Studio Hillier Presents: Architect, Also Developer: Achieving Stability, Growth, and Better Project Outcomes
September 30, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Add to Calendar
Studio Hillier
190 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542
Directions
Join us on Wednesday, September 30, 6-8 PM at Studio Hillier for a presentation on Architects as Developers, featuring Managing Principals of Studio Hillier Bob Hillier and Chris Farnum, and Joshua Zinder, Managing Partner, Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design!
Come network and learn something new at this historic firm celebrating its 60th anniversary!
Light refreshments
Architect, Also Developer: Achieving Stability, Growth, and Better Project Outcomes (1 LU/RIBA)
Many architects are pursuing meaningful work with optimal outcomes but struggle to turn profits, nurture their practices, cultivate legacies, and build generational wealth. Venturing into real estate development offers firms of all sizes the opportunity to achieve greater financial sustainability while strengthening their architectural practice.
This session will feature Bob Hillier, Chris Farnum, and Joshua Zinder, who together have managed and grown four successful firms, including one of the country's largest. Drawing on their personal experiences, they will share strategies for increasing revenue while pursuing preferred projects with owner-level control, even for small firms. Join us to learn about potential synergies, forming strategic relationships, identifying investment opportunities, exploring viable development models, and more.
The Speakers
J. Robert Hillier, LHD, FAIA, Managing Principal, Studio Hillier
J. Robert Hillier (Bob) is one of the leading and most highly-respected architects in the United States. He is perhaps best known for having built one of the largest and most successful architecture firms in the world. Bob is distinguished for his design, for his business acumen, and for his contributions to the field of architecture as a practitioner and educator.
He has been on the core faculty of Princeton University’s School of Architecture since 1992 where he teaches two graduate seminars. He has served on the AIA National Fellowship Jury and as Chair of the Selection Committee for the Dean of Princeton’s School of Architecture.
He is the recipient of over 350 individual honors and awards including an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from New Jersey Institute of Technology and an Honorary MBA from Bryant University. Other honors include the Legacy Award from the Urban Land Institute, the AIA’s Michael Graves Lifetime Achievement Award, and The President’s Medal from New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is also a Trustee Emeritus at McCarter Theater, Peddie School, and Bryant University. He has given over 200 lectures and participated in dozens of design juries. He and the firm have been widely published in national and international journals, newspapers, and magazines.
In May of 2019, the New Jersey Institute of Technology renamed its College of Architecture the J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier College of Architecture and Design.
Chris Farnum, AIA, Managing Principal, Studio Hillier
Chris joined Studio Hillier in 2022. He is a Registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional with experience in a variety of leadership roles within diverse architectural settings. After obtaining a Master of Architecture degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Chris worked for a design/build firm, in the public sector, as an in-house architect for a developer, and as founder and principal of his own firm. Notably, Chris served as Director of Design for Industry City, a $1 billion transformation of an underused 35-acre waterfront district in Brooklyn that is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects in the United States. Additionally, he has received several awards and honors for his work including the New York City Public Design Commission Award for Excellence in Design, the American Society of Landscape Architects New York Chapter Honor Award, the AIA|DC Historic Resources & Preservation Award, recognition as a NYCxDESIGN Project Finalist Honoree, and the Architectural Record House of the Month. His projects have been published in Architectural Record, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Guardian, The Architect’s Newspaper, Oculus, World Landscape Architecture, and The Plan.
Joshua Zinder, AIA , NCARB, LEED AP, Managing Partner, Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design
Joshua Zinder, AIA | NCARB | LEED AP, is the Founder and Managing Partner of Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design (JZA+D), now celebrating its 10th anniversary as a firm. Passionate about every aspect of architecture and design, Joshua Zinder brings a unique, contemporary style to every project. His architectural approach blends an affinity for traditional materials with a commitment to appropriate design, allowing every project to reflect a sense of purpose, place and context.
With a career spanning more than 20 years, Joshua’s diverse design portfolio includes high-end commercial space, gourmet restaurants, cultural and educational institutions, private residences, multi-family mixed-use developments, and government/municipal facilities. The AIA-New Jersey named Joshua as Architect of the Year in 2013, and JZA+D as 2014 Firm of the Year. Currently, the firm is involved in projects for three universities in New Jersey: Princeton, Rowan, and Rutgers, and for three synagogues in Texas, New Jersey, and New York. Other current projects include a 4-acre rooftop pool deck at the Sands Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, and a 20-story mixed use tower in Jersey City.
Prior to founding JZA+D in 2006, Joshua led the design and construction of residential, commercial and institutional projects while serving as a designer and team leader at other firms, most notably Michael Graves & Associates. He has served as a board member with the Jewish Center of Princeton, the Electronic Music Foundation, Big Tent Judaism, and Gotham City Networking.
Tickets
$0.00 AIA CNJ Members
$0.00 Non-CNJ Members
