Past sessions
Offices - 28 SEP 2021
How will we design our future workspaces? A much-discussed topic these days. We bring 3 experienced architects to the table, to share their ideas and opinions on designing futureproof workplaces, creating better experiences and adding value to our working lives.
Tune in for a new Designing The Future Live Talk, on the future of office architecture and design.
Tuesday 28 September / 10 a.m. New York / 3 p.m. London / 4 p.m. Brussels / 10 p.m. Beijing
Jacob Kurek - Henning Larsen
Jacob Kurek is in charge of international projects at the Copenhagen firm Henning Larsen, currently engaged in projects across 12 countries in Europe and the Middle East. During his 5 years at the head of Henning Larsen’s Riyadh office, Jacob oversaw the fruition of the 415 acres King Abdullah Financial District master plan. He has been a partner at the firm since 2009, and in 2018 he joined the board of directors. Furthermore, he is a board member of the Danish Association of Architectural Firms.
Marianthi Tatari - UNStudio
As a director and senior architect at UNStudio in Amsterdam, Marianthi Tatari has worked in over 16 countries worldwide on projects in architecture, urbanism, and interior design. Her projects include the Collector’s Loft in New York, the Galleria Centercity in South Korea, and currently the Booking.com campus in Amsterdam. Tatari takes a scalar approach to design, addressing technology, experience and sense of place in various scales and typologies. Her heart lies in creating inclusive places that inspire the best connections between people.
Maarten Jamin - Chief Design Officer IWG plc
Maarten Jamin is the founder and director of the Amsterdam-based design collective ‘better space; better people’, and chief design officer of IWG – International Workspace Group – comprising of office and co-working brands such as Regus, Spaces ao. Jamin’s 25 years of experience in interior design have allowed him to develop a critical and trained eye for quality, use and design.
Bars & Restaurants - 22 JUN 2021
The hospitality industry around the world has endured a challenging year. Often closed due to changing policies, the industry is now ready for a relaunch, but not without drawing lessons from the past year’s events.
We gathered 3 inspiring tastemakers in the industry, to discuss what's on the table for the future of Bar & Restaurant design, during a live talk moderated by Delta Light's Director of Project Management, Danilo Mandelli.
Tuesday 22 June - 8 a.m. New York - 1 p.m. London - 2 p.m. Brussels - 8 p.m. Beijing
Tina Norden - Conran and Partners
Tina Norden is a Partner at the London studio Conran and Partners. The architect and interior designer’s portfolio stretches from hotel and restaurant design to high-end residential. Recently completing the new Park Hyatt Auckland, she now works on the new FEAST restaurant at Hong Kong’s EAST Hotel, Hotel Maximilian in Prague and the White Label QO for the IHG hotel brand in Amsterdam.
Ruud Belmans - WeWantMore
Ruud Belmans is Creative Director Spatial Design of WeWantMore. The product designer co-founded the Belgium-based design studio WeWantMore in 2006, pushing the boundaries of design ever since. WeWantMore creates mind-bending work in interior, graphic and experiential design for clients such as Accor, IHG, Coca-Cola Company, Samsonite, Neuhaus, ABInBev and Campari Group.
Susan Abraham - Stickman Tribe
Susan Abraham is the Global Lead Designer at Dubai-based boutique studio Stickman Tribe. Specialising in concept-driven hotels as well as bar and restaurant interiors, she works with leading global hospitality firms on award-winning projects. Realisations include Yi by Jereme Leung at Raffles Hotel Singapore and Tatler House at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.
Residential - 30 MAR 2021
As our lives are centered around our homes more than ever before, the contemporary paradigm of the home and how we live within it, is changing rapidly. Together with our panelists we will explore the ways in which the look and function of residences are evolving today, and what changes are on the horizon for tomorrow.
Join us for an inspiring live talk with 3 prominent voices in contemporary residential architecture, moderated by our own Director of Project Management, Danilo Mandelli.
Tuesday 30 March - 2 p.m. CET (Brussels) / 8 a.m. EDT (New York) / 8 p.m. CST (Beijing)
Viktor Udzenija - Viktor Udzenija
Croatian architect and interior designer Viktor Udzenija founded his eponymous studio in Dubai, UAE, expanding to Prague in 2020. In his global portfolio of projects: from London to Dubai, Prague to Ibiza, Udzenija takes an artisanal, highly bespoke approach to high-end residential, retail and commercial design.
