Gresham Smith, a leading architecture and design firm, has recently appointed Luca Carraro, RIBA, as the new Market Design Leader for its Aviation practice. In this role, Carraro will be responsible for providing strategic design direction, supporting project teams, and promoting a culture of design excellence within the aviation sector.

According to Aviation Executive Vice President Wilson Rayfield, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, market design leaders are essential in delivering value to clients through exceptional design. He also added that Carraro is not only an accomplished architect but also a mentor and leader within the firm and the wider design community.

Carraro joined Gresham Smith in 2021 and has since taken on key design roles in major aviation projects, including those at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and Norfolk International Airport. His approach to design is process-oriented, with a focus on challenging assumptions and prioritizing the user experience throughout the design process.

Prior to joining Gresham Smith, Carraro worked for over 15 years in senior design positions in global firms. He contributed to notable projects such as the Imperial War Museum renovation and Apple’s flagship retail spaces while at Foster + Partners in London and New York. He also served as an associate at Grimshaw in New York, where he led the enclosure design for Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal 1 and supported mass transit infrastructure projects nationwide.

Carraro’s vision for his role as Market Design Leader is to elevate design excellence by promoting critical thinking and creating a space for diverse perspectives. He believes that design should not only bring order to conflicting requirements but also incorporate elements of beauty, delight, and community needs. By fostering a dynamic forum for diverse voices, Carraro hopes to achieve more human-centered solutions in design.