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From 3XN/GXN to COBE and Henning Larsen, Eliana Nigro has built a career connecting computational design, artificial intelligence, and architectural education. In this Alumni Spotlight, she reflects on her professional journey, her experience with PAACADEMY, and why continuous learning remains essential at every stage of an architect’s career.
Introduction
What does it take to build a career at the intersection of architecture, computational design, and emerging technologies? For Italian architect Eliana Nigro, the answer involves more than mastering sophisticated software or developing complex computational systems. It requires curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to continually reconsider how architecture is designed, communicated, and practiced.
Currently serving as Head of Digital Adoption at Henning Larsen in Copenhagen, Nigro has built an international career spanning architectural practice, digital innovation, and education. Before joining Henning Larsen, she served as Head of Computational Design at COBE and worked in computational design at 3XN/GXN. Alongside these positions, she founded ELNI Studio in 2015 and has remained actively involved in teaching and sharing computational design knowledge with architects around the world.
Her relationship with PAACADEMY began while she was already working professionally at 3XN/GXN. Interested in exploring new approaches to computational design, she participated in the Eco-Parametric Structures workshop led by Studio Mamou-Mani, where she developed Fungus Among Us, a computational design project subsequently featured by Parametric Architecture in 2021. She later returned to PAACADEMY as an instructor, teaching Computational Dreamscape and Computational Dreamscape 2.0, workshops exploring the intersection of parametric design, artificial intelligence, and architectural visualization.
In this edition of PAACADEMY Alumni Spotlight, Eliana reflects on the experiences that shaped her career, the transition from computational designer to digital leader, and the evolving relationship between architecture and artificial intelligence. Her story offers a perspective on why curiosity, knowledge sharing, and the willingness to keep learning remain essential, regardless of how far a career has progressed.
In Conversation with Eliana Nigro
1. Could you introduce yourself and tell us how your journey into architecture and computational design began?
Eliana Nigro:
I’m Eliana Nigro, an Italian architect based in Copenhagen, currently serving as Head of Digital Adoption at Henning Larsen. My work focuses on computational design, artificial intelligence, and integrating emerging digital technologies into architectural practice. I also founded ELNI Studio in 2015 as a platform for consultancy and education in computational design, AI, and digital fabrication.
My journey began while studying Architecture and Engineering at university in Naples, Italy. Computational design immediately resonated with me because it aligned with the way I naturally approach problems. I’ve always enjoyed breaking down complex challenges into smaller components, understanding the relationships between them, and developing logical systems that can be tested, refined, and adapted. Computational design gave me a way to translate that thinking into architectural practice.
Teaching became an important part of my journey early on. I started teaching Rhino and parametric modeling while I was still a university student, and later pursued a Master’s in Advanced Digital Architecture at IUAV University in Venice, where I further developed my interest in computational methodologies and digital design.
After completing my studies, I gained experience in digital fabrication in Italy and worked at Mario Cucinella Architects before relocating to Copenhagen to join 3XN/GXN. Throughout these experiences, I remained actively involved in teaching, writing, and sharing what I was learning with others. For me, architectural practice and education have always developed alongside one another, and I believe that continuously learning, experimenting, and exchanging knowledge with other designers is essential to professional growth.
2. You were already working in computational design at 3XN/GXN when you joined PAACADEMY. What motivated you to continue learning at that stage of your career?
Eliana Nigro:
At 3XN/GXN, I was working extensively with parametric design, massing, façades, and complex digital models on international projects. Architectural competitions, in particular, teach you a great deal because everything moves quickly, and you constantly need to find smarter, more efficient ways of approaching design challenges.
However, the workshops and courses at PAACADEMY offered something different. They provided an opportunity to learn from experienced architects and designers, explore different methodologies, and discover new ways of thinking. What I particularly appreciated was the diversity of perspectives and approaches. You can give the same problem to five designers, and each will probably solve it in a completely different way. Being exposed to those different ways of thinking is incredibly valuable, even when you’re already experienced in the field.
