Stephen Engblom is a licensed architect and experienced urban designer with an unparalleled range of experience spanning scales and geography. Globally, he has collaborated with cities and communities, working on large-scale planning strategies and infrastructure designs to enhance urban equity and resilience. For homeowners, Stephen provides valuable advice on early real estate decisions, like location selection, and offers detailed pro-formas that instill a high level of confidence even before the design phase begins. No matter the scale of the project, Engblom believes the critical success factor is listening first to ask the right questions, before designing a lasting and beautiful design.

Throughout his career, Stephen has led by connecting. Challenging the status quo his career redefined how architects practiced. By understanding that the world was looking for more integrated solutions, he blurred the boundaries between design, engineering, economics, and policy to develop a new interconnected approach to city scale design, and by bringing that approach to real estate investing, he is helping homeowners and developers to develop smarter approaches to planning and designing their assets.

Key Highlights

- Licensed architect and urban designer with multi-disciplinary expertise.

- Extensive experience in implementing equitable and resilient urban strategies.

- Provides homeowners with strategic real estate and financial advice before, during, and after designing their homes.

- Recognized globally and locally as a civic leader working across scales, disciplines, and communities. Global/National Network: Stephen's extensive network of trusted industry relationships fuels collaborative efforts to advance equity, environmental consciousness, and economic growth in urban infrastructure and development. His fruitful exchanges of ideas and information with clients and colleagues alike drive meaningful progress.

- Passion and Intellectual Rigor: A true thought leader, Stephen is deeply engaged in the global urban discourse, contributing his insights to the ever-evolving urban landscape. He inspires his teams with empathetic leadership, ensuring success in every endeavour.

- Experienced Hands-On Urban Designer: Stephen's hands-on experience spans the globe, working on diverse projects in various locations. He continues to create culturally relevant places by collaborating with top-tier public and private sector clients. His expertise covers Resilient Urban Regeneration, Infrastructure-led Urban Development, Campus and District Plans, and Regional Planning.

- Financial Results: Having honed his skills in a high-growth corporate environment for over 20 years, Stephen has an impressive track record of anticipating client needs and driving teams to deliver award-winning and profitable work. Under his guidance, the Cities practice at AECOM achieved remarkable financial success and growth.

- Civic Leader: Stephen sits on the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Board, the San Francisco Symphony Facilities Committee, the Rice University School of Architecture Advisory Board, and the Hill School Alumni Executive Association Board

When partnering with Stephen Engblom, you gain access to an architectural visionary and urban strategist whose dedication to collaboration, innovation, trustworthiness, and professionalism results in transformative projects that harmonize economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social well-being. Embark on your next urban journey with Stephen and unlock the full potential of your vision.

With his vast technical expertise, extensive global network, and rich managerial experience, Stephen consistently delivers delivery strategies and masterplans that uphold the principles of equity, environmental consciousness, and economic viability. He offers homeowners and investors comprehensive insights into city planning and permitting processes, enabling them to navigate policy complexities and realize intelligent, attainable designs. Stephen holds a firm belief in creating projects that strike the perfect balance between significance and impact, and make a positive difference to all stakeholders involved.

Planning

Stephen Engblom, a registered architect, urban planner, and designer, is a proven leader in urban design and planning. With a track record of successful projects both nationally and internationally, Stephen excels in collaborating with large-scale bureaucracies and grassroots community boards, fostering strong relationships, and delivering equitable financial results.

In addition to his outstanding corporate achievements, Stephen has cultivated strong community connections and mentored numerous urbanists, making a lasting impact on the urban landscape. His unique approach combines creativity, reliability, and professionalism, with his masterplans consistently advocating for equity, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity.

CBRE - Infrastructure and Public Sector Global Thought Leader 2022-2023

Engblom served as global thought leader for CBRE's launch of their Infrastructure and Public Enterprise practice. He positioned the company for a successful launch of the firm’s first public facing practice at a pivotal moment in global infrastructure spending, catapulting CBRE as a leading provider of public procurement expertise.

AECOM - Executive Vice President Cities / Urban Design / Global Master Planning Lead 1999 - 2022

Engblom created AECOM Cities, a cross-disciplinary approach to urban infrastructure projects that reshaped cities worldwide and revolutionized the way the Engineering consultancies approached Cities work. He spent decades working with public and private sector clients developing global growth strategies; serving as C-Level strategic advisor top echelon to public sector and private sector clients; delivered top-line growth, and promoted inter-company collaboration across disciplines and geographies

Stephen's influence extends to academia, where he imparts his hard earned experience and wisdom to a graduate course on Resilience in Real Estate Development at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design, where he sits on the faculty. Additionally, he serves on numerous boards and advisory councils, actively engaging in a wide range of civic initiatives.

