This Is DesignIntelligence

Martha Thorne is Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design in Madrid and former executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, she shares some highlights of her extraordinary career, her thoughts about the future of design education, and why she believes architects and designers now have the most important mission they’ve ever had.

Opportunity has far longer staying power than fear. It's filled with hopes and faith and fortitude.

Volker Buscher serves as Chief Data Officer at Arup, where he is responsible for developing data solutions to support the organization’s automation, services and products. He has global experience in leading digital innovation, as project director and non-executive director. On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, he talks about the relationship between digital transformation and data strategy and how having a clear data strategy is key to achieving our 2030 goals.

At DesignIntelligence, we hold that it's the middle leadership posture that's most sustainably successful...

Guy Reid is an award-winning director, speaker and photographer. His 2012 film, Overview, is one of the most watched documentaries on Vimeo, garnering over 8 million views. On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, he shares his journey to becoming a filmmaker, how the perspectives of astronauts in space can give us a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment, and his upcoming project with DesignIntelligence that will bring a message of hope about the possibilities of human choice.

Sometimes referred to as “Servant Leadership”, Back postured leaders approach their work as a supportive role, adopting an encourager's voice, and showing how by actually doing. But like Front postured leadership, Back postured leadership isn’t a one size fits all solution.

Steve Morriss is President, Asia Pacific and Middle East, at SNC-Lavalin. He has over 30 years’ experience and global expertise, serving at various organizations including AECOM, Mouchel, and Serco Solutions. On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, he shares the journey that has led him to one of the largest engineering firms in the world, the importance of culture and values in a complex global organization, and the duty we have as an industry to make sure infrastructure investments impact society and the planet in a positive way.

Posturing as a leader can sometimes be a confusing exercise. How does one position themselves in any given situation?

An architect practicing in Paris and Washington DC, Thomas Vonier is past president of the International Union of Architects (2017-2021) and past president of The American Institute of Architects (2016-2017). On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, he talks about his storied career as an architect and executive leader across the design industry, what’s changed in the profession over the last few decades, and the universal power of good architecture and urban planning to transform lives.

The loss of perspective and the threat of being overwhelmed usually occurs when a leader doesn't responsibly manage their thinking on a daily basis. When we step back, step aside, and step down from the breakneck rush of nonstop thinking to recall, remember, and regain perspective we are proactively managing the flow of our mind.