Robert D. Eisenstat, FAIA

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For more than 30 years,\nRobert Eisenstat, FAIA, an enthusiastic advocate for public spaces, has\ndemonstrated the important, but often overlooked, role excellent transportation\narchitecture plays in our daily lives. As the design leader for the Port Authority\nof New York and New Jersey, he has amassed an impressive and vital portfolio of\nessential projects that serve everyone. His work highlights the importance of\narchitects in shaping the public realm. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThroughout his more than\ntwo decades of practice, Rob\u2019s career has been dedicated to elevating the\nimportance of design excellence in the realm of transportation and\ninfrastructure,\u201d Richard Dattner, FAIA, wrote in a letter nominating Eisenstat\nfor the AIA Award for Excellence in Public Architecture. \u201cHis contributions and\ndynamic spirit continue to push the standards of design for transportation and\ninfrastructure as the national conversation around infrastructure grows.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Following 15 years in\nprivate practice in the United States and Brazil, in 1990 Eisenstat joined the\nPort Authority, a unique public agency that provides a public benefit to\nmillions of residents and visitors in the greater New York City region on a\ndaily basis. As the organization\u2019s chief architect, a position he assumed in\n2013, Eisenstat oversees a team of architects and specialty consultants, all\nfocused on raising the profile of the authority\u2019s projects. In championing\npublic-private collaborations and partnerships, he has delivered extensive and\ncomplex projects that improve transit and radically transform neighborhoods."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Eisenstat has overseen\nmajor projects such as the $10 billion master plan to replace the outdated and\nundersized Port Authority Bus Terminal, the most heavily used facility of its\ntype in the world. In addition, he served on the selection committee for the\nLaGuardia Airport Redevelopment Program, a $3.6 billion effort to modernize one\nof the country\u2019s busiest airports. Following the catastrophic September 11, 2001,\nterrorist attack, Eisenstat led downtown Manhattan\u2019s transportation planning\nand reintroduced PATH commuter rail service at the World Trade Center. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cI have seen him rise to\nthe top architectural position at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:\nthe chief architect. As a private sector architect, I have great admiration and\nrespect for his achievements as a public architect,\u201d wrote Jeffrey Dugan, FAIA,\nin support of Eisenstat\u2019s nomination. "]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cHis tireless advocacy for design on\nlarge airport and public transit rail projects as well as small critical\ninfrastructure components has yielded design excellence from planners,\nengineers, and architects like me.\u201d - Jeffrey Dugan, FAIA"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Since 2007, Eisenstat has\nserved as a co-chair of AIA New York\u2019s Transportation and Infrastructure\nCommittee, promoting a deeper understanding and engagement in design quality\nand innovation for both the profession and the public. Through the alliances he\nforged with design professionals and technical experts from around the world,\nEisenstat has nurtured a vast knowledge network through which invaluable\nexperience and expertise are shared. Additionally, he envisions and leads a\nwide range of programs for architects, allied professionals, and the public\nthat foreground an awareness of the role architects play in promoting the\nhealth of cities. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"During the 2018 AIA\nConference on Architecture, he led tours of the George Washington Bridge Bus\nStation and the World Trade Center. He also developed and moderated \u201cThe\nPost-9\/11 Lower Manhattan Transportation Vision-Planned and Realized,\u201d a\nprogram that drew hundreds of attendees. In that same year, he initiated AIA\nNew York\u2019s Transportation and Infrastructure Design Awards to recognize\nexcellence in a typology commonly led by engineers. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Eisenstat\u2019s contributions\nto the profession have been recognized many times, including his receipt of AIA\nNew York\u2019s Harry Rutkins Award for service to AIA in 2020 and the chapter\u2019s Public\nArchitect Award in 2014. He was elevated to the College of Fellows in 2017. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThrough Rob\u2019s unique\nability to exchange ideas at an international level and promote initiatives\nthat have a global impact, he has pushed the limits of traditional\ntransportation infrastructure,\u201d Luis Vidal, AIA, wrote in a letter. \u201cArchitects\nare tasked with being problem-solvers and community builders. Rob exceeds that\nexpectation, generating ideas that impact the global landscape.\u201d"]]]]}