Archinect - Features 2024-05-03T18:45:55-04:00 https://archinect.com/features/article/150004627/from-bjarke-ingels-to-kengo-kuma-ian-gillespie-is-a-developer-that-appreciates-the-value-of-architecture From Bjarke Ingels to Kengo Kuma, Ian Gillespie is a Developer that Appreciates the Value of Architecture Nicholas Korody 2017-04-26T12:12:00-04:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/x3/x3tm487x85e04b0b.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Making the leap from paper to brick and mortar (or from the screen to IRL) tends to require a fair amount of financial support. Back in the old days, that would mean a wealthy patron like a Medici or a Guggenheim. And today&mdash;well, it also usually means a wealthy patron. For big projects, like a <a href="http://archinect.com/firms/cover/39902/big-bjarke-ingels-group" target="_blank">BIG</a> tower, they&rsquo;re often developers. But, as every architect knows, few developers actually support innovative design. Enter someone like Ian Gillespie, the founder of <a href="http://westbankcorp.com/" target="_blank">Westbank</a> and the backer of many significant projects by major architects, from <a href="http://archinect.com/news/tag/7054/bjarke-ingels" target="_blank">Bjarke Ingels</a> to <a href="http://archinect.com/firms/cover/6132/kengo-kuma-and-associates" target="_blank">Kengo Kuma</a>.</p>