James S. Russell, AIA Consultant
Services
James S. Russell’s unique consultancy helps private owners and public agencies take action to cope with new urban challenges. He guides clients toward opportunities at a variety of scales — from individual properties to the vast metropolitan regions that are emerging today.
He can place local issues in the context of American cities mutating into new forms, like gigantic beltway-wrapping megasuburbs, struggling industrial towns, and rural places facing rapid urbanization.
Competencies
Mr. Russell is an analyst and writer with a knack for crystallizing ideas and actions. His skills suit projects involving architecture, innovative building types, urban form, urban transformation, and citizen involvement in urban-growth choices.
As a journalist as well as a consultant and architect, Mr. Russell listens empathetically, and succinctly explains complex issues in plain English. He makes planning abstractions concrete to non-experts. He is a leader and a collaborator, focusing on results that compel action. He has wide knowledge of key resources and data sources, and has ready access to thousands of experts internationally in urban development and architecture.
Expertise
Land-use history and culture; land-use tools and concepts.
Adapting buildings and communities to climate change and other environmental challenges.
Mechanisms of urban growth (drivers of development, government policy).
Emerging urban form (megasuburbs, boutique cities, hypergrowth metros).
Urban design and urban planning.
Forging community cultures for revitalization and growth.
Architecture and economic development; design and urban identity
Design and the workplace.
Design and transportation.
Experience
Refocused GreenPlan Philadelphia, the city of Philadelphia’s open-space plan, to comprehensively express its core mission (2008-2009).
For American Forests and U.S. Forest Service, helped develop a succinct but broadly encompassing conceptual framework, called Co-Evolution, to intertwine urban development and environmental restoration. With Michael Gallis & Associates (2008-ongoing).
Editorial consultant on the Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual, a guide for homeowners commissioned by the City of Philadelphia, with Schade & Bolender Architects.
Conceptualized a new mission for American Forests, a major environmental organization. It aims to convene scientific and activist resources to deal with ecological challenges that operate over vast regions. With Michael Gallis & Associates (ongoing).
As analyst, editor, and writer, united aspirations of diverse organizations within nine counties along the Hudson River, in “21st Century Global Hudson Valley,” a framework vision that addresses global-scale challenges. For Patterns for Progress. With Michael Gallis & Associates (2005-2006).
Evaluated scope and assisted with successful architect selection for renovation of Merkin Concert Hall at the Kauffman Center, New York City (2002).
Hired as editor, helped focus the content and wrote much of the text for “The Mayors’ Institute: Excellence in City Design,” a widely used guide to the uses of design in public projects. For the Institute and the National Endowment for the Arts (2002).
Hired as editor, honed data and wrote sections of report, “Building a World-Class Economy in New Jersey.” For Prosperity New Jersey, with Michael Gallis & Associates (2002).
Hired as writer, augmented research and edited “Designing for Security,” guidelines for architects and designers. For the Art Commission of the City of New York (2000). Excerpt
