Daniel Hajjar is managing principal for HOK’s London and Dubai practices, he leads the firm’s services for projects across Europe, Middle East and North Africa. Member of HOK’s board of directors, he is an architect with more than 30 years of experience covering all aspects of planning, design, architecture and project management. In 2000, he established HOK’s Dubai office and served as vice chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council.
Carol Willis is the founder, director, and curator of the Skyscraper Museum (NY), an architectural museum focused on high-rise buildings. She is also adjunct associate professor of architectural history and urban studies at Columbia University. She is the author of "Form Follows Finance: Skyscrapers and Skylines in New York and Chicago" which received an AIA book award and the "Best Book on North American Urbanism" by the Urban History Association.
Peter Rees is Professor of Places and City Planning at the Bartlett School of Planning, Faculty of the Built Environment. As City Planning Officer for the City of London, Peter led the planning and regeneration of this world business and financial centre from 1985 to 2014. Four decades spent in urban planning and regeneration, ranging from the conservation of historic towns across England to the rejuvenation of the City of London.
Paolo Zilli, once architect with his own office, joined Zaha Hadid Architects in 2001, working mainly on Italian projects (Salerno Ferry Terminal 2001, MAXXI 2003, Afragola Station 2004, CityLife Tower and Retail from 2006). In 1997, he was certified as an Autodesk Software Technician for Autocad, 3D Studio and ADT (Autodesk BIM). He has been teaching AutoCAD and design, until 2006. He is now Project Manager for the New Airport in Sydney.
In 1999, Alessandro became manager of the DEGW Consultancy Area for Italy and, in 2009, director. In 2015, at the end of the process designed to integrate DEGW into the Lombardini22 Group, he became a partner of the Group, taking the helm of the Business Unit dedicated to the workplace. Today Alessandro is one of the top experts in the field of international consultancy specialised in the integrated design of working environments.
Giulia Carravieri is a Strategic Business Developer and Architect with more than 10 years of experience in award winning international design practices such as UNStudio, FUKSAS, Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) and OBR. She developed leading experience in managing complex projects in Southern Europe, Russia, UK and North America. She gained a MBA with Distinction at Robert Gordon University, Scotland.
Mauro Giuliani graduated in Civil Engineering at the Politecnico of Milan in 1991. Chartered consulting Engineer in Milan, Madrid, Geneva. Non-Tenured professor at the PoliMi. His activity focuses on the design and supervision of special concrete structures, prestressed concrete and composite steel-concrete. He started in the Bridge design field, then focusing on Structures for Architecture enhancing cooperation with worldwide known architects.
Lucio Blandini, engineer and architect, obtained his PhD in 2005 at Stuttgart University. Since 2006 he has worked as a structural and façade engineer at Werner Sobek, where he is now managing director and partner. He is licensed engineer for high-rise buildings in Dubai and responsible for digital processes and innovation. Since 2020 he has also been Head of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at Stuttgart University.
Giuseppe G. Amaro, graduated in Civil and Hydraulic Engineering in 1982, started his career in the National Fire Department as Deputy Commander of the Turin Command, holding that role until 1995. He teaches Environmental Safety Technique at the Polytechnic of Turin, focusing on fire prevention techniques in buildings and fire safety. Founder and Director of GAe Engineering Srl, leading company in the field of Fire Safety Design.
Paolo Rigone, graduated in Civil Engineering at the University of Pavia in 1989, gained his PhD in Ergotechnical Construction Engineering at the Politecnico of Milan, in 1995. Since 2007, he is an Associate Professor in Design of the Building Envelope at Faculty of Building engineering of the Politecnico of Milan. He is also a consultant in building envelope, with regards to windows, doors and curtain walling design and development.
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the the University of Padova in Italy, Fabio Viero also studied at the University of California and the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Bruxelles. He is Technical Director of Manens-Tifs s.p.a., and leads the Building Physics and Sustainability Division. He also chairs the Green Building Council Italia since 2009 and was a member of the USGBC Integrative Process Working Group in 2015.
Diego Bertesina, mechanical engineer. Since 1998 works as HVAC systems designer for Fellin srl and iFS srl. First experiences are in hospitals and their complexity. In 2000 he moved to Manens-Tifs s.p.a. as MEP systems project coordinator. Experience evolved to buildings with more attention to spaces and forms and middle east countries. His focus is on minimal impact and regeneration, always looking for something beyond.
Eugenio Arbizzani graduated in Architecture in Florence, and gained a PhD in Architectural Technology in Rome (1988). Since 1998 he teaches Building Technology at Sapienza University of Rome. He deals with research and development of issues related to refurbishment for social housing, integrated design and project management services, aimed at the construction of complex building structures such as hospitals and health-cares.
Cristiano Brambilla, engineer and Senior Vice President at Hines Italy, is head of the Project and Construction Management team since the year 2017, a background that has provided him with an extensive experience in complex projects of diverse nature in the Real Estate sector. Brambilla works closely to the Country Head and Managing Director of the reknown international firm, being a key person in the company in all the technical aspects.
Elena Giacomello, architect and PhD in building technology, is researcher at Università Iuav di Venezia. Her research activities are primarily focused on green living technologies for the building envelope, and restoration of natural resources in urban environment. She conducts researches in partnership with Italian and international research Institutions and manufacturing companies and organizes conferences and seminars.
Marko Pogacnik is full professor at the Università Iuav di Venezia. He also taught in several other universities in Europe. He is head of the research unit within the National Research Program (PRIN) on the topic “Atlas of the structural figures in Italian architecture during the 50s and 60s”. He has been curator of the "Adolf Loos und Wien" exhibition and published monographs on Loos and Schinkel, as well as edited publications on Libera and Sedlmayr.
Dario Trabucco, architect and PhD, is an associate professor at the Università Iuav di Venezia (Italy), where he teaches Building Technology. Since 2012 holds the position of Research Manager within the CTBUH research office, where he is involved in teaching and research activities related to tall buildings, including the Life Cycle Assessment analysis, service core design, vertical transportation, and issues regarding renovation and refurbishment.
Giovanni Petrolito, architect and Building Information Specialist, after working for Atelier Peter Zumthor, 6a Architects, Adam Khan Architects, he joined Steven Shorter to provide CAD/BIM management services and training to practices in the UK and Europe, specialising on supporting large scale projects using Revit and Vectorworks. Since 2016, he has been teaching CAD and BIM courses at Kingston University and University of East London.
Architect with Survey and Information Modeling Specialization
Alberto Dal Bo', after his Master's Degree in Architecture obtained from the Università Iuav di Venezia, has been working as a freelance researcher at the same university on cooperation activities of preservation in Mediterranean rural settlements. Since 2022 he has been collaborating with Steven Shorter, Giovanni Petrolito and Greta Zancopè on projects in Italy and the UK as a BIM Specialist.
Architect with Survey and Information Modeling Specialization
Greta Zancopè, after achieving a Master's Degree in Architecture from the Università Iuav di Venezia, continues as a freelance researcher at the same university and a freelance architect in different design practices teams, working on joint projects in Italy and foreign countries. Since 2022 he has been collaborating with Steven Shorter, Giovanni Petrolito and Alberto Dal Bo' on projects in Italy and the UK.