Daniel Piselli

Within Daniel's extensive portfolio of educational, cultural, and residential projects, he is the orchestrator of the design and construction process, coordinating the components in an innovative and rigorous approach that solves problems and builds great buildings.

As the Director of Sustainability, he leads the visioning and implementation of environmentally responsible design strategies on all of the firm's wide-ranging projects—from local to global, and across multiple scales and building typologies. In addition to project work, he manages the in-house sustainability workgroup that researches and disseminates information on advancements in sustainable design, and spearheads sustainability training and education for staff and clients.

A hockey game sparked Daniel's career—or more specifically, a childhood visit to Yale University's David S. Ingalls Skating Rink, designed by Eero Saarinen. Its heavy, curved roof impressed Daniel and, intrigued, he abandoned watching the hockey game to study the roof. The emotional impact of the building stayed with him—how could a building do this? he wondered. And how could other buildings have a similar effect? His questions began to be answered at the University of Kentucky, where a dynamic studio environment stimulated and inspired Daniel.

Years of experience working on buildings of all typologies, bridges, and historical preservation—including measuring Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water for its structural renovation team—gives Daniel a seasoned, nimble approach in which the full breadth of his experience is brought to bear. Improving energy efficiency in the face of rapidly changing climate is where Daniel feels architecture's biggest challenge lies, and how to balance super-efficient energy building with design priorities is the problem he hopes to solve.