Using primary-colored wooden blocks, Dan Winey created a city. There were commercial buildings, roads, homes and more. The city was 4 feet high by 15 feet wide. Winey was 10 years old. He’d build his city, and as soon as he was done, he’d knock down his creation, rake the burnt orange shag carpet in his family’s living room and start all over again. “I was the oldest of 11 kids and I took up the whole living room. But Mom encouraged it,” said WINEY (’82 M.B.A.). “I kept want- ing to make it better and better.” Winey’s 30-year career reflects that early passion for design and architecture. And what started in his Detroit home now has an international component. Winey recently led the design of the 128-floor Shanghai Tower—the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world. He’s contrib- uted to urban development around the world and has earned awards for his efforts. “When I was a boy in Detroit, I had no idea where my interest would take me,” said Winey, who has served as first Chairman of the Board after the founder and is currently the chief operating offi- cer for San Francisco-based archi- tecture and design firm Gensler. “I have been blessed over the years to have traveled throughout the world and lived in Asia for almost a decade building our practice. Now, thanks to the plac- es I’ve been, the people I’ve met and the lessons they’ve taught, in 100 years my great grandchildren will be able to see my work. It has been a joy to contribute to making the world a better place.” Towering achievement At 128-floors, the Shanghai Tower is a vertical city. The mixed-use structure has space for 21 17-story sky parks, retail, and entertainment, as well as museums, cultural centers and the arts. On any given day, the building will house 35,000 people. There is no other build- ing like it in the world. Not only is it impressive in scope, it’s also energy efficient, as the certifications from the China Green Building Committee and the U.S. Green Building Council demonstrate. There are 200 vertical-axis wind turbines located near the top of the tower; the building’s heating and cooling systems use geothermal ener- gy sources and the structure is designed to capture rainwater for use inside the building. Winey is passionate about designing livable cities, as well as sustainable building and urbanization principles. He first realized how important it was to think holistically while traveling to China, India and other parts of the world. “Once you’ve seen cities with populations in the millions in a relatively small land area, you think differently. There isn’t a luxury of space and resourc- es like we have in most of the U.S.,” Winey said. “When space and resources are a concern, the goal as an architect, in my opinion, is to leverage creativity to design unique solutions to urban problems. Something that will make everyone’s life better and stand the test of time.” Winey said incorporating neighborhood services—trans- portation, education, business, recreation and public safe- ty—into one cohesive space is a viable idea because it can condense limited resources and increase a sense of community. “Imagine breaking the bound- aries of cities and buildings. Take all the great elements of the | 19