BUILDING THE UNCONVENTIONAL BY REDEFINING THE CONVENTIONS

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When:  Apr 8, 2026 from 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM (CT)
Associated with  Greater Saint Louis

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BUILDING THE UNCONVENTIONALBY REDEFINING THE CONVENTIONS

Computational design is not just a tool for form generation—it is reshaping how architects and contractors document, coordinate, and deliver complex buildings. This session examines how unconventional approaches to contract documentation, powered by computational processes, can liberate architecture from traditional constraints while strengthening construction execution.

Michael Zensen, Senior Technical Leader for Quality & Construction Administration, and Andy Van Mater, Senior Computational Designer  at Cannon Design St. Louis, will present a case study.

Speakers Bio

Michael Zensen

Andy Van Mater

Michael Zensen, AIA CDT CCA - Michael is a Senior Project Architect, with over 32 years of experience and has been responsible for assisting clients from project conception to completion including initial programmatic issues, architectural design, documentation, coordinating city/code matters, and engineering. He has experience in a wide variety of project types serving as the project architect.

He was co-founder the St. Louis Building Enclosure council serving on the board of directors 2006 to 2014 and its chairman from 2010-2012. He has also served on the NIBS Building Enclosure and Technology and Environmental Council Board of Directors 2010-2012. Michael served as the Architectural Chair of PCI's Plant Recertification Exploratory Board and serves on the PCI Plant Certification Architectural Review Board.

In addition to state licensure, Michael is a LEED Accredit Professional, and holds two certifications from the construction specification Institute: Certified Construction Document Technologist and Certified Construction Administrator.

Michael also holds BECxP & CxA-BE certificates from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

In addition to Michael project responsibilities, he is a Vice President has served as the senior technical leader over seeing quality processes and construction administration in CannonDesign's St. Louis Office for the last 15 years. He has a passion for design & technical excellence their symbiotic relationship.

Andy VanMater is a computational design leader at CannonDesign. His Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arkansas, and Master of Science in emergent technologies and design from the Architectural Association have given him a unique perspective on the design, preparation, and execution of architecture and design through a mathematical and digital lens. Andy continues to improve digital design processes and streamline the connection to the built world as is evidenced by this project and many others taking place every day at CannonDesign.

 

Credit: 1.5 units (LU/HSW) AIA-CES.

Location

Masonry Institute of St. Louis
1429 S Big Bend Blvd
Saint Louis, MO 63117