Gustavo Avellaneda is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio at our newly launched Paris office. With over seven years of experience in structural engineering and computational approaches to engineering, he is especially interested in using the power of computation to enhance collaboration between artists/architects and engineers to enhance creativity and respond to the climate emergency. His global work experience includes independent consulting in Colombia, internships at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York, as a structural engineer at EVP Ingénierie in Paris collaborating with French and European artists and architects, and renovation projects at RBS IDF. Gustavo’s passion for learning has included a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, a master’s degree in Computational Mechanics from the Université de Nantes in France, where he concentrated on stochastic mechanics to analyze spatial variability of the mechanical properties of wood, and an Advanced Masters Design by Data at École des Ponts et Chaussés in Paris, where his thesis explored the use of computational strategies to study the reuse potential of steel members subject to bending.
Gustavo is active in several organizations including the Digital Workflows and Computational Design Panel at IStructE as well as a member of Mars Planet Technologies.
Lorenzo Glielmi is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio who holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Building Engineering and Architecture from the University of Rome La Sapienza. During his last year of schooling, he studied low damage PRES-LAM structures, innovative mass timber structures with post-tension tendons, and plug & play dissipators that avoid structural damage under seismic events. He also was the recipient of a structural engineering internship at Format Engineers in the United Kingdom and worked as a structural BIM specialist on several Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Mario Cucinella Architects projects.
His life-long passion for sustainable architecture inspires him to focus on timber and modular structure, automation, and handcrafted design. His focus stems from the belief that when the power of automation matches craft, design results lead to high-quality custom products for clients without neglecting the cost control and environmental impact of the products.
Kostis Orfanopoulos is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio and adds an exciting array of skills to our new Athens office. Kostis’ experience in structural design ranges from residential to commercial international projects, high-rise, as well as technical consulting and construction supervision. Prior to CRAFT, he worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and AKT II with a range of clients including Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners, as well as freelance projects for various London structural engineering firms. Kostis holds a diploma in Civil Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the Imperial College of London.
Nicolai Carlson is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT Engineering Studio. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a Master of Architecture, and a Master of Science in Civil (Structural) Engineering. Nicolai earned his undergraduate degree at Marquette University and his graduate degrees at the University of Michigan.
Before joining CRAFT, Nicolai served in the U.S. Navy for several years onboard two ships: the USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and the USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Additionally, he was a Civil Engineer for Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25. Nicolai has a wide breadth of experience which includes operating and maintaining shipboard engineering plants, navigation, radar, and weapons systems.
Trevor is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He has experience in performing structural design and analysis for high-rise buildings and commercial housing under both US and Chinese building codes. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Tamkang University and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan. Trevor is passionate about creating innovative solutions in structural design by integrating an interdisciplinary knowledge of architecture and engineering.
Antoine is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He has previous experience in design, modeling and simulation of multi-story buildings. He holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the École Spéciale des Travaux Publics (ESTP Paris) and a Master of Science in Structural Earthquake Engineering from UCLA. He has experience implementing US and European codes and with various software programs required in structural analysis.
Marquis Williams is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Hartford. He has held several leadership roles in Engineering Associations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers. Marquis also brings prior hands-on multidisciplinary experience in drafting, model building, and construction management. Marquis believes that solutions to contemporary needs are interdisciplinary, best forged in a collaborative effort between architects, engineers, and builders.
Martyn is an Associate at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He holds 9 years of experience in design and project management across a wide range of project types and scales.
Martyn has a passion for creativity and technical excellence in design and has particular interests in historic building work and the engineering of mass timber structures. In previous roles held in London, he worked with several high-profile architects on progressive and challenging schemes. He holds a Master of Engineering from The University of Manchester and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers in the UK. Prior to joining CRAFT, Martyn was an Associate at Corbett & Tasker in the UK.
John Larkey PE is an Associate at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. John is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the United Kingdom with 13 years of experience who holds a master’s degree in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford.
Prior to joining CRAFT | Engineering Studio, John was a Senior Structural Engineer at Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP in New York City. He started his career at Ove Arup & Partners Ltd. in London, UK, before working for Robert Bird Group Ltd. and spent five years as an integral member of the then recently formed structural engineering team at Foster + Partners Ltd. in London.
John is a structural design engineer and project manager with a strong integrated design philosophy developed over many years of design consultancy working with highly technical and bespoke structural and aesthetic objectives. This experience includes working with international multi-disciplinary building design teams and globally renowned architects on prestigious projects with geometrical and analytical complexity from initial concept design through to construction administration. He believes that the key to successful design is in a collaborative interdisciplinary effort between architects, engineers, and builders from the onset of a project. His international experience means he is familiar with US building codes, Eurocodes and British Standards. His prior role in New York City required ICC certification as a Structural Steel and Bolting Inspector, Welding Special Inspector and Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector Associate, and he is also a Revit Structure Autodesk Certified Professional.
Aïssata Nützel is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. She is a licensed Professional Engineer with 5 years of design experience working on the West Coast.
