Please join us for the 2017 Gil Oberfield Lecture by Michael Gabellini, FAIA, and Kimberly Sheppard, FAIA, of Gabellini Sheppard.

Michael Gabellini, FAIA, constructs architectural settings that are at once elemental in form and dramatic in their purity of means by working with space and light as sculptural materials. His work as an architect and designer is marked by a layered simplicity that heightens the experiential and functional dimensions of space. Taking inspiration from contemporary art as well as nature and ancient architecture, he creates focused environments that operate as sophisticated backdrops to what is contained within them. As founder and creative director of the firm since 1991, Gabellini has developed ambitious residential, retail, cultural, and urban design projects, imparting a distinct identity to each. His residential and furniture designs, as well as hotel and resort developments, are conceived as spatial portraits reflecting the lifestyles and programmatic needs of his clients. An innovator in spatial branding, Gabellini has designed signature boutiques showroom facilities, restaurants, and large-scale retail centers for prominent fashion and commercial clients worldwide. His expertise and passion for contemporary art have earned commissions from numerous galleries and museums, while his respect for and knowledge of architectural history are manifest in the preservation and adaptive reuse of important landmarks including New York’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza. A registered architect in New York and Nevada, Gabellini earned his architecture and art degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design. His many awards include the Progressive Architecture Award, the National Design Award in Interior Design from the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Interior Design Hall of Fame, and dozens of awards from professional organizations. Gabellini has lectured at numerous academic institutions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Kimberly Sheppard, FAIA, who began collaborating with Michael Gabellini in 1994 and became a partner in 1998, is an engaged leader and project director who uses the power of design to generate creative concepts, find solutions, and enhance spatial performance. Her holistic approach to design reveals a spatial dexterity across all scales of investigation, and allows her to balance historic preservation with reinvention and innovation. Expert in spatial planning and detailing, Sheppard has directed the design of luxury retail, condominium and hospitality environments as well as landmark cultural spaces worldwide. Her extensive project experience includes large-scale retail centers for Westfield and Armani, hotel interiors such as the Knickerbocker in New York and the Edition in Istanbul, and signature public spaces at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, among many other distinguished and award winning examples. Sheppard is a registered architect in New York and Nevada as well as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. She earned her architecture and fine art degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design and has served as adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design. Prior to collaborating with Gabellini, Sheppard worked with Milan based Laboratorio Associati on several prominent hotel,
restaurant, and fashion projects in Europe, Asia and North America.

Organized by
AIANY Interiors Committee