About Build Tours

Ivan is a New York based architect, urban planner, entrepreneur, and professor with more than 20 years of experience across the private, public, and academic sectors. He is the founder of Build Tours, Build World and Build Academy, organizations dedicated to providing professional solutions and education for the built environment. He is currnetly a professor of architecture and urban design at Columbia Univeristy GSAPP, and has previously taught at Harvard, NYU, Pratt, Parsons, UIC and UPC Barcelona.

Ivan combines his experience of practicing and teaching architecture with his passion for discovering and sharing the history and secrets of New York. His tours provoke curiosity, show hidden urban gems, and provide opportunities for experiencing and understanding art and architecture in a unique way. He helps his guests to see and connect the city through the eyes of an architect. They are activated and transformed by these immersive experiences and view the city in a new way.

Ivan earned his PhD in Architecture in 2009 at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Columbia University GSAPP, as fellow of the Fondation Le Corbusier. He graduated with four masters degrees from ETSA Barcelona, University of Florence, and Harvard University GSD, as a Fulbright scholar.

Ivan is a licensed NYC tour guide. Being fluent in multiple languages, he can conduct tours in English, Spanish, Catalan, Bulgarian, French and Italian.

William is an architect and urban planner, currently working as a discerning Code and Zoning Specialist for the NYC Department of Buildings. With a long and rich background in designing and constructing major public facilities—including courthouses, schools, transportation hubs, and cultural landmarks—William brings a wealth of knowledge to our tour. His impressive resume includes being a partner at Gruzen Samton Architects, a leading NYC architecture and planning firm, a Senior Fulbright  Scholar in Slovenija, with graduate degrees in both Architecture and English. For the exceptional renovation and modernization of El Museo Del Barrio, he was honored with a City of New York Arts Commission Excellence in Design award (2004), a NYS AIA Merit Design Award for Adaptive Reuse (2011) and a Municipal Arts Society Master Works Award for Community Catalyst (2012).

William blends his passion for architecture, urbanism and history into a love of teaching—sharing information and knowledge. His 13 years of teaching in NYU’s Graduate Program for Real Estate Development, where he created and honed his cycle of walking tours, merge with 10 years of providing tours to One To World, the official Fulbright Programming organization in the NYC Metro area, enhances his knowledge of NYC through active engagement with tour colleagues—questions and discourse about NYC significantly sharpen the focus of observing the city. The way to know a city is through one’s feet.

Joseph moved to New York following graduate school at Cornell University and planned a two-year stint to pursue his architectural career before returning to his roots in the Midwest.  His plan didn’t work out so well as he quickly fell in love with the city and has lived here now for over 40 years practicing for award winning firms including Mitchell/Giurgola, Cooper Robertson, and FXFowle.

Today, while still a practicing architect he now is “practicing retirement” so more of his time is spent developing virtual tours and walking tours, capitalizing on the many streets and sites he has traversed during his life in New York.  Special areas of interest include the development of NYC parks, skyscrapers, Midtown modernism, the High Line and the development of the waterfront.

Teaching was always integral to Joseph’s career and his tours weave lively stories of history, biography, design, and current events with a passion that reveals his love of architecture.  He is a registered architect and licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide.