Mark Kranz

Mark was elevated as one of the youngest Fellows in the history of the American Institute of Architects and describes his perfect day as "three deadlines, three talented teams making magic and three clients calling to talk." As a SmithGroup design director, Mark likes to say, "architecture is not about architects." Instead, he looks to clients, collaborators, contractors and the subcontracting community to be creative in their own ways. This unique approach to design leadership consistently yields results recognized by the design world, the construction industry, and most importantly, our clients themselves. Mark has won more than 145 design awards in the last decade alone, including ten National AIA Design awards and the 2014 R&D Magazine Lab of the Year. Some notable projects in his portfolio include the University of Texas at Dallas Engineering Building and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Energy Systems Integration Facility. Can he name a favorite project? "I love all my children," he responds. "They're all a little different. They all have attitude."