ENYA Beyond the Boards: COOKFOX

*This event is occurring as a live webinar. Registrants will be emailed a link to access the program; please continue to register.*

Join AIANY Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) as we host a virtual edition of our Beyond The Boards series, this time featuring COOKFOX Architects.

The New York City practice will speak about their firm culture and the specific challenges surrounding large-scale developments, presenting three projects that are currently under construction at 100 Vandam St, 550 Washington St, and 561 Greenwich St toward the transformation of Hudson Square. The case studies will explore subjects like high-performance and biophilic approaches at the building and urban levels, ULURP-informed design, project and construction management strategies, and more. The event will be entirely webinar-based, and guests will have the opportunity to engage the speakers with an open Q&A.

Speakers:
Mark Rusitzky, AIA, LEED AP, Partner, COOKFOX Architects
Zach Craun, LEED GA, WELL AP, Senior Associate, COOKFOX Architects
Nathaniel Felder, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

About the speakers:

Mark Rusitzky is a partner at COOKFOX Architects and has built his expertise in managing the design of large-scale mixed-use urban projects. He served as the Project Director of the City Point development in Downtown Brooklyn, and he is currently the Partner-in-Charge for the St. John’s Terminal project, which spans two city blocks on the west side of Manhattan. On a smaller but personally meaningful scale, Mark led the creation of COOKFOX’s new LEED and WELL Platinum studio at 250 West 57th Street. Prior to joining COOKFOX, Mark worked at William McDonough + Partners and FXFOWLE, where he contributed to a number of ambitious green projects. Having spent his career focused on sustainable architecture, Mark believes that the best design helps connect people to nature, and that every project should be viewed through that lens.

Nat Felder is an associate at COOKFOX. He is currently working on St. John’s Terminal and 561 Greenwich Street, both large projects on Manhattan’s West Side that will set new standards for the modern workplace in terms of sustainable, biophilic, and human-centered design. Nat often leads coordination between consultants, owners, contractors, and other stakeholders in his projects and recently has gained experience with designing for projects located in New York’s flood zones, among other points of practical strategy. Prior to joining COOKFOX, Nat spent three years at Koenen Associates in Manhattan. He then joined Dattner Architects, where he worked primarily on affordable and market rate multifamily housing projects. Nat’s work is based in a belief that architecture should be driven by attention to detail, collaboration and joy.

Zach Craun is a senior associate at COOKFOX Architects. He has worked on a variety of project typologies and built expertise in LEED and WELL certification. His past projects include 150 Charles Street and the renovation of the new school for De La Salle Academy, both in Manhattan. He also worked with Footprint Power on a gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Salem, MA to create a smaller, more efficient facility. Currently, Zach is designing two residential buildings, 100 Vandam Street in Manhattan, and a building in Tampa which is part of a master plan slated to be one of the world's first WELL and LEED ND Communities. Recently, he helped lead the LEED, WELL, and Energy Star certifications for COOKFOX’s new studio. Zach heads the firm’s AIA 2030 Committee and the Green Team, both internal groups responsible for implementing sustainable practices. Prior to COOKFOX, he worked with Schwartz/Silver in Boston, on academic buildings, libraries and campus plans, as well as local and federal government projects.