Vancouver Tall Challenge

Nathalie de Vries is a founding partner of MVRDV, the internationally acclaimed Rotterdam-based architecture, urbanism, and landscape design practice she established in 1993 alongside Winy Maas and Jacob van Rijs. An architect, urban planner, and educator, De Vries has played a central role in shaping MVRDV’s globally recognized body of work, known for its experimental approach to architecture, innovative building typologies, and strong engagement with the public realm. Her work focuses on the development of changeable, open systems and the creation of dynamic environments that respond to evolving social, urban, and environmental conditions. Through projects ranging from mixed-use developments and cultural institutions to large-scale masterplans, she consistently explores the relationship between architecture, public space, and community life. Notable projects associated with her leadership include Silodam in Amsterdam, the Book Mountain library in Spijkenisse, Concordia Design Wrocław, and numerous urban regeneration and mixed-use developments across Europe and beyond. In addition to her professional practice, De Vries is Professor of Architectural Design and Public Building at Delft University of Technology and has taught at institutions including Harvard GSD, TU Berlin, IIT Chicago, and Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. She is an Honorary Fellow of the AIA and an International Fellow of the RIBA. Throughout her career, she has contributed extensively to architectural discourse through teaching, publications, exhibitions, lectures, and participation in international juries, helping shape contemporary conversations on architecture and urbanism worldwide.

Gordon Gill, FAIA, is a founding partner of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), the internationally renowned Chicago-based practice recognized for advancing high-performance, energy-efficient, and sustainable architecture on a global scale. His work is guided by the philosophy of “Form Follows Performance,” exploring the relationship between design, environmental responsiveness, and long-term ecological impact. Through projects ranging from supertall towers to large-scale urban plans, Gill has helped redefine how architecture can engage climate, technology, and the public realm. Among his most notable projects are the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, one of the world’s first net-zero-energy skyscraper concepts; Masdar Headquarters in Abu Dhabi, a pioneering positive-energy building; Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia; Al Wasl Plaza, the centerpiece of Expo 2020 Dubai; Astana Expo 2017 and its sustainable legacy district in Kazakhstan; Forbes International Tower; and Central Park Tower in New York City, the tallest residential building in the world. These landmark projects demonstrate a commitment to harnessing natural forces, reducing environmental impact, and creating architecture that responds directly to its context. Prior to co-founding AS+GG in 2006, Gill was an Associate Partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and a Director of Design at VOA Associates. He has lectured, exhibited, and taught internationally, and his work has received numerous honors from the American Institute of Architects and architectural institutions worldwide. In 2013 he was elevated to the College of Fellows of the AIA, and under his leadership AS+GG was ranked the number one architecture firm in the United States by Architect Magazine.

K̓esugwilakw is the Founder and Principal of  K̓ESU+CO., an urban and environmental design consultancy, and an Indigiqueer Urban and Environmental Designer with more than eight years of experience leading large-scale urban design and planning projects. They are from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and are also Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw/Musga̱mgw Dzawada̱’enuxw, Łingít (Tlingit), and Magyar (Hungarian). Their work centers on advancing Indigenous sovereignty and reshaping the spatial realm through culturally grounded and community-led design methodologies. Through a practice they describe as “Indigiqueering Design,” K̓esugwilakw combines Indigenous design and research methodologies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Story of Place, and Coast Salish design techniques to develop spatial healing methodologies rooted in Indigenous teachings and relationships to land. Their work explores how urban and environmental design can support decolonization, ecological stewardship, cultural continuity, and collective wellbeing across both urban and natural landscapes. K̓esugwilakw holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Urbanism from The Bartlett School of Planning at University College London and a degree in Environmental Design from the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). Their contributions to design, planning, and community leadership have been recognized through awards for design leadership, youth leadership, and design excellence from the City of North Vancouver, UBC SALA’s Environmental Design Program, and the Canadian Awards for Planning Excellence.

James Cheng is the founder of James K.M. Cheng Architects, a Vancouver-based architecture and urban design practice internationally recognized for its pioneering contribution to West Coast architecture and city building. Established in 1978, the 30-person studio is known for its integrated approach to urban design, landscape, architecture, and interiors, delivering projects that respond thoughtfully to both community and context. For more than four decades, Cheng and his team have been committed to creating innovative, high-quality environments that enhance neighbourhoods and everyday human experience. The firm’s diverse portfolio spans local and international master planning, as well as residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Notable works include the Pacific Centre Redevelopment, Shangri-La Vancouver, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Shaw Tower, Port Moody City Hall, Burnaby Metrotown Library and Civic Square, and River Green in Richmond. James K.M. Cheng Architects has received some of Canada’s most prestigious honours, including the Order of Canada and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Governor General’s Medal, recognizing the firm’s lasting impact on architecture and urban development in Canada and internationally.