Since establishing the studio, Udzenija has won a series of international architectural design competitions and awards including Sustainability Initiative of the Year and Residential Project of the Year. He has been recognized by Architectural Digest in its Top 50 Interior Designers of the Middle East list and by Middle East Architect magazine as a Top Architect for several consecutive years.
Mário Sequeira - AZO Sequeira Arquitectos
Portuguese architect Mário Sequiera started his career as an independent architect at 26, amassing a series of awards as a consultant, such as the first prize of product design of Jornal de Notícias and Diário de Notícia. He participated in the 1st prize winning teams in a range of prestigious competitions, such as the New Hospital of Braga, the Cabanas Golf complex in Lisbon, the Alto do Parque in Lisbon and projects developed by the Opera Projects atelier in Lisbon, Barcelona and Luanda.
In 2007 he established Sequeira Arquitectos Associados, converted in 2009 into AZO Sequeira Arquitectos Associados. in which he coordinates numerous scale projects, especially in international markets.
Asaf Gottesman - Gottesman Architecture
Initially an art historian and author, Asaf Gottesman became an architect at the age of 28. He co-founded Gottesman Szmelcman Architecture, a Paris-Israel based firm which quickly evolved into an international practice with exciting projects throughout Europe and beyond.
After more than 25 years of leading an award-winning architectural practice and more than 10 years spearheading important real estate developments, he left GSARCH and founded Gottesman Architecture. Now Asaf is focusing on a very limited number of projects, from high-end residential to hospitality, mixed use and more.
Luxury Retail - 8 DEC 2020
Join us online for a live round table discussion about the future of luxury retail environments. How is the landscape of luxury evolving? How will we design and experience the highest segment of retail in the future? And so much more to talk about. Tune in here as we share thoughts on the future of luxury retail.
On 8 December at 4 p.m. (Brussels) / 10 a.m. (New York) / 11 p.m. (Beijing)
Peter Ippolito - Ippolito Fleitz Group
Peter Ippolito studied architecture in Stuttgart and Chicago. During this period he was an assistant to Prof. Ben Nicholson (Chicago) and collected valuable practical experience in the studio of Daniel Libeskind (Berlin). He set up Ippolito Fleitz Group together with Gunter Fleitz in 2002. Over the years this multi-disciplinary design studio has built up an impressive international reputation for its interior architecture, communication and product design projects.
Many of the studio’s projects have won prestigious awards, including iF Golds, red dots and ADC Awards. And in 2015 Peter Ippolito and Gunter Fleitz were the first German interior designers to be admitted to Interior Design magazine's prestigious 'Hall of Fame'.
In addition to his creative work, Peter Ippolito has held various teaching positions and is in keen demand as a speaker and as a member of competition juries. Peter Ippolito is a member of the German Designers Club (Deutscher Designer Club).
Fokke Moerel - MVRDV
MVRDV partner Fokke Moerel (Breda, 1970) was one of the first architects to join MVRDV in 1998. She leads projects with a focus on public and cultural works, transformations and interior design all around the globe. Fokke has completed award-winning designs such as the Baltyk office tower in Poznan, Poland, the Book Mountain Library in Spijkenisse and the Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy in Amsterdam.
Currently she leads the interior architecture department at MVRDV and she is overseeing the construction of Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, the first publicly accessible art depot in the world, which will open its doors in 2021 in Rotterdam. Why does she love the spirit of MVRDV? “I am strongly attached to the office’s mission to not exclude anyone or anything. It brings a wide diversity of challenges which can lead to unconventional and innovative possibilities – always inspiring and fun.”
Fokke’s personal drive is to collaborate on the design and realization of buildings which have a strong connection to and impact on their direct surroundings, such as (semi) public buildings, refurbishments of monumental buildings which can revive their neighbourhood, and buildings with a clear end-user. Fokke holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Academy of Architecture Rotterdam, and a BA in interior architecture from the Willem de Kooning Academy. Fokke has taught at Harvard and Cambridge together with MVRDV cofounder Nathalie de Vries, and at the Silpakorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. She is currently tutoring at The Hague Royal Academy of Arts and is an external critic at the Academy of Architecture Rotterdam.
