John Tran, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, has been hired as design principal at the Phoenix office of SmithGroupJJR, one of the nation’s largest architecture, engineering and planning firms. Tran joins the leadership team for the firm’s practice in Arizona and the southwest, while providing support to all SmithGroupJJR offices.
An award-winning designer with 20+ years of experience, Tran has led projects as senior designer, project designer as well as design principal. Before joining SmithGroupJJR, Tran was vice president/project designer at HKS Architects, Phoenix, Ariz., where he specialized in office, higher education and retail environments.
“John Tran has the unique ability to craft innovative and sustainable responses to meet a variety of program needs, while leading a team to execute the vision of the client from the inception of the project through its execution. These strengths make him a valued addition to the SmithGroupJJR team,” said Brad Woodman, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Phoenix office director.
Tran’s portfolio offers experience not only in the U.S., but internationally as well, with work in China, Japan and Mexico. Among his most noteworthy projects is the School of Rural Public Health for Texas A+M University in College Station, Texas; Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, Ariz. and Westfield’s Culver City in Culver City, Calif.
Tran received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a LEED accredited professional by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Current activity for SmithGroupJJR’s Phoenix office includes a number of significant workplace projects in Arizona. The firm designed a 410,000-square-foot campus expansion project for Wells Fargo in Chandler, which when complete in 2015 will feature an innovative, flexible, “offset core” floor plate. In August, a 150, 000-square-foot flagship building in Tempe for global domain registrar GoDaddy, which SmithGroupJJR designed for client Ryan Companies, will complete construction.