Susan MacDougall is the Founder and Principal of Focal Engineering, a British Columbia-based consultancy specializing in mechanical engineering, energy modelling, and high-performance building design. Founded in 2015, the practice has become recognized for its expertise in sustainable building performance and advanced energy analysis. With more than 20 years of experience in the building industry, Susan is widely regarded as a leader in the field of energy modelling in Canada, working across a broad range of residential, commercial, institutional, and Passive House projects. A mechanical engineer, energy modeller, project manager, and educator, Susan is an instructor with Passive House Canada and a frequent speaker at major industry events, including serving as keynote speaker for the 2021 IBPSA Canada Energy Modelling Conference. Her work focuses on advancing building performance, reducing environmental impact, and supporting the integration of sustainable design strategies into contemporary architecture and engineering practice. Susan is also deeply engaged in professional leadership and advocacy, particularly in promoting sustainability, inclusivity, and the advancement of women in engineering. She previously served for six years with IBPSA BC, including four years as Chair, and spent four years as an elected Councillor with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. She currently serves as Chair of the Passive House Canada Board, is a Board Member for the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Victoria, and contributes to several federal and provincial Codes and Standards committees representing the energy modelling community. Her contributions to the profession have been recognized through numerous honors, including the Role Model Woman Engineer or Geoscientist of the Year Award (2024), the EGBC Victoria Branch Service Award (2020), Queen’s University’s Engineering Excellence Award (2020), and a Fellowship from Engineers Canada (2019). Susan is a Professional Engineer registered in British Columbia, a BC Hydro PowerSmart Modeller, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a Certified Passive House Consultant.

Derek Lee is a Partner at PWL Partnership, a Vancouver-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning practice internationally recognized for shaping some of the most significant public spaces, waterfronts, and urban environments across North America and beyond. Since joining the firm in 2004, Derek has worked with clients and communities around the world to create vibrant, people-centered places that strengthen connections between nature, culture, and urban life. A landscape architect and urban designer with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of British Columbia, Derek brings experience spanning North America, Asia, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. His work ranges from large-scale master plans and waterfront developments to downtown revitalization strategies and community-focused public spaces. Guided by a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and research-driven design, he focuses on creating environments that improve quality of life, promote ecological resilience, and celebrate the unique character of place. As part of PWL’s leadership team, Derek has contributed to projects that have helped define contemporary urban landscapes, building on the firm’s legacy of influential work throughout Metro Vancouver and internationally. PWL’s portfolio includes award-winning waterfronts, parks, civic spaces, and sustainable urban developments recognized by organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Urban Land Institute, and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Matthew Soules is an architect, scholar, educator, and activist whose work explores the relationship between architecture, urbanism, and the political economy of contemporary society. He is a Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) and the founder of Vancouver-based Matthew Soules Architecture, an award-winning practice recognized for its work across architecture, interiors, public space, and urban design. Through both practice and research, Soules investigates how architecture can operate as a generator of social life and as a response to the alienating forces shaping contemporary cities. His design work has received numerous distinctions, including awards from the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, the Architizer A+ Awards, the International Downtown Association, and the Interior Design Institute of British Columbia. His projects and research have been widely published in international architectural and design media. Soules is internationally recognized for his research on architecture, housing, and financialization. He is the author of Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin: Architecture and Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century (Princeton Architectural Press, 2021), a widely discussed examination of how global finance shapes buildings and urban space. His writings have appeared in publications including Harvard Design Magazine, Log, Perspecta, Places, and the Journal of Architectural Education. In 2021, he co-founded Architects Against Housing Alienation (AAHA), a collective advancing research, exhibitions, and pedagogical initiatives focused on de-commodified housing. AAHA represented Canada at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale and continues to develop research and design proposals addressing housing inequality and urban transformation across Canada. In addition to his role at UBC, Soules has taught at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and SCI-Arc, and previously worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, and the office of Arthur Erickson.