Justin W. Cook

Justin W. Cook Email and Phone Number

Founding Director, Center for Complexity @ Rhode Island School of Design
Cambridge, MA, US
Justin W. Cook's Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, United States
Justin W. Cook's Contact Details

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About Justin W. Cook

Justin W. Cook is a strategic designer and leader dedicated to addressing complex systemic challenges through innovative organizational architectures. Growing up in a small town on the Puget Sound, he began his career as a carpenter before transitioning to architecture. His graduate studies ignited a passion for creating more humane systems of care, leading him to work on pressing systemic challenges in a variety of domains.As the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Complexity (CfC) at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Justin leads a cutting-edge platform for research, experimentation, and problem-solving. Under his leadership, CfC engages in multiyear, multi-organization projects on topics ranging from nuclear disarmament to the opioid crisis. The center embodies RISD's commitment to epistemological curiosity and embodied knowing, serving as a unique interface between academia and external organizations.Justin also serves as a Design Critic in Architecture in the Master of Design Engineering program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, specializing in strategic design, systems thinking, and innovative approaches to global challenges.He co-founded Integrated Design Cubed, LLC with Peter Rose and Andreas Krawczyk, addressing climate and housing crises through sustainable, modular mass timber buildings. Additionally, he leads Commonwealth Advanced Projects LLC, providing strategic design consulting to organizations like Google, Fidelity Investments, and the UNDP.Justin edited "Sustainability, Human Wellbeing and the Future of Education" (Palgrave, 2018). His recent publications include "Polycene.design" (2024), "Collapse" (2024), and "Carry Forward" (2023), all published by RISD.From 2008 to 2018, he was Senior Lead for Strategy at the Finnish Innovation Fund, Sitra, focusing on strategic design, urban systems, decarbonization, impact investing, and the future of education. As a founding member of the Helsinki Design Lab, he contributed to initiatives emulated globally. He has advised the OECD's Observatory for Public Sector Innovation and led a project on applying systems and design methodologies in the public sector.Justin advised MIT's Collaborative Initiatives on the Clinical Trials Systems Project, partnering with Johns Hopkins University to improve the clinical trials system.Justin’s greatest accomplishment is fathering his three boys. He also holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, earning a commendation for outstanding academic achievement, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington.

