Speakers
Reinier de Graaf
partner in OMA, Netherland
Reinier de Graaf
partner in OMA, NetherlandReinier de Graaf is a Dutch architect, urbanist, theorist, and writer, and the longest-serving non-founding partner at OMA, where he has worked since 1996. Since 2002, he has been leading AMO, OMA’s research branch dedicated to urbanism, sustainable development, and cultural strategies, with projects for institutions such as the European Union, Prada, and the Hermitage Museum. He is the author of Four Walls and a Roof (2017) and The Masterplan (2021), in which he critically explores the relationship between architecture, politics, and the real estate market. As a design partner at OMA, he oversaw the realization of projects including Norra Tornen in Stockholm, De Rotterdam, Timmerhuis, and nhow RAI Hotel, while his notable urban planning projects include the Skolkovo Innovation Centre and the Greater Moscow Development Framework. Academically, he is engaged at the Strelka Institute and The Berlage, investigating the relationship between architecture and financial markets, with a focus on energy, megacities, and “phantom urbanism.”
Tomislav Ćurković
founder Dva arhitekta Ćurković, Hrvatska
Tomislav Ćurković
founder Dva arhitekta Ćurković, HrvatskaTomislav Ćurković is a Croatian architect, who graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb in 1988. After working at the architectural office “Interinženjering,” he co-founded the studio Dva arhitekta in 1992 together with Zoran Zidarić. Their practice focuses on sustainable architecture, sensitive to context and environment, emphasizing the use of local materials and traditional construction techniques. The studio works on residential and commercial buildings, as well as carefully designed interiors, with particular attention to functionality, aesthetics, and contextual integration. Ćurković served as the president of the Croatian Chamber of Architects from 2009 to 2015 and is currently a member of its Board of Directors. His body of work is documented in the monograph “Dva arhitekta: Tomislav Ćurković & Zoran Zidarić – protagonists”, which provides an overview of the studio’s key projects and realized works.
Rifat Alihodžić
founder Arhing inženjering, Montenegro
Rifat Alihodžić
founder Arhing inženjering, MontenegroRifat Alihodžić is a Montenegrin architect. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo, earned his master’s degree in Belgrade, and completed his doctorate at the Department of Architecture and Urbanism in Novi Sad. He is a full professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Montenegro. Alihodžić began his career at the Urban Planning Institute in Bijelo Polje, and since 1990 he has led his own studio, ARHING Engineering, through which he has designed over one hundred projects, including seven based on award-winning competition entries. His work has received regional and international recognition. Together with his team, he represented Montenegro at the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2010 and served as commissioner of the Montenegrin pavilion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2012. He has received numerous awards, including the CEMEX and Borba awards, and his projects have been nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2010) and the Mies van der Rohe Award (2011).
Marijn Schenk
Next Architects, Netherland
Marijn Schenk
Next Architects, NetherlandMarijn Schenk is a Dutch architect and co-founder of NEXT Architects, an international architectural firm with offices in Amsterdam and Beijing. He graduated with honors from Delft University of Technology, where in 2000, together with Bart Reuser, he won the prestigious Archiprix award for the project Het Gelaagde Land. Schenk is known for projects that integrate functional infrastructure with urban spaces, emphasizing social and ecological aspects. He highlights the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and believes architecture should connect people, space, and purpose. Since 2017, Schenk has served as the city architect of Amstelveen, advising on urban development and cultural heritage preservation. His work and NEXT Architects’ projects have been featured in international publications such as WIRED, Monocle, Financial Times, and CNN, and the firm has been nominated for prestigious awards, including the NRP Gulden Feniks and Dutch Design Award.
Benedetta Tagliabue
founder EMBT architects, Spain
Benedetta Tagliabue
founder EMBT architects, SpainBenedetta Tagliabue is an Italian architect based in Barcelona, renowned for her innovative projects and contributions to contemporary architecture. She studied at IUAV in Venice and began her career in architectural offices in New York. In 1994, together with Enric Miralles, she founded the studio EMBT, today known as Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT, where she serves as the lead partner and director. After Miralles’ passing, she continued working on major projects, including the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the Gas Natural building, Santa Caterina Market and Diagonal Mar Park in Barcelona, the Kálida Sant Pau Center, the Spanish Pavilion (Expo 2010), and the Church of San Giacomo Apostolo in Ferrara. She has received over 100 international awards and other prestigious recognitions, including the RIBA Stirling Prize and the Princesa de Asturias de las Artes. Since 2014, she has been a member of the jury for the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Tagliabue teaches at ETSAB, Harvard, and Columbia, and is the founder and president of the Enric Miralles Foundation, promoting experimental and innovative architecture.