Francesco Fresa - Piuarch
Francesco Fresa founded Piuarch in 1996 together with Germán Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini and Monica Tricario. As a partner of the firm, his work focuses mainly on the management of international projects, with particular attention to urban regeneration plans, residential complexes, office and retail buildings. He has also worked as an architecture critic for magazines such as Casabella and Bauwelt and for years has held courses and lectures at universities and other international institutions.
Piuarch now has over 40 collaborators. The studio deals with architecture, ranging from the design of office buildings to retail, up to the development of residential complexes, recovery and regeneration interventions on an urban scale, with constant attention to the values of environmental quality and relationship with the context. The studio, awarded several prizes and two Gold Medals for Honorable Mention at the Milan Triennale, has been exhibited several times at the Venice Architecture Biennale and has obtained numerous publications and monographs.
By paying considerable attention to the many facets of the concept of sustainability, Piuarch sets itself the challenge of re-imagining cities, with a view to converting and restoring buildings, for sustainability that is not only energetic but also social, environmental and innovative.
Public - 17 NOV 2020
The design, layout and architecture of public buildings and spaces has a direct impact on the local communities they serve. As local landmarks and pillars of social life, they are designed to daily receive large amounts of visitors and to serve as a comfortable workplace. Will the design of public buildings be reimagined for the new normal? We take on the subject with 3 leading industry figures.
Let’s discuss the future of public architecture and design. Join us for our new Designing The Future Live Talk.
On 17 November at 4 p.m. (Brussels) / 10 a.m. (New York) / 11 p.m. (Beijing)
David Ghatan - CM KLING + ASSOCIATES
David is deeply involved in lighting design through professional and personal pursuits, as well as his work with associations. He attributes his passion and approach to his mentor, Candy Kling, with whom he worked directly for 14 years and succeeded as President of CM KLING + ASSOCIATES.
His architectural lighting design portfolio includes national and international projects in hospitality, corporate, residential, government, religious, convention centers, and mixed-use.
David is the Past President (2020-2021) of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and his previous roles include President (2018-2019), President Elect (2017), Treasurer (2013-2017), and Director-at-Large (2011-2013). He’s active with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) on the Hospitality Committee.
Martha Thorne - Pritzker Prize
Martha Thorne is executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, a position she has held since 2005. She is dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, one of five schools at an innovative, private university in Madrid and Segovia, Spain. Her interests reside in the future of cities and the transformation of architecture and design education for the major challenges of the 21st century.
From 1996 to 2005, she worked as a curator at the Department of Architecture at The Art Institute of Chicago. In her curatorial role, she undertook research, exhibition production and collection development. She is the author of several books related architecture of the 20th century and she has written numerous articles for architectural journals and encyclopedias.
In recent years, Ms. Thorne has facilitated competitions and led the architecture selection process for various public institutions and universities. She was a member of the jury for the international prize, ArcVision-Women and Architecture Award and the board of the International Archive of Women in Architecture.
Kim Herforth Nielsen - 3XN
Architect Kim H. Nielsen is Founder and Principal of 3XN. Since the start of the company in 1986, Kim H. Nielsen has been the creative driving force behind 3XN. He functions as the creative director and has overall responsibility for the architectural quality of 3XN’s work from the idea to the final result.
Kim is the architect behind many of Copenhagen’s most distinctive buildings, such as Royal Arena, Den Blå Planet – Denmark’s National Aquarium, UN City, and Ørestad Gymnasium. He has been involved in all of the practice’s major international projects, including the Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Museum of Liverpool, Muziekgebouw Concert Hall in Amsterdam, IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, the New Sydney Fish Market, The Waves in Toronto and many more.
Kim H. Nielsen is often called upon as a jury member in International architectural competitions and as a lecturer at art academies and universities around the world. Since 2013 Kim has been chairman of architecture committee at Danish Arts Foundation.
