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Kayvan Karimi
Director at Space Syntax Limited, Associate Professor at University College London (UCL)
Professional Background
Kayvan Karimi is a distinguished Director of Space Syntax Limited, an innovative consultancy that originated as a spin-off from University College London (UCL). His role at Space Syntax leverages a wealth of research from UCL, providing professional consultancy services that directly utilize cutting-edge findings in urban morphology and space syntax theory. As an Associate Professor in the Space Syntax Laboratory at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, he is deeply involved in the academic formation of future architects and urban designers, granting him a unique position at the intersection of academia and professional practice. Kayvan also serves as the Programme Director for the MSc/MRes in Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities, where he shapes the curriculum and research direction to align with the latest industry needs and academic advancements.
With a remarkable career spanning over 25 years in architectural and urban design, Kayvan has garnered extensive experience in a variety of relevant sectors. His expertise encompasses various disciplines including spatio-configurational network analysis, urban morphology, strategic city and regional planning, and transport planning. He has consistently contributed to urban regeneration projects, large-scale urban master planning, and the preservation and revitalization of historical sites. He possesses particular knowledge in working with complex buildings and the design of public realms that prioritize pedestrian movement, making his insights invaluable in contemporary urban design practices.
Kayvan's professional journey embodies a blend of academic rigor and practical consultancy experience. His commitment to applying theoretical knowledge into real-world applications shines through in his contributions to several impactful projects across different scales. Whether dealing with the broad strokes of city-level strategic plans or zooming into the specificities of designing intimate public spaces, Kayvan holds a comprehensive understanding of the inherent connections between spatial design and social dynamics.
Education and Achievements
Kayvan Karimi pursued his PhD at University College London, delving into Urban and Architectural Morphology, which laid the foundation for his extensive expertise in the field. His academic background is complemented by practical experience gained in various associative roles throughout his career. As an academic educator and researcher, he has contributed to the advancement of knowledge and practices in urban design, while also focusing on the mentorship of students.
Throughout his career, Kayvan has successfully transitioned through several influential roles, and his tenure as an Associate/Associate Director at Space Syntax highlights his dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the fields of architecture and urban studies.
As a leader at Space Syntax Limited, he has been influential in steering projects that emphasize evidence-based urban and architectural design. His commitment to applying research to professional practice has reached new heights in recent years, underscoring the importance of utilizing analytical methodologies to inform decision-making in urban planning and architecture.
Achievements
Kayvan Karimi's extensive portfolio of work includes a diverse range of research and consultancy projects that affect cities and spaces all around the world. His proficiency in transforming complex data into usable insights is a cornerstone of his consultancy approach. Notable specific achievements include:
- Spearheading research initiatives focused on spatio-configurational analysis that have paved the way for innovative applications in urban planning.
- Successfully leading projects that integrate urban morphology into strategic city planning, influencing local and regional development policies.
- What sets Kayvan apart is his ability to integrate theoretical frameworks with tangible design solutions, directly impacting how urban spaces are utilized and experienced by communities.
- His involvement in the regeneration of historical centers and informal settlements has made a significant social impact, promoting an inclusive approach to spatial design that reverberates through both public and private sectors.
- As an educator, Kayvan has fostered a learning environment that promotes critical thinking and application of knowledge, further enriching academic discourse in the context of architecture and urban design.
In conclusion, Kayvan Karimi stands as a prominent figure in the urban design and architecture sectors, characterized by his breadth of academic knowledge and substantial professional experience. His role at the forefront of Space Syntax Limited and the Bartlett School of Architecture signifies a commitment to excellence and innovation in producing evidence-based design strategies that benefit both present and future urban environments. Kayvan's aim is particularly focused on ensuring that the interplay between space, architecture, and the community results in functional, sustainable, and engaging urban experiences for diverse populations.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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