About John Simones
John Simones joined JERDE in 1984 to work on the architecture and design of the Los Angeles Olympics. Since that time, he has become one of JERDE's lead urban designers and architects, master planning some of the firm's most complex and innovative projects. Working closely with founder Jon Jerde, Simones developed the original design for Universal City in Los Angeles, a master plan that has had considerable influence on the planning profession and that laid the groundwork for Universal CityWalk. After opening in 1993, the award-winning Universal CityWalk was dubbed the first "urban entertainment district," inspiring a new model in urban development. John's work has helped to evolve JERDE's placemaking design philosophy around the world. John earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, magna cum laude, from the University of Detroit and a Master of Architecture from the University of Southern California.