Technology - 20 OKT 2020
Technology can be a very powerful tool in our everyday environment. It is reshaping our cities and can improve quality of life in our buildings, creating places that are more humane, sustainable and healthy. Different forms of intelligence, digital and sensorial technologies enable us to create smarter buildings, interacting with the changing needs of its users. How is this (r)evolution affecting how we design and illuminate our buildings? Where do we see risks and opportunities? At what stage of the architectural process should we integrate technology? Let’s discuss the future of technology.
Tuesday 20th of October 4 p.m. (Brussels) / 10 a.m. (New York) / 10 p.m. (Beijing)
Daniel Blaker - Nulty+
Daniel joined Nulty+ in 2012 having previously worked for another award winning practice for 6 years. He hails from a product design background and is always looking for innovative ways to integrate light into architecture. In particular he enjoys playing with the way in which light is controlled and its ability to reveal or manipulate a space. Daniel has a proven track record in producing high quality lighting schemes that are both creative and functional. It is his firm belief that growth comes from within and looks to develop the Nulty+ team creatively and professionally through a constant process of review and refinement enabling both practice and projects realise their full potential. As Creative Director, Daniel is heavily involved in the creative stages of most projects within the Nulty+ practice.
Florence Lam - Arup
Florence is an Arup Fellow and leading the firm’s Global Lighting Design practice. She is a multi-award winning lighting designer with over 15 international and national awards to her name, including Lighting Designer of the Year in 2013. Her particular expertise in daylight, visual perception and holistic lighting approach play a key role in many of her projects, from museums to airports, bridges to city precincts all over the world. Florence has a strong interest in visual light art as a lighting designer and has collaborated with a number of artists and architects on public realm projects including Anish Kapoor’s ArcelorMittal Orbit in London and the World’s Largest Timepiece along Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. Florence is also a Visiting Professor of Lighting Design and Engineering at The Bartlett UCL Institute of Environmental Design and Engineering.
Matthieu Caluwier - LEDsGO
Matthieu is a New Technology Expert within the LEDsGO company. He has over 11 years experience in electrical engineering and lighting controls, focusing on automation, system resilience, energy audits, sensor and control systems across different sectors. Matthieu is an expert in combining hardware and software and a strong believer of wireless technology. Bringing a human and result-oriented approach to advanced electrical lighting systems, he offers his clients the benefits, rather than the risks, of innovation.
Landscaping - Rewatch the talk
Landscape architecture has a great value to society and requires a wide range of expertise and skills. The design of our urban and exterior spaces plays a vital role in shaping a positive experience, quality of life, healthy communities and livable neighborhoods. They can function as a connector, as well as areas of interaction, creativity or relaxation, reconnecting people with nature whilst addressing the challenges of urbanisation, the climate crisis and biodiversity. Join us in this multidisciplinary discussion about the future of landscaping.
Tuesday 6th of October 2 p.m. (Brussels) / 8 a.m. (New York) / 8 p.m. (Beijing)
Dean Skira - Skira
“Light is not important for architecture, but for people who live in it.” That is the view of Dean Skira, multi-award winning lighting designer and founder of Skira Architectural Lighting Design. What started as design work with tangible forms, over the past 30 years, developed into building and creating with the intangible and the ephemeral. Sira has worked on many projects around the world, including landscapes, facades, urban areas, landmarks and art installations.
Livia Tani - Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Tani first collaborated with Ateliers Jean Nouvel in 1997 working in Paris, and then became part of the AJN team in Rome in 2001. Over the last decade she has worked on several projects, from design stages to completion, amongst which: the “Kilometro Rosso” a scientific and technological park with the new headquarters for Brembo Spa in Bergamo, the Minimetro’ in Perugia, an urban transport system with automated cars and 8 stations, the new trade fair Pavilion for the Fiera di Genova, the Ferrari assembly line in Maranello, and the reconversion of the former cinema Excelsior in Milan. She has been lecturer at Facades+ in Miami and has held workshops and lectures in both in public and private Universities and Master Programs in Italy and USA.
