Speakers

Juan M. Villafañe, Partner at Krueck Sexton Partners, leads complex architectural projects that transform technical and functional constraints into engaging experiences. Beginning his career as a custom metal fabricator, he developed a deep understanding of materials, precision, and craft that continues to inform his work. This foundation shapes an architecture that reveals its making through tactile environments that enrich human experience. He moves between the overall vision and the details, guiding projects from concept through construction. Juan is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, where he co-chairs ULI Chicago's Public Policy Committee and collaborates with leaders across the building industry to address urban challenges in the Chicago region. His experience delivering projects in cities including Singapore, Buenos Aires, and Sri Lanka has reinforced an approach rooted in the specificity of place. An advocate for passive environmental strategies, his projects reduce energy use while strengthening the relationship between people, nature, and the built environment. Most recently, he directed the transformation of the atrium serving the one million square foot International Square office complex in Washington, D.C., reimagining a conventional office lobby as a naturally ventilated public marketplace that engages the senses while significantly reducing operational energy.