Justin W. Cook's Current Company Details
Rhode Island School of Design

Rhode Island School Of Design

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Founding Director, Center for Complexity
Cambridge, MA, US
Justin W. Cook Work Experience Details
  • Rhode Island School Of Design
    Founding Director, Center For Complexity
    Rhode Island School Of Design
    Cambridge, Ma, Us
  • Harvard University
    Design Critic In Architecture
    Harvard University Aug 2024 - Present
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    In this role, I teach systems design to students in the Master of Design Engineering (MDE) program, a collaborative initiative between Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.The MDE program prepares future leaders to address complex, multifaceted challenges such as climate change, rapid urbanization, and resource scarcity. It integrates design thinking with engineering principles to develop innovative, sustainable solutions.My teaching focuses on equipping students with advanced systems thinking and strategic design methodologies. Through project-based learning, students engage with real-world problems, applying systems design principles to unpack complex issues, identify strategic points for intervention, and develop meaningful solutions.Key areas of instruction include:-Systems thinking and analysis-Stakeholder engagement in complex environments-Prototyping and testing systemic interventions-Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in systems design-Ethical considerations in large-scale system interventionsBy bridging theory and practice, this coursework prepares MDE students to lead interdisciplinary teams and drive transformative change in various sectors, including design, government, healthcare, and technology.
  • Rhode Island School Of Design
    Founding Director, Center For Complexity
    Rhode Island School Of Design Jun 2018 - Present
    Providence, Rhode Island, Us
    As the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Complexity (CfC) at RISD, I lead a pioneering research hub operating at the intersection of diverse disciplines. Recognizing that today's most pressing challenges emerge from the gaps between established fields and traditional approaches, I bring together artists, designers, practitioners, and communities to develop innovative solutions that transcend conventional knowledge silos.Leveraging RISD's 150-year legacy of embodied knowledge and material practice, I foster conditions for new forms of understanding and impact to emerge. By integrating art and design methodologies with expertise ranging from clinical practice and community wisdom to planetary science and peer support networks, our work engages and transforms systems-level challenges.- Research Cores: Established and grew two distinct research cores—Systems of Care (focused on healthcare equity and harm reduction) and The Polycene (addressing planetary stewardship and institutional transformation).- Strategic Partnerships: Forged and maintained a strategic partnership, expanding design practices into new domains and contexts.- Collaborative Networks: Built a diverse network of collaborators, including leading healthcare institutions (UCSF, Brown Medical School), international organizations (Nuclear Threat Initiative, UN agencies), and community partners.- Symposia: Curated annual symposia, uniting artists, designers, scholars, and practitioners to explore pressing systemic challenges.- Secured Research Funding: Obtained external research funding through grants.- Institutional Integration: Integrated CfC's research with RISD's pedagogical mission via studio courses, workshops, and public programming, enriching the learning experience for students and professionals.- Strategic Programs: Led the development of Strategic Programs to deliver customized design workforce development to large organizations, enhancing their innovation capabilities.
  • Rhode Island School Of Design
    Academic Lead: Institute For Design & Public Policy
    Rhode Island School Of Design Aug 2015 - Aug 2019
    Providence, Rhode Island, Us
    The Institute for Design and Public Policy (IDPP) is a one-week intensive workshop, focusing on the nexus of inclusive design and public policy to identify and develop collaborative solutions to pressing problems. This program began in Summer 2015 in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and will continue this year through the guidance and leadership of RISD Executive Education (RISD EE).Led by expert designers and educators from RISD and a diverse group of guest lecturers and critics from across sectors, IDPP utilizes design as a collaborative process for identifying and solving problems by addressing the needs of the people who experience them. It offers concrete tools that translate innovation from an abstract idea into a replicable process. This iterative approach ensures that organizations don’t have to take big risks, but instead regularly test their ideas before making commitments so they can be confident when the time comes to formally invest in new systems or products. Participants will also build a national, integrated, cross-sector community of practice.
  • Rhode Island School Of Design
    Provost Fellow
    Rhode Island School Of Design Aug 2016 - Jul 2018
    Providence, Rhode Island, Us
    Investigating academic and institutional futures for RISD, and working to foster the agency of artists and designers who want to operate in challenging public and private sector contexts and spur systemic innovation.
  • Rhode Island School Of Design
    Adjunct Professor
    Rhode Island School Of Design Aug 2013 - Jun 2018
    Providence, Rhode Island, Us
    Teaching design studios for Master of Design students in the adaptive reuse program. Students in this program develop social, economic, environmental and architectural logics for interventions in the built environment. My recent studio entitled "In Place: the Architectural Futures of Health and Wellbeing" explored the intersection of the built environment and cognitive disorders and mental health. Students developed interventions intended to enable and empower individuals and populations with dementia, PTSD, bipolar disorder and ADHD.
  • Integrated Design Cubed
    Co-Founder
    Integrated Design Cubed Jan 2022 - Present
    Boston, Ma, Us
    Integrated Design Cubed brings together experts in architecture, fabrication, systems design, and engineering to design, manufacture, and build affordable, sustainable, high-quality, modular mass timber buildings at scale, addressing the dual crises of our time; the climate crisis and housing shortages. IDCubed practices a radically efficient and highly precise process of building-making with a dramatic reduction in the number of components (80% fewer parts compared to conventional modular construction), and an enormous reduction in labor and construction time. IDCubed is applying this method to design high-quality, low-cost buildings, including housing, workforce housing, schools, and offices at scale.
  • Cmmnwlth Prjcts Llc
    Founder
    Cmmnwlth Prjcts Llc Feb 2017 - Present
  • Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund
    Senior Lead, Strategy
    Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund Oct 2008 - Oct 2018
    Helsinki, None, Fi
    As part of Sitra’s Strategy Unit and Research Team, Justin works to support and challenge Sitra's strategy and shared assumptions. His research includes developing a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable well-being and how Nordic countries can transition toward it with practical economic and public policy measures. Currently he is leading a multinational project on the future of learning and how education systems will transform to thrive in an uncertain future.
  • Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund
    Sustainable Development Lead
    Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund Jan 2009 - Jun 2013
    Helsinki, None, Fi
    Helped to design and build the Low2No decarbonization initiative and manage its implementation, and served as Helsinki Design Lab's expert on energy, carbon and sustainability. Low2No is a multi-phase, multi-initiative project that includes everything from developing a 60M euro low carbon building complex to designing financial instruments for building new renewable energy capacity and carbon mitigation in Finland to reworking fire codes to help improve material efficiency. Low2No is an effective solution for transitioning the built environment to a low carbon future. Helsinki Design Lab is an internationally recognized platform for strategic design.
  • Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund
    Strategic Design Consultant
    Sitra The Finnish Innovation Fund Sep 2008 - Jan 2009
    Helsinki, None, Fi
    Provided strategic design and programme development professional services.
  • Oecd - Ocde
    Advisor, Observatory For Public Sector Innovation
    Oecd - Ocde Jun 2016 - Sep 2018
    Paris, Paris, Fr
    The OECD has developed an Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) which collects and analyses examples and shared experiences of public sector innovation to provide practical advice to countries on how to make innovations work. The OPSI provides a place for sharing, discussing and co-creating solutions that work.
  • Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit)
    Strategic Design Advisor: Collaborative Initiatives
    Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit) Apr 2013 - Jun 2017
    Cambridge, Ma, Us
    The Mission of MIT Collaborative Initiatives is to promote a systems-based approach to solving deep-rooted societal issues by engaging experts from a broad range of disciplines both within and outside the scope of a problem.
  • Harvard University, Faculty Of Arts And Sciences
    Design Consultant For Campus Planning
    Harvard University, Faculty Of Arts And Sciences Jan 2008 - Jan 2009
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    Worked with the Assistant Dean for Campus Design to develop strategic plans and analysis for future campus development and resource deployment for Harvard's largest faculty.
  • Harvard University, Faculty Of Arts And Sciences
    Researcher
    Harvard University, Faculty Of Arts And Sciences Jan 2006 - Aug 2008
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    Stroke Pathways is a two-phased research project to improve stroke outcomes by taking a system design approach to health care delivery. The Strategic Design phase produced three distinct bodies of knowledge:1. A methodology for looking at complex systems2. A comprehensive & strategic roadmap to better outcomes at lower costs3. Identify and defining the "top 10" opportunities for improvementIn the process we developed:a "zero footprint" organizational model to collaborate across institutions and specialtiesa "strategic design" framework to create change opportunitiesa "system change" innovation modelwww.strokepathways.blogspot.com/
  • Renzo Piano Building Workshop
    Intern Architect
    Renzo Piano Building Workshop Jan 2007 - Aug 2007
    Paris, Île-De-France, Fr
    Worked on the schematic design phase for The Fogg Museum renovation at Harvard Art Museum, the new downtown Whitney Museum of Art and the design development phase for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum expansion in Boston.
  • Callison
    Intern Architect
    Callison May 2003 - May 2004
    Seattle, Wa, Us
    Construction administration, project management, commercial architectural design, program rollout.