Maarten Van de Voorde - West 8
Maarten Van de Voorde started at West 8 in 1998, and has been project manager and director of Belgium since 2003. West8 is an award-winning international office for urban design and landscape architecture, with offices in Rotterdam, New York and Belgium. Maarten has been in charge of Belgium and French projects, such as the Masterplan and supervision for the station area Hasselt, Falcon Square, Ryckaert Square Station area in Antwerp, Les Halles in Paris (together with MVRDV) and JB Lebas in Lille, France. Further he is intensively involved in design of architectural objects, such as bridges and other public space elements and product design. He is also visiting professor at various schools, such as St. Lukas Higher, Academy for architecture and urban design in Brussels and Ghent.
Culture - Rewatch the talk
Architecture simultaneously reflects and influences culture. Around the world cultural buildings are landmarks for cities and countries, adding value to experiencing art and generating context for individuals and societies. With art, cities and audiences changing, what will be the role and how will we design our cultural buildings in the future? How can museums and galleries be flexible to host different styles of exhibitions? Let’s share ideas.
Tuesday 22nd of September 2 p.m. (Brussels) / 8 a.m. (New York) / 8 p.m. (Beijing)
Konrad Buhagiar - AP Valletta
Konrad Buhagiar has been responsible for numerous restoration and rehabilitation works in historic buildings and urban sites. He has lectured at the University of Malta and, among the others, at the Canterbury University College of Creative Arts, U.K., and at the New York University, U.S.A.. He published numerous historical and academic articles. He has been the Chairman of both the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee. Konrad is also the chief editor behind AP’s ‘A Printed Thing’ and ‘The Founding Myths of Architecture’ publications.
Thomas Coldefy - Coldefy
Thomas Coldefy earned a degree in architecture at the Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris in 2002, he serves as Managing Director of Coldefy since 2006 and he became Principal in 2010. In 2011, Thomas won the second prize at International Design Awards “40 under 40” Asia and also the “40 under 40” European prize. Coldefy’s project method brings an extreme focus on the site, an urban culture concerned with the appropriate density and diversity. Among current projects are the National Pulse Museum and Memorial in Orlando, The Bao’an Cultural and Art Centre in Shenzen and Tropicalia, the largest greenhouse in the world.
Pippo Ciorra - Maxxi Rome
Architect, critic and professor at SAAD and IUAV. Author of books and essays he’s a member of CICA (International Committee of Architectural Critics), advisor for the EU Mies van der Rohe award for architecture. He was part of the curatorial team for the 1991 Architecture Venice Biennale and juror for the 2016 edition. Since 2009, he is Senior Curator of MAXXI Architettura in Rome, where he curated, among other shows, Re-cycle, Energy, Food, Piccole Utopie, The Japanese House. In 2018 he co-curated Bruno Zevi. History and Counter-History of Italian Architecture. He curates the Italian edition of YAP, the MoMA PS1 international program for young architects. He also co-curates Demanio Marittimo km 278 (Senigallia), a yearly festival dedicated to culture and arts, and co-directs the inter-disciplinary research program Housing the Human, based in Berlin.
Residential (past session june 2020)
As the whole world was forced to stay at home, we got challenged to rethink the function and quality of our living environments. Is COVID affecting the way we design our future houses? How will we respond to the new demands that will come from a generation looking to make their lives, homes and communities, future-ready? Where should we look for building resources? Can we design houses to be more adaptable to changing needs? Join us for a digital round table discussion about the future of our neighborhoods and homes.
Philippe Fouché - Saota
After gaining extensive experience in institutional, educational, residential and urban design projects, Philippe joined SAOTA as a Project Architect in 2008. He has a strong interest in vernacular design and sustainability. He has a responsive design approach, exploring unique solutions that both meet the client’s requirements and fit into the context. This attribute has been instrumental in his successful delivery of a wide range of projects from villas in Europe to mixed-use, urban design and corporate projects in West Africa, India and Turkey.
Rick Joy - Studio Rick Joy
Rick Joy is the founder of Studio Rick Joy, an award-winning architecture, interiors, and planning firm based in Tucson, Arizona. Rick has lectured internationally and is considered an important contributor to the ongoing global discourse on conceptual and sustainable architecture. His work expresses innovation and exactitude in modernism and reflects a unique sense of place.
