Joe Burns

What: Joseph Burns, managing principal of Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm with practices in building structure, building skin and building performance, will be on a panel discussion at the Columbia Building Intelligence Project in London, organized by the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The GSAPP will convene its second think tank in the City of London, rethinking the future of the building industry in three, ninety-minute sessions of presentations and roundtable discussions. Joseph Burns will be a panelist on Wednesday, June 30th at 3:00 PM, in a discussion focusing on the role of manufacturing, material science and product design in the future of the building industry. With the move to more integrated working processes and building solutions, the panel will discuss how these industry sectors will affect the design explorations of architects and engineers, as well as how designers and engineers can engage manufacturers to develop products to meet the needs of the users.

When: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where: Design Museum Space, 2nd Floor, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD

Who: Joseph Burns, P.E., S.E., CEng, RIBA, FAIA, LEED AP, managing principal of Thornton Tomasetti, has more than 30 years of international experience as a structural designer as well as an investigator and renovator of existing buildings. He specializes in the design of complex structural systems, including earthquake engineering and dynamic analysis. His credits span a wide spectrum of projects: education, aviation, sports, performing arts, retail, commercial buildings, hotels, residences, and museums and exhibits. He is a peer reviewer for the General Services Administration’s Design Excellence and Construction Excellence programs. In 2008, he was honored with the American Institute of Steel Construction’s Special Achievement Award; in 2004, he was named to the American Institute of Architects, College of Fellows; and in 2003, he was named to ENR’s Top 25 Newsmakers. He has worked on many significant projects, including the structural design for the Masdar Headquarters Building, a 1.25 million-square-foot, seven-story commercial building for a zero carbon emission, green community, Abu Dhabi, UAE; the award-winning Adaptive Reuse of Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois; and the award-winning UBS Tower, Chicago, Illinois.

About Thornton Tomasetti (www.ThorntonTomasetti.com)
Thornton Tomasetti provides engineering services to clients worldwide on buildings of all sizes and complexity. From the tallest buildings and the longest spans, to innovative building systems and materials, the firm is committed to creating the best solutions through its technical ingenuity, pursuit of excellence, and responsiveness to client needs. Our work is in three practice areas: Building Structures, Building Skin and Building Performance. Founded in 1956 as Lev Zetlin & Associates, today Thornton Tomasetti is a 550-person organization of engineers and architects collaborating from offices across the United States and in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Moscow, and the Middle East.

Contact
Great Ink Communications – 212.741.2977
Roxanne Donovan/Eric Gerard/Marieka Baily/Mitch Breindel

Thornton Tomasetti – 917.661.7800
James M. Kent, JKent@ThorntonTomasetti.com