Name: Brad Prestbo AIA

How are you participating in ABX 2016?
Since 1997, I've been attending Build Boston, which is now ABX. Having access to this type of event as an emerging professional was fantastic. A few years ago, I got my nerve up and gave a presentation. It was a wonderful way to transition from learning about the profession to giving back to it through teaching and helping others succeed. Earlier this year, Ryan Salvas and I started a new Boston Society of Architects/AIA committee called MakeTank, where we explore the maker culture and how to incorporate it into the design process. For ABX 2016, we will design and construct a demonstration pavilion showcasing a variety of fabrication techniques. Stop on by—we’d love to talk shop with you!

Your top three conference or speaker picks at ABX 2016?
Session A49: Architectural Fabrication in Design: Going Beyond the Pencil; Session A67: A practical Field Guide for Virtual Reality in Architecture; and Session C28: Designing the Largest Passive House Building in the World.

What about the future of the building industry most excites you?
I’ve never been as excited about our future as I am now. We are at a convergence of increased information sharing and software interoperability, access to almost unlimited processing power and digital storage, and incorporation of new fabrication techniques that together will transform the way we practice architecture. The power of combining these processes breaks with traditional delivery methods and creates amazing new ways of crafting solutions for clients.