Luca Guadagnino - Studio Luca Guadagnino
Academy Award nominee Luca Guadagnino is a screenwriter, director and producer. Born in Palermo, Italy, he grew up in Ethiopia. His films have received several nominations and awards at the Academy Awards, the BAFTA and the Golden Globe. Since 2016 he owns and directs Studio Luca Guadagnino, an interior design firm.
Offices (past session june 2020)
Rewatch our live group discussion about the future of our work environments. From the design of our workspaces to humanizing the offices, integration of technology, choreographing movement to health strategies and more.
How will we design our future offices?
Hans Chu - Chu Associates
Hans Chu is the Founder of award-winning Design Consultancy Chu Associates. Over the past 30 years he has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies on how to stay agile and innovative in their global workplace environments . Hans lives in London with his wife and 2 children.
Filippo Lodi - UNStudio
Filippo Lodi holds several master degrees in engineering, architecture, art and business, making him an all-around thinker. Filippo, as Head of Innovation and Knowledge Management, leads UNSKnowledge, UNStudio’s strategic think tank, where he works on the development of disruptive technologies for the built environment as well as providing consulting services to companies on their strategic innovation.
Amer Maleh - WeWork
Amer Maleh is the Global Sourcing Director for lighting at WeWork .He is a seasoned lighting industry expert with over 15 years of experience spanning design, manufacturing, sales, and distribution. Maleh began his career as a lighting designer at L’Observatoire, where he worked on multiple award winning projects. Maleh studied electrical engineering as an undergraduate and holds a Masters in Industrial Design from the Pratt Institute, as well as and MFA in Lighting Design from Parsons, where he also taught the Lighting Design Studio for 5 years.
Retail (past session June 2020)
Rewatch our live group discussion about the future of our retail environments. How is the retail landscape evolving? How will we design and experience retail in the future? Can COVID bring positive change to the luxury business? And so much more to talk about.
Tune in here as we share thoughts on the future of retail.
Nicolas Martin - LVMH
Nicolas belongs to the Environment Department of the group. His role is to support the Maisons that operate stores, for the adoption of the most sober LED fixtures, without any compromise on the quality of light. Nicolas is training the architects to the lighting culture, and collaborates with the procurement on the supply agreements with 15 suppliers worldwide.
Peter Girgis - Snøhetta
Peter is a multidisciplinary designer with a wide level of experience within the field of design and architecture. Linking concept into reality he is committed to the idea of a co-creative approach throughout the entirety of the design process. For the last 15 years he has been a part of the Snøhetta team working on projects within culture, hospitality and retail design. Collaborating with international companies such as Noma, Aesop and Holzweiler to a simple rooftop beehive for a passionate bee-keeper in Oslo, Norway.
Aldo Parisotto - Parisotto+Formenton Architetti
Aldo Parisotto is the co-founder of Parisotto+Formenton Architetti. As far as architecture is concerned they have designed museums, residential and commercial buildings. As interior designers, the core business is retail design, for various Italian and international fashion and luxury brands.
Hospitality (past session June 2020)
The global hospitality industry is currently going through tough times. How can the industry recover? Will current measures influence the way we design our hospitality spaces and experiences? What are the key trends for the future? Join us for an open discussion on the future of hospitality design.
Federico Toresi - Accor
Federico leads the team that defines the design and product strategy and creates standards and concept guidelines for our luxury and premium brands, overseeing design initiatives to evolve the performance, design, guest experience and market development of managed properties. He has over 20 years of experience in hospitality in both architecture and interior design, focusing on hotels and resorts, private residences and high-end retail projects.
Constantina Tsoutsikou - Studio Lost
Former Creative Director of HBA London, Constantina recently announced the launch of her own Studio Lost – a new London-based hospitality design practice. The design and hospitality landscape is changing, requiring more agile and independent studios to champion progressive thinking and deliver compelling results. Studio LOST is born of a desire to progress into a different and more experimental world.
Laurence Titton - Visual Energy
In the eighteen years since Laurence founded Visual energy in 2001, the company has grown from strength to strength and has been recognised by the industry as a leading lighting designer, working in many countries. Never resting on his laurels, Laurence puts the energy into Visual energy. He’s the kind of designer who likes to work with the client to seek out the best solution to each design challenge. Visual Energy has extensive expertise in the global hospitality industry.