CHARLES PORTELLI
Charles is a licensed architect and designer based in New York City with a strong interest in computational design, continuously exploring new methodologies that link design, construction, and fabrication together. Most of his work creates a connection between the digital and physical realms. Charles is a member of the AIA, RIBA, CTBUH Future Leaders NYC chapter, and holds a certification in Construction Documentation Technology
Currently Charles is a Vice President Application Developer with Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE Studio where he focuses on the intersection of Computational Design, application development, and product management utilizing agile techniques to develop various applications used in the AEC industry.
Previously Charles was the Senior Product Manager at Flux.io where he developed a prioritized product roadmap which aligned with user needs and company goals. Charles also oversaw two software engineering teams focusing on developing stronger streamlined integrations between various design modeling, and data applications, driving home the idea of a holistic BIM environment for the AEC industry.
Prior to Flux, Charles was an Associate Principal and head of the Computation Design efforts at Kohn Pedersen Fox in NYC from 2007 to 2016. At KPF, Charles lead the applied R & D efforts focusing on rapid prototyping, sustainability, BIM, AR / VR, geometry rationalization, and automation to develop new workflows for design and project delivery. During that time he worked on a number of projects varying in scale, location, and typology.
Charles has also taught at various universities including Pratt, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and New York City College of Technology, where he currently teaches. Charles has also guest lectured at MIT. He has been invited as a guest critic to the Parson New School of Design, Stevens Institute of Technology, Pratt, New Jersey Institute of Technology, City College of New York, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Presentations & Publications:
RUG NY – Building Intelligence – September 2024
Confluence Lexington – Progress in AI and ML, A Year Later – September 2024
Confluence Podcast – AI in Architectural Practice – September 2024
CTBUH Innovation Symposium – How AI Will Transform the Design of Buildings and Cities – June 2024
Tech Perspectives – Exploring the Future of AEC Technology in the Age of AI – June 2024
BuiltWorlds – Trends in Development, Planning, Technology, and AI – May 2024
Confluence NYC – AI In Practice – April 2024
NY Digital Design Community – Digital @ Perkins&Will – March 2024
School of Disruption Computational Design Webinar – October 2023
AIA Miami Chris Kelly Leadership Development Program – Industry Game Changers – April 2023
Panelist at BuiltWorlds Building Conference New Tools For Planning Better Buildings – May 2022
Presented at Environmental Life Cycle Assessment in Design (eLCAd) – Computation in LCA and Design: Challenges to full automation – March 2022
AEC Tech UK | Symposium Moderator - July 2021
BiLT | “Optimizing the in-between”: An API approach to multidisciplinary collaboration – June 2021
ENR Interview - Academia and Industry Join Forces in Race to Decarbonize Cities – April 2021
AEC Technology Hackathon | Smoking Gan – October 2020
AEC Hive Podcast - Learn Something New – October 2020
NY Revit User Group - BIM / VDCO in Academia – June 2020
STRUCTURE Magazine – Automation of Construction Documents & Details – December 2019
AIA CIO Large Firm Round Table – Common Data Environment – September 2019
NXT Design Week – Innovation panel – August 2019
ASCE – Structures Congress: Innovation in Software and Technology – April 2019
Plexus Projects – Vitrine Screening – April 2019
Moderator for AIA NY – FutureNow – March 2019
CTBUH Scandinavia Chapter – Tall Building Technologies – January 2019
Moderator for AEC Tech Symposium – Interpolations – October 2018
CTBUH NY Chapter – Data and Smart Cities – September 2018
BuiltWorlds – Project Conference NYC – February 2018
BuiltWorlds – Hackathon Speaker & Participant – December 2017
CTBUH NY Chapter – The Start of things – October 2017
Panelist – Tech and Construction panel discussion – 2017
Chicago Dynamo User Group – Design Tools & Teams Working Together – September 2016
Keynote speaker at Data Day – July 2016
Presenter at Facades+ NY – April 2016
Taught tech workshop at Facades+ NY – April 2016
CTBUH NY Chapter – Computational Design Technology – November 2015
Professional work displayed on McNeel News Site – November 2015
Professional work displayed on McNeel News Site – July 2015
DesignAlyze Podcast – Charlie Portelli Episode 19 – July 2015
Professional work presented at RTC – July 2015
Professional work presented at NYC Revit User Group – July 2015
Skyscraper Museum – 10 Tops – April 2015
Archinect – KPF’s Riverside 66 – February 2014
Moderator for AEC Symposium – 2013
Skyscraper Museum – Sky High – October 2013
Presented at Center for Architecture Technology Lecture series – September 2012
Skyscraper Museum – Supertall! – July 2011
Presented at ACADIA – October 2010
Professional work published in “Visual Architecture” – June 2010 vol. 46
Co-taught student showcase at Center for Architecture NY – 2009
Co-taught Pre-SmartGeometry workshop – 2009
Professional work presented at SmartGeometry conference in Munich – 2008
Student work displayed at “Scripted By Purpose” exhibit – 2007
Student worked published in ACADIA proceedings – 2004