Darris James

Helping organizations solve complex problems through design thinking.

Darris James is a senior design strategist, project manager and national account leader at Gensler and an adjunct instructor at the New York School of Interior Design. As a design strategist, Darris partners with clients and colleagues around the world to produce new and leading strategies and solutions that help to solve clients' most complex problems related to their physical environment and organizational needs. Certified in Leadership and Organizational Development, Darris is able to leverage qualitative and quantitative analysis to develop design interventions and strategies to maximize organizational performance. Darris combines state-of-the-art methods, tools, and processes in design research with best practices and industry trends to address a wide range of real estate issues including workplace strategies, alternative working initiatives, design standards, real estate consolidation, programming, planning, and change management. Darris is a certified interior designer with an architectural background and over 13 years experience in the design industry. His work with clients in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, UAE, Morocco and India has given him a global perspective on design which he combines with his diverse project expertise in the corporate workplace, education and aviation industries.

Competitions Coordinator at Emerging New York Architects

2004 - 2006

International Ideas Design Competition Coordinator - Southpoint: From Ruin to Rejuvenation

Instructor at University of Tennessee College of Architecture & Design

September 1998 - December 1998

Introduction to Freehand Drawing Course Responsible for the instruction and grading of 25 freshmen architecture and interior design students in freehand drawing, using multiple mediums

Intern at Weeks, Ambrose, McDonald Architects

December 1997 - February 1998

junior designer; educational facilities

Adjunct Instructor at New York School of Interior Design

January 2011

Teaches undergrad, 3rd year Contract Interiors design studio & the graduate school's Workplace Workshop

Advisory Board Member at Urban Assembly School of Design & Construction

2010

Competition Coordinator - Iron Designer Challenge

Senior Associate at Gensler

June 1999

Consulting Studio: Senior Design Strategist, Project Manager, National Account Leader

New York University

2012 – 2012

Certification

Consulting and Educational Center of New York

2010 – 2011

Concentration: Personal Development

University of Tennessee-Knoxville

1994 – 1999

Bachelors of Architecture

Concentration: Architecture

Skoulli Art & Design School

1998 – 1998

Concentration: Art & Theatre Design

Bauhaus-Universitat Weimar

1997 – 1998

Concentration: Architecture

design strategy, leadership and organizational development, design thinking, design education, workplace design