CDS | Studio | Bio | Minehli Petrossian
Minehli Petrossian
Minehli Petrossian is an architectural designer who believes exploring architecture in connection with social and economic issues is a key point in reaching social equality and sustainable development. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Architecture from the University of West Tehran, She moved to Los Angeles, where she continued her passion for architecture and urban planning and graduated from the USC School of Architecture with a Master of Architecture degree. In her thesis project titled Paracosm, she examined an alternative scenario for a big-scale sustainable residential community located in the heart of Los Angeles. This project was the recipient of the USC School of Architecture’s “Outstanding directed design research” award. She loves to utilize her knowledge of architecture, photography and drawing in creating analytical or conceptual illustrations to better understand the complexities of life.
To see Minehli’s work, click here.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Vu Nguyen
Vu Nguyen
Vu Nguyen is an Architectural Designer with deep experience on aviation projects. He has been involved in the design and development of multiple airport facilities in the continental United States and Hawaii. These include CONRAC projects at SFO (San Francisco International Airport), LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) BNA (Nashville International Airport) and HNL (Daniel K. Inouye International Airport). Currently, he is involved in the development of the LAX Terminal-9 ATMP Stage 2 efforts. At the Academy of Art University (AAU) in San Francisco, Vu directed the AIA-Student committee and hosted fundraising events to give back to the professional society and academic institutes. He has been a guest critic at AAU.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Yeawon Min
Yeawon Min
Yeawon Min is an architectural designer with experience on multiple project types at various scales. These include affordable housing, facade design, and exhibitions. She has also participated on several international competition projects. She received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Ewha Woman’s University in South Korea. During her education, she explored a diverse scale of architecture, such as product design, pavilion construction, and urban studies. Participating in urban project competitions during her bachelor’s degree, she continued her interest in urban design with her Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA), participating in urban strategy studios.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Beatriz Soares
Beatriz Tzung Lima Soares
Beatriz Soares is an architectural and urban designer with international experience with high-rise residential and mixed-use buildings in the continental United States and Brazil. She has worked on numerous entitlement packages from design development through construction documents. She received her Bachelor of Architecture and Urbanism from Universidade de Campinas, Brazil and her Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In addition to architectural practice, she has worked as a research assistant at UCLA on a research project focused on reducing the effects of wildfires in Los Angeles County in a partnership with the Berggruen Institute. At City Design Studio, she is currently working on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics project in collaboration with AECOM. She is deeply interested in developing urban design and strategic urban planning projects.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Bahar Eshraghi
Bahar Eshraghi
Bahar Eshraghi has extensive international experience in both the public and private sector in architecture and urban design projects. She has collaborated on a vast range of small to large scale complex projects. She has taken part in various phases, from research and conceptual design to design development and the preparation of construction documents. She is passionate about reinforcing the sense of place, contributing positively to the sustainability of the urban environment, the fabric of the city and the community. Recent projects include collaboration on the design of the proposed Terminal 9 at LAX and the development of the Royal Columbian Hospital, one of the largest publicly funded capital healthcare projects in British Columbia’s history.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Jim Leggitt
JIM LEGGITT
Jim Leggitt is a consulting urban designer based in Denver, Colorado who collaborates with City Design Studio in the role of professional illustrator and urban planner on selected projects. Recent efforts include tradigital renderings for station areas along the West Santa Ana Transit Corridor in Los Angeles County. Other projects include the E-Street Urban Block in the City of San Bernardino. Jim offers drawing seminars and design visualization workshops at AIA National Conventions, regional and local conferences, universities, architectural firms and allied design professionals throughout North America. Jim has given presentations at three previous Google SketchUp Basecamps. Leggitt authored Drawing Shortcuts: Developing Quick Drawing Skills Using Today’s Technology, published in 2002 and 2010 by John Wiley and Sons, New York. His books have been adopted by over 50 universities and published in three foreign languages.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Bob Shaffer
BOB SHAFFER
Robert Shaffer has more than 50 years of experience in a broad range of architectural, urban planning and urban design projects in a wide compass of international and domestic locations. Bob has expanded the use of historic background, analytic techniques and the latest planning and design technologies. Bob attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where He received his Degrees and then taught “History and Theory of Architecture and Planning” and the Fourth Year Design Studio.
He is a registered architect in the state of California and has successfully completed many distinguished projects in the U.S., China, Guam, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. After serving in the Peace Corps in Iran, where he developed plans for village development and the urban design basis for the Master Plan for Tehran, Bob led Middle Eastern projects in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, including the Qatar National Development Plan and two new towns, New Doha and Umm Said, both of which are now built. His discovery of a series of unused urban rights-of-way led to a region-wide conceptual master plan for ribbons of open space throughout the wider urban area of Los Angeles.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Sabrina Ahmed
SABRINA AHMED
Sabrina Ahmed is Vice President at City Design Studio and holds a Master of Science in Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. She received her Bachelor of Law from the University of Dhaka and began her career under the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Honorable Justice A.B.M Khairul Haque. She coordinated research in the adaptation of the California Community Redevelopment Act for potential urban development projects. She also worked briefly at Wells Fargo Bank before bringing her skills to the Studio. Sabrina was the Assistant Editor of the Law Review at the Student Center for Judicial and Political Research at Dhaka and also received a Diploma in Human Rights from Dhaka International University.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Sameer Ameen
SAMEER AMEEN
Sameer Ameen is an Intern at City Design Studio and a second year at the University of California, Berkeley. He has participated in the creation of 3-D digital models of several urban areas for projects in California, China, and Japan. Sameer has a passion to pursue a career in helping combat climate change by leveraging Environmental Law. He teaches Environmental Justice, Policy, and Sustainability at Berkeley through its DeCal program. He also serves as the VP of Organizations and Philanthropy for the non-profit Berkeley Model United Nations and helps to raise money for education in marginalized communities throughout the bay area. His passion for combatting environmental issues is demonstrated through his various projects on the Berkeley campus.
CDS | Studio | Bio | Nicola-Susan Stolting
Nicola-Susan Stolting
Susan Stolting has been practicing Architecture in the United States and Europe with a sustained focus in sustainable design and new construction technologies. Prior to joining City Design Studio, this included experience in the offices of Foster and Partners, Rafael Vinoly Architects and Arata Isozaki and Associates after studying under Peter Cook at the Bartlett in London. Susan combines a theoretical approach with her technical knowledge and her passion for sustainable architecture and design. Susan’s experience includes multi-family housing and airport design in addition to offices, high-rise development and residential houses.