Favorite place to travel in China In terms of cities my favorite is Shanghai; in terms of scenery, the West Lake in Hangzhou
Guilty pleasures I love to travel with my family, and I have a huge music collection
My perfect day is… Meandering around a new city on vacation, eating local foods, and taking pictures
If I weren’t an architect, I would be… I don’t have an answer for that. I’ve wanted to be an architect since I was 11 years old.
Cities to watch Istanbul and Mumbai
Ellis Katz Executive Vice President, Director of
Hospitality Studio
John Portman & Associates
Atlanta www.portmanusa.com
Projects on the boards
Design projects in Shanghai, Jinan, San Diego, and Shenzhen, and hotel projects under construction in Hyderabad, Wenzhou, and Shanghai
Recently completed projects
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
As a firm
We are celebrating 30 years working
in China (longer than any other architectural design firm), and the 50th
anniversary of Peachtree Center
My greatest accomplishment
My family
Books on my nightstand The Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine and James H. Gilmore; Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts; and Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
Can’t live without
My office knows this one-my BlackBerry, unfortunately
Outside the office you can find me
With my family or working around the house (and probably on my BlackBerry at the same time)
Playing on my iPod is
Everything from Airborne Toxic Event Live from Walt Disney Concert Hall to classic rock
