. Mark sees construction technology as another part of the context of design, bringing a conviction that collaboration, imagination, hard work and a sense of humor are the best tools to reaching the goal of better design.

SPEAKERS:

Jerome Jontry – Senior Project Manager, Capital Construction Development, USC

With 15 years of higher education project management experience, Jerome manages complex, on-campus USC projects through all phases from initial programming to occupancy and closeout. Jerome is an expert at establishing operational directives, providing strategic direction and making sure that projects align with the University’s needs and long-term goals.

David Frey, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C – Technical Principal, HOK

David leads the technical direction and development of projects designed in HOK’s Los Angeles studio. This includes initiating, developing and monitoring methods of technical production, technical content, quality assurance and construction phase services. He also is a member of the firm’s technical board working to improve project delivery standards and protocols.

Over the past three decades, David has provided technical leadership and innovative project delivery methods on many significant projects in California and worldwide. He has special expertise in the design of high-performance building facades.

David enjoys serving as a mentor to other HOK professionals. In addition to his work as a technical leader, he has served as a guest critic and guest lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Sean Quinn, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, BREEAM, BEAM Pro – Director of Regenerative Design, HOK

Based in San Francisco, Sean leads HOK’s global regenerative design practice. Over the past two decades, he has demonstrated his commitment to performance-based sustainable design and progressive approach to biomimicry in planning and design projects all over the world.

Sean is committed to ensuring that the built environment of tomorrow goes beyond net-zero strategies and instead yields mutualistic, net-positive benefits for nature, buildings and people.

He brings regenerative strategies to all types of projects, from planning and urban design to architectural, landscape, interior design and experience design. His data-driven approach ensures that all solutions are based on ecosystem performance metrics related to water, air, carbon, soil, biodiversity, and health and well-being.

Sean cofounded and is the past chair of HOK Impact, which leads the firm’s approach to social responsibility and empowering the communities where our people live and work.

Meng Gong, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, FITWEL – Sustainable Design Leader, HOK

Meng is a regional leader of sustainable design based in HOK’s Los Angeles studio. She is an expert in sustainable design, lighting design and performance services.

Meng has extensive experience in net zero strategies and building life-cycle assessments, as well as LEED, WELL and Fitwel certifications. She regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on complex projects in the healthcare, higher education, hospitality, corporate, residential, retail and entertainment markets. Her work has received several awards of merit by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

Active in the design community, Meng is a member of the 2023 Greenbuild Advisory Board, a member and board judge of the IES and a member of the International Association of Lighting Designers. Additionally, Meng is a lecturer on sustainability and the built environment at California State University, Long Beach.

Carl Johnson – Project Manager, HOK

Carl Johnson is a highly experienced technical leader in HOK’s Los Angeles practice. He has decades of experience in architectural design, planning and delivery management of complex and technical projects. Carl is well-known for his ability to organize and present information to working teams and client groups, his strong and enthusiastic leadership in the collaborative process, and his hands-on capabilities in all facets of project development, production and delivery on site.

Tim Decoster – Project Designer, HOK

Timothy DeCoster is a Project Designer at HOK San Francisco and a licensed Architect with a range of experience with public and private clients. His current focus as Project Designer is an expansion at SFO Airport (C3C Connector) and the new Forensics Laboratory for the San Francisco Police Department. Other active and recent projects with design and/or technical focus are the hardstand at SEA-Tac Airport, new ballpark for the Aviators in Las Vegas/Summerlin NV, CA State Office building at 10th & O Street for DGS, Stanford School of Medicine, and Kaiser Redwood City Medical Office Building. Tim was previously based in New York working on projects around the world for the US State Department, bringing 15+ years experience with particular focus on design excellence – in addition to having a thorough understanding of technical requirements for high threat environments. Notable OBO / Embassy work includes the recently opened United States Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo, and work on Embassies in Athens, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Mexico City.

At Davis Brody Bond in NY, Tim was Project Architect for LBNF Particle Accelerator working with Arup for FERMILAB and Lenox Terrace, a full city block mixed use development in New York, and competition design contributor for the tech incubator space at Union Square for NY EDC. Prior project experience includes the work on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security office building in Burlington, Vermont with RHBPC and Project Architect/designer for Euro-USA Trading Co. Headquarters in Groton, CT while with working with Friedrich St.Florian, and smaller scale works with 3six0 Architects in Providence, RI.

Jose Alday – Project Executive, Turner Construction

Experience includes High Rise, Education, Pharmaceutical, Hospitality, Adaptive Reuse, Commercial Construction Projects. Management of Design-Build Processes, Preconstruction, Estimating, Operations, Cost/Budget Control, Commissioning.

Breanne Metropolis – Regional Sustainability Manager & Project Engineer, Turner Construction

Breanne has deep experience in sustainability at Turner Construction Company. Currently acting as Turner’s Regional Sustainability Manager, her experience in sustainability is underpinned by her engineering, estimating and management expertise.