Mixed-Use

David Nagahiro, Principal and President of CBT, is the driving force and inspiration behind CBT’s vision, design ethos and advancement of practice into the next generation. He leads the firm’s most ground-breaking projects, often resulting in the revitalization of undeveloped and underutilized urban sites which create places and buildings that enrich urban and community life.

David is intimately involved in all aspects of design and is recognized for his tireless pursuit of innovation in professional practice, his insistence on design excellence, and his passion for building strong, sustainable, and resilient places and communities. His passion for the profession is matched by his commitment to the advancement of individuals around him, which makes him an extraordinary agent of change both through his projects and his collaboration with others.

A stalwart supporter of the civic fabric of the community, David serves on the Board of Artists for Humanity, the Board of the Boston Preservation Alliance, and the Editorial Board of Architecture Boston. He is an active collaborator in HubWeek, Boston’s annual innovation festival, and is a leader in pushing the limits of innovation in art, science, and technology.

David holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Washington State University and attended the Architectural Studies Program at the AA / Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. He has been the recipient of the National AIA Young Architects Award, and is a past Rotch Traveling Scholar.

Kishore Varanasi is an urban designer, strategist, and educator who specializes in developing authentic design solutions for cities at all scales that address human connection, social equity, and climate resilience. 

For 25 years, Kishore has worked to shape cities and communities globally through sustainable and holistic solutions in both the public and private sectors. Kishore’s innovative contributions to communities stem from his ability to inspire creative collaborations among individuals, governments, and businesses while simultaneously creating fresh perspectives and approaches to sustainable city-building and living. As a principal and Director of Urban Design at Boston-based CBT, his recent work includes the Masdar City Master Plan, Lincoln Yards in Chicago, the Blueway at the New England Aquarium, Cambridge Crossing, Boston University Master Plan, Suffolk Downs Master Plan, Hudayriyat Island Master Plan, Bhavani Islands Master Plan, The Riverline in Buffalo, NY, and Ghadan21 Climate Interventions. 

Kishore is a regular critic and teacher at various institutions including MIT, Harvard University, Yale University and the Boston Architectural College (BAC). He serves on the Van Alen Institute Climate Council, BAC’s Board of Trustees, and Boston Harbor Now and Emerald Network Board of Advisors. Kishore's work has been recognized by various awards and organizations including the American Institute of Architects, Rethinking the Future, World Architecture News and Urban Land Institute. He holds a Master of Science in Urbanism from MIT; a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and received his Bachelor of Architecture from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India. 

Phil Casey is a Principal at CBT with over 20 years of professional experience leading a wide range of projects spanning large-scale multi-family residential and commercial mixed-use developments, and future-forward life science and laboratory projects. Most recently, these have included several urban and ex-urban life science master plans and buildings in and around Boston; the award-winning, LEED-Platinum 121 Seaport; multiple high-rise residential buildings, and Boston's first LEED-Platinum skyscraper ― the award-winning Atlantic Wharf.  Phil leads many of the firm’s most complex mixed-use projects that have recently reshaped urban skylines thanks to their distinctive, sustainable, complex design solutions. Phil is an active supporter of the United Way and the Citizen’s School, and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University.

Adrian LeBuffe is an Associate Principal and Senior Project Manager at CBT. His work ranges from academic and civic facilities to complex residential and mixed-use buildings. Adrian has managed award-winning projects that require highly technical integration from multiple disciplines and which posed several structural and technical design challenges. Adrian holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and participated in a study abroad exchange program in Lausanne, Switzerland at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. He is a Thesis Advisor for Suffolk University’s New England School of Art and Design, and has served as a guest juror at RISD, Northeastern, and the BAC. He is the Vice-Chairperson of the Winchester Design Review Committee and an active member of the Winchester Central Business District Sub-Committee.

Elizabeth is a highly accomplished architect with more than 20 years of experience on a broad spectrum of complex projects, ranging from multifamily and mixed-use to adaptive reuse and higher-education campus design. She is a sought-after mentor in the industry and a highly-respected and talented member of the CBT team.

Henry Celli is an Associate Principal and Senior Architect at CBT with over 20 years of professional experience. He has a particular expertise in technically complex architecture that is human-scaled and environmentally responsible. Henry is a sought-after expert for many building types, from residential and commercial developments to large-scale and complex urban projects. Henry is known for developing pragmatic and consistently sustainable solutions for each project and for his creative use of new and emerging technological tools. A Certified Passive House Consultant, Henry holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.

Jim is a recognized and talented team leader and architect with meticulous design acumen in all of his work. Particularly skilled in the realization of complex urban projects, he has an unmatched ability to navigate the permitting and design process, build consensus, coordinate large project teams, all while delivering highly tailored architectural solutions.

Mitchell Bush is a senior designer with particular expertise in urban design/planning and architecture, and the interplay between the two practices. Since joining CBT, Mitch’s professional experience has been devoted to large-scale and complex urban projects, namely the new and highly-sustainable elliptical tower at 121 Seaport Boulevard in Boston’s Innovation District and the redevelopment of the Government Center Garage into Bulfinch Crossing (the latter involves the complete redevelopment of a centrally-located urban parcel into a 2.4-million-square-foot mixed-use destination at the convergence of five significant Boston neighborhoods). Mitch is known for developing pragmatic and elegant solutions, as well as his advancement of the greater discussion around urban development and design. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University.

Rob is an accomplished architect and team leader with 22 years of professional experience. He specializes in the creation of mixed-use and retail-centric developments, with a focus on creating high-quality public realm experiences. He is an expert in placemaking and a recognized thought leader in the field. Rob serves as an integral part of design teams, encouraging open communication and depth of collaboration that ultimately result in diverse and successful projects.

Sae Kim is an Associate Principal at CBT, with over 10 years of experience as an architect and designer focusing on multi-scaled and experiential design and concepts. With particularly keen understanding of creative processes on both national and international levels, Sae is deeply involved in complex, award-winning projects from large urban master plans to architecture and exhibition design. His creative process is founded on the generation and evaluation of multiple design solutions through the lens of problem-solving, storytelling, and value-creation. Recently, he was honored as the 2022 recipient of the Boston Society for Architecture's prestigious Earl R. Flansburgh Young Designers Award, which recognizes design excellence by an architect under 40. Sae holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Steve Cockcroft is an Associate Principal and technical architectural expert at CBT with over 20 years of professional experience. He has worked with a broad range of clients including multi-family housing, large mixed-use commercial, hospitality, civic, and academic projects. He is an extremely valuable resource at CBT, most notably for his ability to coordinate the implementation and construction of some of the firm’s most large and complex projects. Steve holds an Associate of Engineering with Honor in Architectural-Structural Technology from the Franklin Institute of Boston.