Justin W. Cook Skills

Sustainable Development Architectural Design Sustainable Design Sustainability Design Research Urban Design Strategic Planning Renewable Energy Strategy Project Management Sustainable Business Analysis Research Strategic Thinking Systems Design Public Speaking Public Health Motivational Speaking Wellness Public Policy Project Delivery Sustainable Investment University Teaching Urbanism Adaptive Reuse Strategic Marketing Facilitation

Justin W. Cook Education Details

  • Harvard University Graduate School Of Design
    Harvard University Graduate School Of Design
    Master Of Architecture
  • Cornell University
    Cornell University
    Diversity And Inclusion Certificate
  • University Of Washington
    University Of Washington
    English Literature

Frequently Asked Questions about Justin W. Cook

What company does Justin W. Cook work for?

Justin W. Cook works for Rhode Island School Of Design

What is Justin W. Cook's role at the current company?

Justin W. Cook's current role is Founding Director, Center for Complexity.

What is Justin W. Cook's email address?

Justin W. Cook's email address is jc****@****isd.edu

What is Justin W. Cook's direct phone number?

Justin W. Cook's direct phone number is +161789*****

What schools did Justin W. Cook attend?

Justin W. Cook attended Harvard University Graduate School Of Design, Cornell University, University Of Washington.

What skills is Justin W. Cook known for?

Justin W. Cook has skills like Sustainable Development, Architectural Design, Sustainable Design, Sustainability, Design Research, Urban Design, Strategic Planning, Renewable Energy, Strategy, Project Management, Sustainable Business, Analysis.

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