Tekuma Frenchman is a multidisciplinary urban design and innovation firm, defining the future of urbanism through original perspectives, shaped by the intelligence and expertise of some of the most visionary minds from across the industry. Our expertise lies in the application of digital technology to city design through cutting-edge research that emerges from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Thus, creating 21st century cities where innovation and the digital economy thrives.
To date, we have designed over 40 cities around the world, working closely with governments, policy-makers, city planners and developers to formulate a practical, technology-astute vision for the future.
Underpinning everything that we do is the dedication to create greater value for all of mankind, by designing transformative places that are productive, positive and prosperous for all.
We draw on decades of experience in the art and science of city-making, cutting-edge technology and urban analytics to create clear and actionable strategies for transforming regions, cities and places.
We cross the inherent attributes of a place with its future potentials by taking a holistic approach to design, formulating functional development solutions that are aesthetically beautiful, digitally enabled, and culturally sensitive.
By collaborating with thinkers and creators from leading urban research institutions, including MIT and Harvard, the Innovation Lab propels urban design into the future, transforming its potential.
This hub focuses on bringing new urban development products, processes, and organizations into being by partnering with academic entrepreneurs and start-up companies, facilitated by our deep expertise.
Founded in 1983, the MIT Center for Real Estate is uniquely positioned to help the real estate industry increase its efficiency, prosperity, and social responsibility. Through research and education initiatives, MIT/CRE develops innovations to help practitioners build responsibly and profitably.
This research and development laboratory for the built environment measures the financial and economic performance of innovation in real estate, design and planning.
For 40 years, Prof. Dennis Frenchman has taught and practiced across Asia, Europe South America and the USA. Currently Director of the MIT Center for Real Estate, and former head of the City Design and Development Program, his illustrious career has also seen him act as External Advisor on urban livability to the President of the World Bank.
Frenchman’s award-winning work focuses on the making and transformation of cities through digital design and the development of 21st century industry clusters. Widely-known in the field of urban design, his publications include Technological Imagination and the Historic City (2008, Ligouri, with William J. Mitchell, et al), he has also been recognized by Progressive Architecture, the American Institute of Architects, and awarded three citations from the American Planning Association for the most outstanding projects in the USA.
Hailing from Beijing, Kun Qian holds a Master of Architecture and Real Estate from MIT and is also former Chairman of MIT China Real Estate Innovation Forum. Qian is an entrepreneur and urban strategist, guides the practice through his rich academic and professional experience, while also leading all China-related projects.
Marwan Aboudib is lead partner in the Middle East. With dual Master’s degrees in architecture and real estate development from MIT; His interest lies at the intersection of culture, technology and cities. Marwan was recognized as one of 10 innovators under the age of 35 by MITTechnology Review and a Forbes 30 under 30 for his work on smart cities. He also is a featured speaker having collaborated with McKinsey, BCG and the United Nations on the topic of future cities in the digital era.
Originally from French Canada, Naomi Hébert has a Bachelor and Master of Architecture degree from McGill University. In the USA, Naomi worked for an innovation-lead real estate and design studio based in Cambridge, MA., and for Mapdwell, another MIT startup that built the world’s leading platform for solar rooftop mapping. Prior to Boston, Naomi worked at SOM in New York, and Kengo Kuma in Paris. She currently oversees design and production across all projects at Tekuma Frenchman.
With an acute sense of detail and unmatched design sensibilities, Mr Jun directs the visual content developed by Tekuma Frenchman. Prior, he established a design and rendering studio with clients in Europe and in North America. He was involved in large scale projects such as Jinan North Masterplan, KAEC Aggregate, Fili Park Development in Moscow.
Mr Jun received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Architecture from McGill University in 2010 and 2014. He continued his study in IAAC Barcelona, Spain after graduation and received his master degree in 2015.
Dana is a project and design manager at Tekuma Frenchman while continuing her investigative work as a research associate at Harvard University. Dana completed her bachelor’s degree in Architecture at the American University of Sharjah and worked in Dubai for 3 years at X-Architects and HDR-CUH2A before attending the Harvard Graduate School of Design for her master’s degree. At Harvard, Dana completed a dual degree in Urban Design and Design Studies in Urbanism Landscape and Ecology. There she also worked as a research associate for the Aga Khan Program at the Graduate School of Design and for the Harvard Mellon Initiative for Urbanism in the Humanities.
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Daniel Smicka joins Tekuma Frenchman as Head of Strategy. He holds a Master of Real Estate Development from MIT and a Master of Global Entrepreneurship from EM Lyon (France), Babson College (USA), and Zhejiang University (China).
Daniel is passionate about the built environment and the unprecedented shifts stemming from technology, rapid urbanization, and environmental challenges that the industry is facing. He has worked on real estate projects in Asia, Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. Daniel is also a board member at CREtech.com.
From Vancouver, Canada, Thomas King is a recent graduate of the McGill University School of Architecture. He is passionate about participatory, research-driven design that integrates technological innovation with the architectural domain, and specifically the implementation of biology and informatics into the built environment. Thomas currently works as an urban designer and technologist at Tekuma Frenchman.
Tatiana has a strong passion towards the notion of context, memory, and multi-sensory space when it comes to developing urban and architectural strategies to create well connected and inclusive designs, using all the disciplines architecture has to offer.
Tatiana Mitri joins TF as an architect and project manager. She has graduated with honors from Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts with a Master Degree in Architecture.
Jingqiu is an associate at Tekuma Frenchman. As an urban designer, Mr Tang has worked for well-known international companies, including Arup Hong Kong and the Shanghai East China Architectural Design Research Institute. His realm of practice includes new town planning, tourism resort planning, urban renewal, transport hub design and commercial complex design.
He holds a Bachelor of Urban Planning from Southeast University and a Master of Urban Design from the University of Hong Kong received with distinction.
Kaiyu Lu is currently pursuing his MArch at the University of Singapore. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Chang'an University. Mr Lu previously worked for PTA Design in Shenzhen, contributing to several industrial park designs, urban renewal and residential projects.
Mr Gu holds a Bachelor Degree of Architecture from Wuhan University and a Bachelor Degree of Arts (Honors) from University of Dundee. He continued his graduate architectural study in GSAPP, Columbia University. Before joining Tekuma Frenchman, Mr Gu worked for renowned architectural practices, including GMP Shenzhen and JingtangStudio. His research interest focused on TOD urban design, renewal of European cities and of architectural typologies.
Ms Xinqi Wang received her Master of Urban Design in architecture from the University College of London and her Bachelor of Engineering in Urban Planning at the Southeast University of China. Prior to joining Tekuma Frenchman, Ms Wang worked at AECOM Shanghai, Atkins Dubai and more recently at CallisonRTKL Dubai where she played an instrumental role in the high-profile public realm strategy for the RAH New Waterfront Concept Masterplan. Over her last five years in Dubai, Ms Wang has combined her education with her interest in integrating micro mobility into MENA urban projects, rethinking how future streets and public spaces are designed and programmed.
Ms. Zheng holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University and is currently studying at the National University of Singapore for Master of Landscape Architecture. Ms. Zheng has worked for diverse design firms, including tourism planning firms and architectural firms. Her approach to landscape engages design in a multidisciplinary context, exploring the relationship between landscape design, architectural design and urban design.