Matevž Zalar and Miha Munda
cofounders in Elementarna, Slovenia
Matevž Zalar and Miha Munda
cofounders in Elementarna, SloveniaMatevž Zalar is a Slovenian architect and founder of the studio Elementarna, where he serves as the lead project architect. His practice focuses on the revitalization of urban spaces, educational, and public buildings, combining innovative design with sustainable approaches. Zalar actively participates in architectural competitions and exhibitions, earning numerous awards, including the Pločnik Medal 2025 for the revitalization of Stara Steklarska and Vrazov Square, the Golden Pencil 2024, nominations for the Public Space Award and the EU Mies van der Rohe Award, as well as the International Piranesi Award 2023 for the same project. His notable projects include sports halls and the redevelopment of the historic center of Laško. In addition to his professional practice, Zalar is an assistant at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana, contributing to the education of new generations of architects.
Dinko Peračić
founder ARP, Croatia
Dinko Peračić
founder ARP, CroatiaDinko Peračić is a Croatian architect, he earned his degree from the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb and completed his master’s at IAAC in Barcelona. He is the founder of the collective Platform 9.81 and a partner at the ARP office. Since 2008, he has worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Geodesy in Split, and since 2016 he has been an associate professor at the Department of Architectural Design. His work focuses on public spaces and cultural buildings, including the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Osijek, the Market and Fish Market in Vodice, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka. He has received numerous awards, including the Piranesi Award (2015), Grand Prix of the Zagreb Salon of Architecture (2018), the Arch. Medal and Conceptual Design Medal from the Croatian Chamber of Architects, the Bernardo Bernardi Award (2018), and the BIG SEE Grand Prix (2022). He actively participates in exhibitions, research, and public projects, and represented Croatia at the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016.
Sigurd Larsen
founder Sigurd Larsen Design, Germany
Sigurd Larsen
founder Sigurd Larsen Design, GermanySigurd Larsen is a Danish architect and interior designer based in Berlin. He graduated from the School of Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 2008. He previously worked at renowned offices such as OMA Rem Koolhaas in New York, MVRDV in Rotterdam, COBE in Copenhagen and Berlin, and Topotek1 in Berlin. In 2010, he founded his own studio, Sigurd Larsen Design and Architecture, and since 2016 he has been teaching architectural design and visual communication at the Berlin International University of Applied Sciences. Larsen’s work spans residential, educational, cultural, and hotel projects, with a focus on sustainability, functionality, and aesthetic quality. His studio has realized projects across Europe and the United States. Larsen’s projects have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, and he has received awards including the Schinkel Prize and the AIT Award.
Carlo Ratti
founder Carlo Ratti Asociati, USA
Carlo Ratti
founder Carlo Ratti Asociati, USACarlo Ratti is an Italian architect, engineer, innovator, and author. He is the founder and partner of CRA–Carlo Ratti Associati, with offices in Turin, New York, and London. A professor at MIT, he directs the Senseable City Lab and also teaches at prestigious universities worldwide, including the Polytechnic University of Milan, TTPU in Tashkent, Harvard, and RMIT in Melbourne. He is the curator of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale (2025), where he raises the question of how architecture can respond to climate challenges through the synergy of nature, art, and collective intelligence. Ratti is known for projects that merge the physical and digital worlds, such as the Digital Water Pavilion (Expo 2008), Real Time Rome (Venice Architecture Biennale 2006), New York Talk Exchange (MoMA), and Future Food District and MIND – Milan Innovation District (Expo 2015). He also designed the Olympic and Paralympic torches for the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The author of more than 500 publications, Ratti is the founder of the start-ups Makr Shakr and Scribit, combining academic research, innovative design, and technology to create sustainable, interactive cities.