As someone who has always been involved in education, I was also curious about how other instructors approached teaching. How did they communicate complex ideas, guide participants through challenges, and encourage experimentation? PAACADEMY’s workshops created an environment where technical knowledge, creative exploration, and practical experience could come together.
In Denmark, we’re also fortunate that professionals can access funding for continuing education. My philosophy has always been that if you have the opportunity to invest in your professional development, you should use it to explore subjects that genuinely excite you and learn from people whose work inspires you. For me, PAACADEMY provided that opportunity to continue learning, challenge familiar approaches, and stay connected with new developments in computational design.
3. You attended PAACADEMY’s Eco-Parametric Structures workshop with Studio Mamou-Mani, where you developed Fungus Among Us. What attracted you to the workshop, and what did you take away from the experience?
Eliana Nigro:
I’ve always admired Arthur Mamou-Mani’s work, particularly his ability to bring together computational design, material experimentation, sustainability, and digital fabrication. What attracted me to his approach was that it never felt purely technical or focused solely on form. There was always a strong connection between computation, materials, and the human experience of architecture, which really resonated with me.
One of the things I appreciated about PAACADEMY was the opportunity to learn directly from architects and designers whose work I genuinely admired. Having access to a workshop led by Studio Mamou-Mani was particularly exciting because it offered the chance to explore their design philosophy and methodologies through a hands-on learning experience. I think that’s what makes these workshops valuable: you’re not simply learning how to use a particular tool, but gaining insight into how experienced practitioners think, experiment, and approach architectural challenges.
During the workshop, I developed Fungus Among Us, a project inspired by organic geometries and natural growth patterns. I was interested in creating something that appeared visually complex and organic but was actually controlled through relatively simple geometric relationships and computational rules. That’s something I’ve always loved about computational design: you can generate incredibly intricate forms while maintaining a clear and understandable logic behind them. The workshop gave me an opportunity to experiment with these ideas and develop a project that reflected my own design interests.
What made the experience even more memorable was what happened afterward. Fungus Among Us was featured by Parametric Architecture in 2021, and PAACADEMY continued showcasing the project in its announcements and campaigns. It was genuinely rewarding to see something I had created during a workshop reach a wider audience and continue receiving attention long after the course had ended. I think that’s another valuable aspect of the PAACADEMY community: the opportunity for participants to share their work, gain visibility, and connect with a broader international audience of architects and designers.
4. As an established computational designer, what value did workshops and continuous learning bring to your professional development?
Eliana Nigro:
For me, there are two main things: perspective and methodology.
When you work in the same environment for a long time, it’s easy to assume that the way you approach something is simply the way it should be done. Then you encounter someone who approaches the same problem completely differently, and suddenly you begin questioning your own assumptions. I think that’s incredibly valuable. What I appreciate about PAACADEMY’s workshops is the opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners with different perspectives, creative processes, and approaches to architectural design.
The other important aspect is methodology. Software is constantly evolving, and over the years, I’ve taken courses covering Ladybug Tools, LCA workflows, Rhino.Inside.Revit, Python, Rhino Compute, and many other technologies. But the real value of professional education goes beyond learning individual tools. It’s about understanding how to structure a problem, develop an effective workflow, and apply that knowledge to real-world challenges.
I also believe that if you teach, you need to remain a student yourself. More than a decade after I first started teaching Rhino at university, I completed McNeel’s Authorized Rhino Trainer programme and became an Authorized Rhino Trainer in 2025. For me, that was an important milestone because I take education just as seriously as professional practice.
5. You later became Head of Computational Design at COBE. What experiences helped you transition from computational design into leadership?
Eliana Nigro:
One of the most important things I learned at 3XN/GXN was that the most valuable computational script wasn’t necessarily the most sophisticated one, but the one that other people could actually use.
If I develop something that only I can understand or operate, its impact is quite limited. But if I create a system that allows an entire team to adjust parameters, explore alternatives, and make their own design decisions, its value becomes much greater.
