Real Estate Development, Design, and Construction

Schedule: Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30 – 2:50 pm (also select Wednesdays: Feb 24, Mar 10, Mar 31, Apr 28)Aldrich Hall, Harvard Business SchoolThis course focuses on students who expect to be leaders in the global real estate industry and its related specialties, including Real Estate and the practice of Architecture. Educational ObjectivesThe educational objectives of this course are to introduce students to the basic tools and concepts needed to be effective project managers, company leaders, decision makers, and investors in the built environment. The analytical tools address a set of management issues that build from the project level to the firm level to the regional and industry level. Skills range from exploring the value created by good design; to understanding pro formas and schedules; to managing architects and contractors; to strategies for the real estate or architecture practice; to analyzing and anticipating impacts of major trends in the next decade in real estate development, design, and construction. Key among these trends are urbanization, resource scarcity/ sustainability, and conception and delivery of complex infrastructure projects.Jointly-listed between Harvard Business School and Harvard Design School, this course serves an audience drawn from both schools, using faculty and concepts from both schools, and combining issues in finance, architecture, project materials and methods, and planning. This will be the fourth year that this faculty team has worked together.Course Content and OrganizationThe course is held on the Harvard Business School campus and is an excellent way for GSD students to partake of the HBS experience, in a course where GSD students have substantial expertise. The teaching is by the HBS Case Study Method.The course is organized into several modules. The first three focus at the project level, investigating how a concept becomes a building and introducing the financial, analytical, design, and project management tools that are involved. The second three modules anticipate leading the firm, considering issues and opportunity in the global built environment, and making an impact.1. Creating in the Built Environment: Vision. 2. Design and Economics: Marriage and Tradeoffs.3. Project Management: Toolkit for Development, Architecture, and Real Estate4. Practice Management: Leading the Real Estate or Design Firm5. The Next Decade: The Context in Which You Will Lead6. Making an Impact: MegaprojectsEugene A. Kohn FAIA is a co-founder and the Chairman of the internationally acclaimed architecture firm, Kohn Pederson Fox. Chris Gordon is the Chief Operating Officer of the Harvard Allston Initiative. Prior to joining Harvard, Chris was the Director of Capital Projects for the Massachusetts Port Authority. He has led a longstanding Construction Management course at MIT, in addition to his roles at Harvard.John D. Macomber is a member of the Finance faculty at Harvard Business School. Prior to joining HBS, he was Chairman and CEO of Macomber Builders, a large regional contracting firm. He has taught courses at the GSD for almost a decade, with titles including \”E-Business Strategies,\” \”Strategic Leadership,\” and \”Strategy, Sustainability and Finance.\”