Rafael Pelli of Pelli Clarke & Partners  

This course explores the design and development of large-scale towers and other major urban projects through the lens of architectural practice, city-making, and long-term collaboration. Using examples such as the Petronas Towers, Transbay-related work in San Francisco, and the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, the session examines how complex projects move from concept to completion across years or even decades. Topics include collaboration among architects, engineers, developers, and public agencies; the impact of approvals and community review processes; the integration of mixed-use and public-facing amenities at the base of towers; and the role of architecture in shaping civic identity. The course also reflects on how buildings of scale respond to economics, politics, technology, and changing urban expectations over time.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Goldberg_Esto

Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood, California.

Aaron Prinz is the host of the Design:ED Podcast and holds a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He was born and raised in the rural Northern California town of Red Bluff, just two hours south of the Oregon border. After one year of college, Prinz relocated to San Francisco to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. At age 26, he began studying architecture at Portland State University while interning at Studio Petretti Architecture led by Amanda Petretti. His professional contributions while at Studio Petretti were focused on a portion of the new Multnomah County Courthouse which is a prominent addition to the Portland skyline. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Roxanne where he continues to work as a designer.