That mindset played an important role in my transition into leadership. When I joined COBE as Head of Computational Design, I wanted to build something more from the ground up. I developed a strategy focused on three key areas: innovation, knowledge sharing, and integrating computational methodologies into everyday architectural practice.
I worked closely with teams across architecture, landscape, and urbanism, supporting them with complex geometries, developing computational tools, and helping incorporate sustainability-driven approaches into design decisions.
For me, the cultural aspect was equally important. I wanted to create an environment where designers felt comfortable bringing forward challenges and exploring computational solutions together. Computational design shouldn’t remain isolated within a small group of specialists; it should be an accessible and practical resource that empowers architects and designers throughout an organization.
6. Today, you’re Head of Digital Adoption at Henning Larsen. How has your role evolved from computational design into broader digital transformation?
Eliana Nigro:
I think the easiest way to explain this evolution is that the questions have become bigger.
As a computational designer, the question was: How do I solve this?
Later, it became: How do I help a team solve this?
And now, at Henning Larsen, the question is much broader: How do we develop solutions that benefit an entire global practice, ensuring that knowledge gained by one person or office can be shared across the organization?
A big part of my role is about helping knowledge travel.
I work across architecture, landscape, and urbanism, spending a lot of time understanding how people actually work before deciding which technologies or solutions make sense. I don’t believe digital transformation works particularly well when it starts with technology rather than the needs of architectural practice.
Today, my work includes AI, computational design, interoperability between Rhino and Revit, digital standards, and training. On the AI side, this ranges from design-specific applications and AI tools within Rhino and Revit to everyday technologies such as Copilot and Ramboll’s internal RamGPT.
I also collaborate with the wider Ramboll technology community, particularly around AI and code-driven design, and lead AI training sessions for executives and directors.
7. Your relationship with PAACADEMY eventually came full circle, from attending a workshop to becoming an instructor. What did that experience mean to you?
Eliana Nigro:
For me, it didn’t really feel like suddenly going from student to teacher, because I had already been teaching for many years.
I had taught at universities in different parts of the world, through ELNI Studio, and through professional courses. So joining PAACADEMY as an instructor felt like a natural continuation of something I had always been passionate about. What I particularly appreciated was being part of a platform that brings together experienced professionals and a global community of architects and designers who are genuinely curious about learning and exploring new technologies.
What I particularly liked about PAACADEMY was its international reach. With an online workshop, you can have architects joining from completely different countries and backgrounds. People who might otherwise never have access to the same instructor or specialized knowledge can suddenly learn together. I think that’s incredibly valuable, especially in a field that evolves as quickly as computational design.
This connects to something I believe quite strongly: computational design shouldn’t belong only to a small group of specialists. Knowledge should be accessible, and education plays an important role in making that possible.
I also really enjoyed bringing professional practice into the classroom, not simply demonstrating what a tool can do, but explaining how and why it can be applied to real architectural projects. That’s something I value about PAACADEMY’s approach to connecting education with industry experience.
Later, PAACADEMY included me among its Top 10 Inspiring Women Instructors, which was a wonderful recognition. I was genuinely happy about it, especially because teaching and sharing knowledge have always been such important parts of my career.
8. You taught Computational Dreamscape and Computational Dreamscape 2.0 at PAACADEMY. What did you want students to learn, and how did teaching influence your own practice?
Eliana Nigro:
Computational Dreamscape started from something I was already experimenting with extensively at the time: what happens when you combine computational design with AI image generation?
We worked with tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, and in Computational Dreamscape 2.0, I introduced Unreal Engine 5. This allowed us to explore workflows connecting parametric systems, artificial intelligence, and real-time environments. PAACADEMY provided a great platform to share these experiments with an international community of architects and designers interested in exploring emerging technologies.
But honestly, the tools were never the main point. There were three things I really wanted participants to understand.
First, complex architectural forms can emerge from very simple computational logic.
Second, a strong image needs an idea behind it. Today, especially with AI, you can create something visually impressive in seconds, but without a clear concept, story, or intention, the image doesn’t necessarily communicate anything meaningful.