Before joining CRAFT, Aïssata worked for several years at KPFF Consulting Engineers, Inc. in the San Francisco Bay Area. Additionally, she has prior design experience with local design firms Strandberg Engineering and ESE Consulting Engineers. Aïssata has worked on multiple projects of various scale and construction type, including single-family and multi-family residential, commercial, and K-12 education. Aïssata also brings a specific knowledge of designing structures in high-seismic areas.
Aïssata holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. While at Berkeley, she spent additional time studying architectural design and maintains an affinity for blending the two disciplines.
Eleni Maglari is a Senior Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. Eleni has experience in the structural design and analysis of new and the refurbishment of existing residential and commercial projects. She holds a Master of Engineering from University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art, achieving an Engineering Excellence award in each year of study. Eleni completed her dissertation on the Computational Homogenisation of Composite Materials, using Finite Element Analysis to understand the local behavior of woven fibers within a composite matrix. She is especially interested in fusing her backgrounds in architecture and engineering within the context of structural engineering consulting.
Alexander Bernstein is a Associate Principal at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. Alex is a licensed Professional Engineer who has worked in a variety of engineering disciplines in both design and construction, earning his Professional Engineering license in 2015. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Engineering from the Product Architecture and Engineering program at the Stevens Institute of Technology. Alex has a passion for the integration of product design and structural engineering to challenge traditional practice and explore non-standard materials and analysis methods in the design of structures. Prior to joining CRAFT, Alex was a member of the Analytics group at BuroHappold Engineering in Manhattan.
Jordan is a Project Engineer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Brown University, where he focused on studying stress-response behavior in structures and solids. With a diverse background ranging from formula race car composite body design to steel fixture fabrication, Jordan believes that his solid mechanics experience will bring a new perspective to CRAFT’s innovative approach to structural engineering.
Hayley Brunetto is the Director of Operations for CRAFT | Engineering Studio. Working with the elite team of engineers at CRAFT, her role keeps her involved in all aspects of the company. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Arizona State University, whereupon her creative interests continued to develop across multiple mediums. An individual with experience that now spans across fields of photography, design and publishing, she has worked alongside innovative and prolific companies, each considered to be at the forefront of their respective industries. Her extensive background in both artistic and administrative realms allows her unique insight into the interplay between creatives and day-to-day business processes.
Carl Fosholt is a licensed Professional Engineer with over ten years of experience who received a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering and Geomechanics from Stanford University. He started his career with Guy Nordenson and Associates and Buro Happold NYC focusing on design of specialty structural systems and working in close collaboration with architectural counterparts. In 2016, Carl moved to the Philippines to lead a team of local engineers and builders working to preventatively retrofit low-income housing susceptible to earthquake failure and rebuilding homes in communities impacted by annual typhoons throughout the nation. After three years working in non-profit international development, he returned home to explore freelance life, engineering large scale art for the Burning Man festival as well as designing and building off-grid solar systems, tiny homes, custom furniture, and camper vans.
Carl brings his diverse background and passion for collaborative design to CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He is always striving to push the boundaries of design and his own abilities as an engineer by partnering with project developers, designers, fabricators, and builders to facilitate collaboration and foster imagination.
Seema Bajaria is the Marketing Director for CRAFT | Engineering Studio. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from MIT as well as a master’s and PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan. Her academic experience includes post-doctoral work in computational modeling of infectious disease, specifically the dynamics governing the progression of HIV in the human body. Her industry experience spans computer simulation of diseases at Entelos, life science consulting with Price Waterhouse Coopers, and most recently mathematical modeling and science writing for various biotech industry leaders.
Seema has a special interest in clear and compelling communication of research and engineering. She is most excited to use her multidisciplinary background to further the conversation between structural engineering and art and architecture.
Nathaniel Stanton PE CE SE is the Principal and Founder of CRAFT | Engineering Studio. He is a licensed Structural Engineer with over 20 years of experience who holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Architecture, and a Master of Science in Civil (Structural) Engineering. Currently, he is working towards a PhD in a combination of these fields within the framework of digital form development. Nathaniel received his education at the University of Michigan, the Swiss Federal Technological Institute (ETH) in Zurich and the University of New Hampshire. In addition to practice, he has lectured at Columbia University, Harvard University, the University of Michigan, the Pratt Institute and the Stevens Institute of Technology.
Prior to launching CRAFT | Engineering Studio, Nathaniel founded and ran the Special Projects Group at Buro Happold Consulting Engineers in New York. In this capacity, he worked on many prominent projects with geometrical, analytical or material complexity, including the World Trade Center Visitor Orientation Center Atrium with Snohetta, the New Amsterdam Pavilion in Manhattan with UNStudio and the Phoenix Civic Space Sculpture “Her Secret is Patience” with the artist Janet Echelman.
Michael Licht is a Senior Technical Designer at CRAFT | Engineering Studio who holds a Master of Architecture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and is an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects. Michael has a special interest combining visualization, modelling and computation to inform the expression of exposed structures, as well as using iterative processes with analytical output to optimize the performance of his designs. Prior to joining CRAFT, Michael split time working as a Designer at Smith Miller Hawkinson Architects and as a Technical Designer with the Structures group at BuroHappold Engineering in Manhattan. In addition to practice, Michael has taught at the Pratt Institute as an Architectural Studio Instructor.
