Jonathan Garnett
Jonathan Garnett is a founder and creative partner at Modellus Novus (MN), where he oversees creative direction for a range of the firm’s architecture and design projects, as well as its external and internal initiatives. He is responsible for establishing, evolving and tailoring the firm’s design processes, priorities and principles in coordination with business development, financial and organizational strategies. Jonathan was fundamentally shaped when he spent summers working with a nonprofit design firm in Detroit that provided design-build services to underrepresented communities and community organizations invested in improving the quality of life in that city.
A native of Oakland, California, and of Black and Japanese descent, he received his Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, with concentrations in industrial design and graphic design from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He also studied at the Technical University at Delft in the Netherlands and received his Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles. Previously, he worked at Detroit Collaborative Design Center in Detroit, George Yu Architects in Los Angeles and Open Office in New York. After spending years overseeing the construction of projects he designed, while also making furnishings and objects with his hands, Jonathan learned what kind of creative leader he wanted to be. He imbues those values in his daily work with the project teams at MN.
Randy Deutsch, FAIA, LEED AP
Randy Deutsch FAIA, LEED AP, served as the associate director for Graduate Studies until 2019 and is a clinical associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, teaching and conducting research in design, design futures, professional practice, building technology and digital technology. Randy is an international keynote speaker — of over 100 times, workshop leader, AI researcher and design technology authority. An architect responsible for the design of over 100 large, complex sustainable projects, Randy has been an Exec Ed program leader at Harvard GSD, has written for DesignIntelligence and has been featured in ARCHITECT Magazine and Architectural Record. Randy previously served on the AIA Chicago board as director and vice president; on ARCHITECT Magazine’s 2018 R+D jury and AIA National Architecture 2023 Awards jury.
Randy is the author of six books including “Superusers: Design Technology Specialists and the Future of Practice” (2019), “Convergence: The Redesign of Design” (2017) on the nature of the ongoing convergence of technology and work processes in the profession and industry; “Data Driven Design and Construction: Strategies for Capturing, Analyzing and Applying Building Data” (2015) on the innovative individuals and firms who are leveraging data to advance their practices; and, “BIM and Integrated Design: Strategies for Architectural Practice” (2011, translated to Mandarin in 2018). Randy’s most recent books and audiobooks were published in 2020 and 2021.
In 2020, Randy’s team received an NSF Grant and a DPI Seed Grant for planning a first-of-its-kind institute for the application of AI in design, construction and operations of buildings and infrastructure. In 2020, Randy was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council. Since 2018, he has served on the University of Arizona CAPLA Futures Council and co-founded the Built Environment Futures Council (BEFC), advancing the discourse and opportunities for AI in architecture, design and construction.
Wendy Evans Joseph, FAIA, LEED AP
Wendy Evans Joseph, FAIA, LEED AP, is the founder of Studio Joseph, an architectural firm specializing in cultural projects and museum installations. With a deep passion for art, culture and education, she has established herself as a leading figure in expertise design and community architecture. At Studio Joseph, Wendy sets the vision for each project based on narrative and broader societal values with a commitment to equity, sustainable thinking and community.
Under her leadership, Studio Joseph maintains a diverse portfolio of impactful public, institutional and cultural projects that have been highly recognized. Her firm works with diverse institutions to create immersive environments that foster shared learning and engagement, bringing a strong conceptual underpinning to form, materiality and spatial design. Recent projects include a Pet Adoption Center in Harlem, “Sculpting History” at the Valentine Museum in Richmond, inaugural installations at the new MIT Museum and a welcome center at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
Wendy’s contributions to the design community extend beyond her exceptional practice. She holds a Rome Prize in Architecture from the American Academy in Rome, is an Academician of the National Academy of Design, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a Fellow of the Society of Experiential Designers (SEGD). As a firm believer in the role of architects in advocating for a sustainable, beautiful public realm, she is actively involved in professional leadership. She has held esteemed positions such as president of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, chairman of the AIA National Committee of Design, president of the Architectural League of New York and president of the National Academy of Design.
Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master’s in Architecture with distinction from Harvard University.
