Ian Nicholson is an
Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Real Estate program at Columbia GSAPP, where
he has been teaching since 2019 with a focus on the intersections and overlaps
between architecture, development, sustainability, and revitalization.
Ian is currently a Senior Consultant on the
Cities team at Buro Happold. In this role, Ian primarily works on early-stage
strategy and visioning for economic development and recreation projects
throughout upstate NY under the Reimagine the Canals program, a $300 million, 5-year
program being implemented by the NY Power Authority and NY Canal Corporation to
reinvigorate the historic Erie Canal and the many communities along it. These
projects range from a mixed-use “pocket neighborhood” development in Canastota to
a world-class whitewater park at the Cayuga Lake outlet to a pedestrian bridge over
the canal to link SUNY Brockport to the Empire State Trail. Also in upstate NY,
Ian has worked on investment strategies for the revitalization of Artpark and
for the redevelopment of Binghamton Castle.
Prior to joining Buro Happold, Ian
practiced architecture at small firms in NYC and the Hudson Valley, working
primarily on custom residential projects, including a house designed to Living
Building standards in Cold Spring. Ian is a licensed architect in the state of
NY and holds a B. Arch from Syracuse University and an M.S. RED from Columbia
GSAPP.