Architecture

Engblom is an expert at creating value through architectural thinking at all scales. He has worked with clients to create value through timeless designs of Residential designs. He works with clients from pre-design through execution.

Notable Planning Projects  

• San Francisco Bay Area 50-Year Regional Strategy Model Places: The San Francisco Bay Area, one of the world’s most innovative and progressive regions is projected to grow by an additional 2-3 million people over the next 50 years, but it also faces major challenges. As part of SPUR’s Regional Strategy, led the urban design work considering how to balance major mobility infrastructure investment and land-use patterns across the region.

• San Francisco Bay Area 50-Year Regional Strategy Bigger Picture Series, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, California: The majority of the San Francisco Bay Area’s regional growth is expected to be accommodated in three major urban cores: San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. As part of SPUR’s Regional Strategy, led the urban design component of the work, analyzing how major infrastructure components could be considered holistically.

• Real Estate Strategies for Major Transit Agencies: Houston Metro; London Transport for London (TfL) and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA): Developed methodology for transit agencies to analyze major portfolios of land to optimize non-fare box revenue.

• San Francisco Regional Transit Recovery Study 2020: In response to the unprecedented impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on public transportation ridership and operations, led the collaboration with Seamless Bay Area to envision how transit services could adapt. After consulting with regional transit decision makers, the team developed modeling tools that enable scenarios to forecast the potential impacts of the length of the coronavirus crisis and mode shifts through an equity lens.

• Los Angeles River Gateway, Los Angeles, California: Vision for how to leverage transportation and water infrastructure investment at LA Union Station to catalyze value in a four-mile corridor.

• Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge, Oakland, California: Strategy for simultaneously addressing the short-term economic crises of one of the most under-invested communities in the San Francisco Bay Area while modernizing regional infrastructure to address the long-term threats of sea level rise, severe storms, drought, flooding and earthquakes.

• Urban Manifestos: Key Contributor to Long-range vision plans for London, UK, and Sydney, Australia

• Southwest Brooklyn Red Hook Regeneration Framework. Brooklyn, New York: Integrated infrastructure strategy and regeneration plan for one of the world’s most underutilized waterfronts that affords long-term resilient infrastructure for existing communities.

• Chicago Green Infrastructure: Developed a multi-agency approach to governance and funding for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Redevelopment Grant.

• Historic urban regeneration strategy for Sao Paulo, Brazil, now touted by the IADB Inter-American Development Bank as a model for sustainable regeneration strategy in Latin America.

• Downtown Sacramento Regeneration, Kings Arena and Downtown Entertainment Complex, Sacramento, California.

• Spaceport, New Mexico: Developed a vision and masterplan for the world’s first commercial Spaceport for New Mexico and Virgin Galactic.

• Corporate real estate and business transformation strategies for the some of the world’s largest resource companies (timber, phosphate) in North America and the Middle East.

• San Francisco’s Transbay District zoning guidelines for the new generation of skyscrapers and urban infrastructure now the home for 120,000 new jobs, and over USD 87 billion of regional economic benefits.

• Las Vegas Sands Masterplan that underpinned Macau’s becoming the world’s largest gaming and entertainment economy.

• Tourism development plans for Hainan Island that underpinned the island’s transformation into one of the leaders in the regional tourism world.

• Waterfront revitalization strategies for Singapore River and Marina Bay, Singapore; Suzhou Creek, Shanghai; Xiang River, Changsha, China; Songhua River, Jilin, China.

• Long-range development plans for Los Angeles, Guangzhou, Surabaya and Atlanta, providing strategic direction of city development through the next century.

• Academic masterplans that have resulted in award-winning campus buildings with large capital and operating expenditure efficiencies in Asia and the Americas.

• Strategies for world’s mega events: Olympics and Expos in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

 Urban Regeneration

• Houston Metro - Addicks Station TOD, Paragon Development in partnership with Page Architects and Parsons

• San Francisco Regional Growth Strategy, SPUR Regional Strategy 2070

• Making Sydney Brilliant, Sydney at 8 Million People

• Chicago Green Infrastructure, HUD Resilient Cities Grant

• Sacramento Railyards Masterplan, Sacramento, California

• Sacramento Kings Entertainment Complex, Sacramento, California

• Pier 70 Masterplan, San Francisco, California

• Cidade da Copa, World Cup Masterplan Strategy, Recife, Brazil

• Reserva do Paiva Re-Positioning Masterplan, Recife, Brazil

• Quintas Masterplan, Recife, Brazil

• Sao Paulo City Planning Department, Nova Luz Urban Regeneration, Sao Paulo, Brazil

• Squamish Nation, Capilano Lands Masterplan, Vancouver, Canada

• ARAMCO, Dhahran Master Plan, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

