Stefan Al is an architect and urban designer committed to shaping sustainable and thriving urban spaces. Through his firm, Stefan Al Architects, and his position as an associate professor of urban policy and planning at Hunter College in New York, he tackles the crucial challenges of urban design, housing, and sustainability. Al’s expertise lies in integrating architecture, urbanism, and sustainable design principles to create transformative projects that balance human needs with environmental stewardship.

Early on in his career, Stefan worked as an architect at Information Based Architecture in Amsterdam, winning the competition and commission for the 2000-feet tall Canton Tower, which briefly held the title of the world’s tallest tower. The project, known for its elegant silhouette and technological excellence, is the most popular attraction in Guangzhou and widely appreciated as a landmark throughout China.

Later in his career, as a Senior Associate Principal at KPF, he contributed to the design of mixed-use master plans and high-rise towers across Asia and the US. He worked on a variety of tech campuses, office buildings, apartment buildings, hotels and resorts for global clients. He recently established his emerging design practice focused on integrating the domains of architecture, urban design, and sustainability. His work has been exhibited in cultural venues worldwide, such as the Venice Biennale (2021) and the Shenzhen Biennale (2011, 2013, 2017).

In addition to his design work, Stefan has served in various capacities to major institutions, such as the World Heritage Center of UNESCO, working on the preservation of world heritage in Latin America, the Hong Kong government, consulting on the development of the city’s harbor and external lighting guidelines, and to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, serving as an expert on compact city design.

In his design work, he is able to draw from his extensive research, including his eight books on urban design and urbanization, which have been widely reviewed and acclaimed. His book Supertall: How The World’s Tallest Buildings Are Reshaping our Cities and our Lives was named by The New York Times Book Review as “thoughtful inquiry into the new generations of skyscrapers.” His co-authored book, Beyond Mobility: Planning Cities for People and Places, won the 2019 National Urban Design award and the 2019 Choice Outstanding Academic Title. His latest research advocates for designing more resilient cities in the face of climate change, most notably in his new book Adapting Cities to Sea Level Rise: Green and Gray Strategies, lauded by the Journal of Planning Education and Research for its “refreshingly grounded design approach.”

His book, The Strip: Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream, was a Wall Street Journal “best book to read” and honored with the Independent Publisher Book Award. He is acclaimed for his work on Asian urbanism with four books published including, Villages in the City, which was selected by Architectural Record as “one of the best” books on informal urbanism. Besides his academic publications, his work has been featured in museum and biennale exhibits and media outlets including TED, NPR, Marketplace, Slate, The Atlantic and The Times. In addition, he has written for The Guardian, Wired, The Wall Street Journal, CityLab and Quartz.

Stefan is committed to teach the next generation of architects and urban designers. Over the years, he has served on the faculty of Hunter College of the City of New York (CUNY), Virginia Tech, Columbia University, Pratt Institute, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Pennsylvania, where he co-taught an online course, Designing Cities, with more than 70,000 students.

When time allows, Stefan enjoys sharing his design philosophy and expert insights about sustainable architecture and design. He has given keynote speeches and presentations to audiences including TED, the United Nations, the American Institute of Architects, and the Wharton School of Business.

For new opportunities, media enquiries or speaking engagements, please contact the office at office@stefanal.com

EDUCATION
Ph.D. City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley
M.Arch. Architecture, University College London, Graduated with Merit
M.Sc. Architecture, Delft University of Technology, Graduated with Distinction
ETSAB Barcelona School of Architecture, Architecture, Erasmus Program

REGISTRATIONS
New York State licensed architect
The Netherlands licensed architect
LEED Accredited Professional, U.S. Green Building Council

AFFILIATIONS
TED Resident
Founding Member, Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design
Fellow, Urban Design Forum
Member, Royal Institute of Dutch Architects
Member, Architectural Association
Fellow, Penn Institute of Urban Research

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