Bob Gdowski, AIA is a Design Principal and the firm’s Director of Hospitality Design. Recognized as an inspired Architect and Planner, Bob excels within the cross-functional markets of global hospitality, gaming and entertainment, where he is continuously developing context-driven design solutions that are tangible and captivating.  As a design leader, Bob has conceptualized some of the firm’s largest and most impactful hospitality projects, contributing to the firm’s remarkable growth and market presence in the casino resort industry.

As a strategic thinker who focuses on outcomes that balance the memorable and the monetizable, Bob’s appetite for experiential design has been fueled by an academic and professional career that has taken him across the globe.  Joining the firm in 2016, after having spent 6 years in Shanghai, Bob brings a diversity of professional experience to JCJ, including leadership roles at BBG-BBGM, SOM, HOK and the Marnell Companies. An appetite for collective success has afforded Bob the opportunity to partner with a diverse range of international gaming and hotel operators, including: MGM, Wynn, Caesars, Atlantis, sbe, Four Seasons, Marriott and Hilton.  Bob’s collaborative mindset and ability to orchestrate consensus within the design process has also made him a respected resource within Indian Country, having partnered with an extensive list of Tribal Clients, including: Choctaw Nation, Jamul Indian Village, Table Mountain Rancheria, Tohono O’odham Nation, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Pechanga Band of Indians and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.

Prior to taking on the role of Director of Hospitality Design, Bob was the Western Managing Director where he was responsible for overseeing JCJ’s studios in San Diego, Phoenix and Los Angeles, ensuring that they were managed effectively and in alignment with the strategic vision of the firm.  During his tenure as Managing Director Bob assisted in the initiative to open a Las Vegas studio, as a means of expanding the firm’s commercial gaming practice.  

As a thought leader, Bob has spoken at numerous design and development conferences both nationally and throughout Asia, themes including: ‘Upward Development and the Design of Urban Gaming’, ‘Materializing the Brand, Innovation and Function’, ‘Ensouling Concrete and Steel. Who Authors Experiential Design?’, ‘Rediscovering the Art of Interaction’, and ‘The Role of Trends in Hospitality Design’.

Bob earned his Master of Planning and Bachelor of Architecture degrees from the University of Southern California, including studies at Peking University – Beijing, University of Malaya – Kuala Lumpur and the Alessandro Volta Centre of Scientific Culture – Como.  He was previously on faculty at the USC School of Architecture where he taught design. 

Bob is a registered Architect and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.  He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Urban Land Institute.