Emily Smith has worked at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens since 2009 and became Executive Director in 2014. During her tenure, she has more than doubled visitor attendance and the operating budget, added ten additional staff members, and has helped the Magic Gardens become one of the most predominant art environments in America. She has been a speaker at numerous conferences on the topics of millennial audiences, women in leadership, and the preservation of art environments.
Architect Shimi Zakin has been actively involved in design and real estate development in Philadelphia since 2001. Together with his wife Nurit Nachum, he has founded the architectural and design company Atrium Design Group and the construction company Atrium LLC. He is also managing partner for A2Z Development and A2Z Builders.
The design approach of Atrium Design Group, led by Shimi, focuses on the effects of interweaving spaces, indoors and outdoors, on social interconnections. In keeping with the development of Philadelphia, a typical ADG project addresses the themes urban infill, seeking bold solutions whereby the values of history would be preserved with respect while allowing the City to maintain its vibrancy through support for contemporary ways of life. Shimi’s wide‐ranging portfolio includes retail and commercial spaces, mixed‐use buildings, multi‐unit buildings, new construction of high‐end custom single‐family homes and full interior renovations of high‐end custom homes. The majority of these projects are in Philadelphia, but also in Tel‐Aviv, Jerusalem and Miami.