Francesca Torzo, Genova
„Building correctly – some reflections and experiences"

Francesca Torzo (Padova, 1975) studied architecture at TU Delft, ETSAB Barcelona, AAM Mendrisio and IUAV Venezia, graduating with honours from the latter in 2001.

That same year, she collaborated with engineer Jürg Conzett and HTW Chur on an experimental dry stone construction, before joining Peter Zumthor's office in Haldenstein as project architect (2001–2002) and subsequently Bosshard Vaquer Architekten in Zurich (2003).

In 2008 she established her own practice in Genova. Her teaching career unfolded across several institutions: as assistant at Atelier Bearth, AAM Mendrisio (2009–2017), as professor at Bergen Arkitekthøgskole, Norway (2017–2021), and as design atelier chair at AAM Mendrisio (2020–2024). She has also lectured widely at international schools and cultural institutions.

In 2018 she participated in the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, and in 2020 received the Moira Gemill Prize for Emerging Architecture. Her project Z33 – House for Contemporary Art in Hasselt was awarded the Piranesi Award 2018 and the Premio Italiano di Architettura 2020, and was shortlisted among the five finalists for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2022.

francescatorzo.it
@torzofrancesca

Dr. Tom Schoper, Dresden
“On Dwelling Among Things – Building, Inhabiting, Thinking_2026”

Tom Schoper works as an architect, theorist and critic across multiple dimensions of the discipline. After studying at TU Munich and ETH Zurich, he worked from 1994 to 2000 at the Berlin office of Prof. Benedict Tonon. In 2000 he co-founded schoper.schoper Architekten together with his wife Henrike Schoper, based initially in Berlin and relocating to Dresden in 2004. He completed his doctorate in 2009 and has been teaching at the Faculty of Architecture at TU Dresden since 2007, with a research focus on the interplay of architecture, fine art and philosophy. From 2019 to 2021 he also served as visiting professor for Design and Spatial Design at TU Darmstadt.

www.schoperschoper.de

Prof.'in Anett-Maud Joppien
„Korrelationen" – Farewell Lecture

Anett-Maud Joppien is an architect, academic and partner of Dietz Joppien Architekten, which she co-founded with Albert Dietz in Frankfurt am Main in 1989. From 2011 till 2026 she has led the Department of Design and Building Technology at the Faculty of Architecture, TU Darmstadt; from 2003 to 2011 she held a professorship in Building Construction, Design and Materials Science at Bergische Universität Wuppertal. Earlier academic positions include visiting professorships at TU Darmstadt and TU Hannover, as well as a role as Graduate Student Advisor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she received the distinctive teaching award.

Her research focuses on the development of analogue and digital architectural prototypes addressing questions of sustainability, energy efficiency, sufficiency and building technology. Key themes include innovative forms of living and working, the integration of prefabrication and timber construction, lighting design, BIM, AI and integrated planning.

Dietz Joppien Architekten have received more than 50 national and international awards. Anett-Maud Joppien has served on the jury of over 350 architectural competitions. She has been Vice President of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) since 2013 and Vice President of the European Solar Prize (Sir Norman Foster PEB Jury) since 2024. She is also a current or former member of design review boards in Karlsruhe, Freiburg, Mannheim, Mainz and the Rhine-Neckar region.

Prof. Adrien Meuwly, Zürich
„Imperfect Precision"

COMTE/MEUWLY is an architecture practice founded in 2017 by Adrien Comte and Adrien Meuwly.
Their work is based on reactivity, cultivating an attitude of constantly rethinking their strategies, tools, and methods.
They are developping a wide range of projects across scales and locations, in Switzerland and abroad.
Since 2025, they are professors at ETH Zurich, where they lead the Chair of Architecture and Construction.

www.comtemeuwly.com
@comte_meuwly

Prof.'in Dr. Christina Eisenbarth
„Produktive Krisen. Wandel gestalten." – Inaugural Lecture

Christina Eisenbarth studied architecture and urban planning at the Schule für Architektur Saar, ENSA Nancy and the University of Stuttgart, specialising in resource- and energy-efficient construction. From 2017 to 2025 she conducted research and taught at the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the University of Stuttgart. There she developed the internationally patented hydroactive building envelope system — HydroSKIN — which mitigates urban flood and heat risks through rainwater absorption and evaporative cooling. Since the summer semester of 2025 she has been Tenure-Track Professor for Design and Technology and Resilience in Architecture at TU Darmstadt.