The fourth edition of Getting to Know Who’s NEXT features Dr. Haris Piplas, Leading Consultant, Drees & Sommer Schweiz AG.

Dr. Haris Piplas is author and collaborator of several urban and architectural projects, among others area development for in Zürich-Kloten, Climate Adaptation Strategy for the city of Mannheim, Smart City and Urban Innovation Strategy for Jakarta, Urban Reconstruction of Ukrainian cities, Spatial Plan for Basel-East, Neighbourhood Transformation Concepts in Berlin, Sustainable Urban Development for six Indian cities, Reactivate Sarajevo Urban Transformation Project.

He figures as head of Drees & Sommer’s “Integrated Urban Solutions” International innovation division, which brings together knowledge in the fields of urban planning, energy and water management, mobility, real estate economics, architecture and public space in integrated complex transformation projects.

Haris Piplas holds a Dr.sc in Architecture from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) where he figures as Lecturer in practice at in Spatial Transformations (ETH RAUM), as well as at Stuttgart Technical University (Smart City Solutions).

He is co-author of the book “Global Urban Toolbox” and “City Action Lab”, which highlight spatial and infrastructural challenges under the influence of economic, social, and ecological aspects in cities.

He figured as pavilion curator of the 15th Architecture Biennale in Venice. He is the former Young Leader Chairman of the Urban Land Institute Switzerland, nominator of the Aga Khan Prize for Architecture, Juror of the New European Bauhaus Award and the ULI European Leadership Award. He figured as an expert adviser and consultant for various international organizations such as WEF Davos Baukultur Alliance, OSCE, IPBES, GIZ and UN-Habitat.

In the following Q&A, Haris explores his passion for the commercial real estate industry and his experiences with ULI.

Q1. ULI: So many of us in real estate fall into the industry and hence commercial real estate professional organisations. How did you get involved with ULI?

As an urban design student in the mid and late 2000s, I felt an insufficient connection to the financial and political dimensions of architecture, infrastructures and urbanism. ULI in Germany was an emerging, dynamic organization that allowed me to engage in career coaching, events and publications. On the other hand, my engagement was recognized and I was invited to build up the Young Leader Groups in Berlin and Switzerland.

Q2. ULI: What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on over your career in real estate?

Large-scale transformational projects in Berlin, Zurich and also Balkans, India and Ukraine, realising how different cultural, spatial and climatic contexts bear similarities – and how lessons learned can be transferred that lead to innovation. In all these projects I have had the honour to be part of the project initiation and later directed these projects from a brownfield or a post-war landscape to planning, designing and implementing multi-use neighbourhoods.

Q3. ULI: What challenges do you face at this point in your career?

The turmoil in terms of geopolitics, international safety and security that hinders large investments and creates an atmosphere of lack of trust. In addition, the lack of innovative planning instruments, limiting tendering processes and archaic regulations slows down the innovation in terms of circular buildings, integrated city planning and sustainable landscapes and public spaces.

Q4. ULI: What are you most excited about regarding the industry’s future?

How AI, sustainability standards and globalisation will contribute to new project flows, collaboration forms and processes. This will highly impact the way we create buildings and transform cities. It will make several professional streams, (un)fortunately, obsolete (especially the repetitive tasks) but will open doors to new, creative, curatorship-like type of competencies.

Q5. ULI: ULI: What are you currently reading/watching? 

I am currently actively following daily news and politics and economy magazines. We live in interesting, dynamic times and must be aware of the trends, challenges and chances. At the end of the day, we deal with the built environment and, therefore, not able to ignore the trends in macroeconomics, geopolitics, digitalisation, climate change research, among others.

Check out the past Getting to know who’s NEXT articles here.