JUDGES

Gretchen Addi

Gretchen is an Associate Partner and Portfolio Lead in the Bay Area. She is currently co-leading IDEO’s efforts to build a domain of work in the Aging space as well as providing mentorship and guidance to the Design Research discipline. She is passionate about the power of empathy and design, and the people who make it happen as well as the author of an internal point of view to better understand the needs of the aging population. Since joining IDEO in 2000, Gretchen has participated in such diverse projects as future work environment scenarios; an exploration into the future of healthcare through the patient and family experience; product and service concepts for retirement planning and aging in place; and international interviews and observations around automotive, health and home care products.

She brings a strong strategic point of view to all of her work, both from a brand and service perspective.

Richard Duncan

Richard Duncan, Executive Director of the RL Mace Universal Design Institute ,has spent 30 years in the field of architectural and product accessibility and universal design in residential, public, and transportation environments.

Richard directed many remodeling and new home projects including The Universal Design Homes project developed universal demonstration homes in Atlantic City; Safe and Accessible Homes for Independence, assisted communities provide home access modifications; Affordable and Universal Homes for Independence, assisted affordable home builders improve their capacity to produce universal housing.

He has collaborated for 10 years to create the nation’s only conference that addresses universal homes and communities, Universal Design Summit. Mr. Duncan contributed to NAHB’sCertified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) course and helped conduct the very first CAPS training. Richard is one of two primary authors of NAHB’s Universal Design Build (UDB) course. He was the first approved UDB instructor in the country. He is the 2003 recipient of the Icons of the Industry Award from the Senior Housing Council (now, 50+ Housing Council) of the National Association of Home Builders.

Rodney Harrell, PhD

Rodney Harrell is Director of Livable Communities for AARP’s Public Policy Institute. Livable communities are safe and secure, have affordable and appropriate housing and transportation options, and supportive community features and services. Once in place, those resources enhance personal independence; allow residents to age in place; and foster residents’ engagement in the community’s civic, economic, and social life. Dr. Harrell’s research on housing preferences, neighborhood choice and community livability are integral to the Livability Index that measures the livability of every neighborhood and community in the United States. He is also a speaker, researcher and blogger on livable communities’ issues, leads @AARPpolicy social media efforts, and leads AARP’s Future of Housing Initiative. In 2015, he was named one of Next Avenue’s 50 most influential people in aging.

Dr. Harrell joined the Public Policy Institute in March 2008 as a senior strategic policy advisor for housing issues. Prior to joining AARP, he worked as a research and evaluation consultant, as a researcher and instructor for the University of Maryland, and as a Governor’s Fellow in the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development / Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.

Matthias Hollwich, SBA

Matthias is PRINCIPAL, HOLLWICH KUSHNER (HWKN) CO-FOUNDER OF ARCHITIZER and is a registered European Architect who has established himself at the forefront of a new generation of ground and rule breaking international architects. Matthias’ view that the key to successful architecture lies in finding new and exciting ways to create dialogue and relationships between people and buildings is regularly communicated at events such as TED, PICNIC, and as visiting Professor with the University of Pennsylvania. His work is regularly published in leading media outlets such as The New York Times, Wallpaper*, and The Wall Street Journal. Alongside his work with Hollwich Kushner, Matthias is a thought leader on the topic of ‘New Aging’ having developed a number of architectural opportunities and strategies to better accommodate our aging populations, the latter of which are featured in Matthias’ second title ‘New Aging – Live smarter now to live better forever’ published by Penguin Random House in March 2016

Lawrence Scarpa

Lawrence Scarpa, Principal, Brooks + Scarpa Architects, has garnered international acclaim for the creative use of conventional materials in unique and unexpected ways. He is also considered a pioneer and leader in the field of sustainable design.

He is the recipient of the 2014 Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in Architecture and the AIA California Council Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the lifetime achievement award from Interior Design Magazine in 2008. His firm Brooks + Scarpa was awarded the State of California and National American Institute of Architects Architecture Firm Award in 2010 and has received more than fifty major awards including Record Houses, Record Interiors, the World Habitat Award and the Rudy Brunner Prize. Mr. Scarpa’s work has been exhibited at The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, The National Building Museum, Portland Museum of Art and the Gwanju Bienale.

He is a co-founder of the Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute Livable Places, Inc.; a nonprofit development and public policy organization dedicated to building mixed-use housing and to help develop more sustainable and livable communities.

Dan Soliman

Dan Soliman leads the Housing Impact Area for the AARP FDN developing new enterprises and ventures and co-managing the Foundation’s Impact Investing portfolio. Dan’s career has focused on impact investing, finance, strategy, and social enterprise, including: developing over $300M in affordable housing/urban revitalization projects nationwide; establishing a social/impact investment fund for a national nonprofit; advising the Government of Dubai on how to restructure its foreign direct investment policy. Mr. Soliman holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Allie Weiss

Allie Weiss is the associate editor at Dwell, where she writes and edits feature and front-of-book articles for the print magazine. She also helps oversee digital editorial efforts across all of Dwell’s channels, continually looking for new ways to engage with the brand’s dedicated audience of architecture and design enthusiasts. Prior to joining Dwell, she covered art, design, and fashion at Surface.

Mary Wenzel

Mary Wenzel is senior vice president and head of Environmental Affairs for Wells Fargo & Co. In this role, Wenzel is responsible for developing strategies and driving organizational change in support of the company’s sustainability efforts. Areas of focus include environmental philanthropy, operational sustainability, environmental and social risk management, clean technology financing and lending, integration of environmental policies and process into company operations, community development initiatives and customer, and team member engagement, among others.