• MIRA Development, Avenida Chapultepec Sustainable Urban Regeneration, México City, México

• Waterfront Mixed Use Development, Vancouver, Washington

• San Francisco Planning Department; Transit Center District & 4th/King Railyards Plans, San Francisco, California

• ZRZ Realty Company, Portland South Waterfront, Portland, Oregon

• 3-D Investments, Japantown Urban Design Plan, San Francisco, California

• Shenzhen Shuibei Jewelry City Landscape Masterplan and Conceptual Design, Shenzhen, China

• Shanghai Zhabei District Planning Bureau, Suzhou Creek Zhabei Historical District Adaptive Re-use & Redevelopment, Shanghai, China

• Changsha Urban Planning Bureau, Xiang River Waterfront & Orange Island Concept Plan, Changsha, China

• Bureau of Shanghai Expo Coordination, Shanghai World Exposition Masterplan, China

• Venetian Macau Ltd., Cotai Strip Masterplan, Macau, China

• Surabaya Vision Plan 2005-2025, Surabaya, Indonesia

• Shanghai Urban Planning Administration Bureau, Suzhou River Masterplan, Shanghai, China

• Jilin Urban Planning Board, Song Hua River Masterplan, Jilin, China, *First Prize Award

• Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore River Masterplan, Singapore

• Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore Marina Bay

• Dubai City Regional Planning, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• Ruwais City Urban Plan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• GTM Power Park, Brooklyn, New York, New York

• Nea Makri Olympic Village and Resort, Nea Makri, Greece

• ”The Making of Place, Rural Studies Opportunity Probe”, Wheeler, Texas

• Cedar Park Comprehensive Master Plan, Cedar Park, Texas

New Towns and Communities

• Odebrecht, Cidade da Copa, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

• JVC Chivas, JVC Masterplan, Guadalajara, Mexico

• University of Chile University Town Masterplan, Laguna Carén Masterplan, Santiago, Chile

• Sage Hills Masterplan, Comox Valley, British Columbia, Canada

• Dundee Developments, Sustainable East Sector Plan, Saskatoon, Canada

• New Metropolis for the High Desert, Mojave Desert, California

• Guangzhou Urban Planning Bureau, Nansha New City, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

• Ningbo Urban Planning Bureau, Dong Qian Lake Masterplan and Residential Development, Ningbo, China

• TEDA Entertainment and Leisure Plaza, Tianjin, China

• Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee, Jin Ji Lake Neighborhoods 6,7,8, Suzhou, China

• Tianjin SongJiang Real Estate Development Co. Ltd., Mei Jiang Nan Mixed-Use Residential Waterfront Development, Tianjin, China

Campus Planning and Design

• University of Pernambuco, Cidade da Copa, Pernambuco, Brazil

• University of New Mexico Health Science Center Masterplan, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Loyola Marymount University, Campus Master Plan, Los Angeles, California

•  West Valley Community College District, Mission College Master Plan, Santa Clara, California

• Genentech, Corporate Campus Master Planning Services, South San Francisco, California

• State of New Mexico Economic Development Department, Spaceport America, New Mexico

• U.S. Olympic Training Center Conceptual Masterplan Update, Chula Vista, California

• San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Landscape Master Plans, San Francisco and Palo Alto, California

• Jiangsu Software Park Development Co. Ltd., Nanjing Software Park, Nanjing, China

• Administrative Committee of Nanjing Xianlin University Town, Xianlin University City, Nanjing, China

• Far Eastern University, Fern College, Manila, Philippines

• Parsons School of Design Master Plan, New York, New York

• Humanities District Master Plan, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

• Film Studies and Cinema Archives, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

• St. Francis College Masterplan, Brooklyn Heights, New York, New York

• Poly Prep Country Day School Masterplan, Brooklyn, New York, New York

• SUNY at Oswego–Master Plan, Oswego, New York, New York

• Conrad Hilton School of Resort Management Masterplan, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico

• Baylor College of Medicine Main Quadrangle, Houston, Texas

• New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Campus Master Plan, New Orleans, Louisiana

• Texas Southern University Campus Master Plan, Houston, Texas

Regional Planning

• Community One World Enterprises LLC, Regional Development Plan, Dakar, Senegal

• Foley Timber, Regional Land Strategy, Florida

• Mosaic, Regional Land Strategy, Florida

• Emaar, Zowara Abou-Kemash Development Zone, Libya

• Potlatch Corporation, Strategic Visioning for Corporate Land Holdings, Idaho and Minnesota

• Confidential Client, Regional Master Plan for 5 Counties in the Big Bend/Nature Coast of Florida

• CITIC Pacific Ltd., Shenzhou Peninsula Waning Tourism Masterplan, Hainan, China