And third, AI becomes much more interesting when you’re actively directing it through your own design intent rather than simply accepting whatever it generates.
Teaching also contributes enormously to my own professional practice. If you can explain something complicated in a simple and accessible way, it usually means you truly understand it. I apply that same philosophy today when conducting internal training or introducing digital methodologies to people who don’t necessarily consider themselves technically oriented.
Explore Eliana Nigro’s Workshops at PAACADEMY:
- Computational Dreamscape: Intersection of computational design, artificial intelligence, and architectural visualization.
- Computational Dreamscape 2.0: Develop workflows combining parametric systems, AI-generated imagery, and real-time environments using Unreal Engine 5.
9. How do you see artificial intelligence and computational design reshaping architectural practice and the role of designers?
Eliana Nigro:
I actually think AI makes computational thinking more important, not less.
We are moving into a world where generating content is becoming incredibly easy. You can produce images, text, code, or multiple design alternatives in a matter of seconds. But the interesting question becomes: how do you know which one is actually good?
For me, that’s where the value is shifting.
Generation is becoming easier and cheaper, while human judgment is becoming increasingly valuable.
AI is incredibly useful for exploring more possibilities, but someone still needs to understand the site, the client, the culture, the constraints, and what we’re ultimately trying to achieve. AI can accelerate the design process, but it doesn’t replace the need for architectural judgment.
Another development I find particularly exciting is coding. AI is lowering the barriers for people who have never programmed before, allowing more designers to develop their own tools and workflows.
That’s extremely powerful, but there’s an important distinction: being able to generate code doesn’t necessarily mean you’re creating good, reliable code. This is where a solid understanding of computational design becomes even more relevant.
And perhaps, as technology takes over more technical tasks, the human side of architecture becomes even more important: understanding people, culture, and place.
10. Looking back on your career, what advice would you give young architects interested in computational design and emerging technologies?
Eliana Nigro:
I would say: learn the method, not just the tool.
Tools will continue to change, especially now, when technology is evolving incredibly fast. But if you understand how to break down a problem, develop a logical approach, and structure a workflow, learning the next tool becomes much easier.
Also, don’t stop being a student just because you’ve become good at something. And share what you know.
For me, the goal has never been to make myself indispensable. Actually, it’s almost the opposite. If I build something useful, I want other people to be able to use it without me.
And with AI especially, protect your judgment. It’s becoming easier and easier for everyone to produce something that looks impressive. The difficult part is understanding whether it’s actually right.
Finally, keep experimenting. Try the unusual tool. Test something that doesn’t completely make sense yet.
Right now, it sometimes feels like we’re running through the fog. We don’t completely know where all of this is heading, but if you stop experimenting because you’re waiting for everything to become clear, you’ll probably miss a lot of valuable learning along the way.
Beyond the Tools: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning
Eliana Nigro’s journey illustrates how a career in computational design can evolve beyond technical expertise into leadership, education, and organizational transformation. From her early work at 3XN/GXN to leading computational design at COBE and driving digital adoption at Henning Larsen, her professional development has been shaped by a consistent willingness to experiment, challenge established methods, and share knowledge with others.
Her relationship with PAACADEMY reflects that same philosophy. She first joined as an experienced computational designer seeking new perspectives through Studio Mamou-Mani’s workshop, later returning as an instructor to share her own expertise with an international community. Her experience demonstrates how continuing education can create opportunities not only to learn from others but also to contribute to the professional development of fellow architects and designers.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape architectural practice, Nigro’s perspective offers a timely reminder that technological proficiency alone is not enough. The ability to think critically, adapt to change, and remain curious may ultimately prove more valuable than mastery of any individual tool. For architects navigating an increasingly unpredictable future, perhaps the most important skill is the willingness to keep learning.
About Eliana Nigro
Eliana Nigro is an Italian architect and computational design specialist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She currently serves as Head of Digital Adoption at Henning Larsen, where her work focuses on computational design, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the integration of emerging technologies into architectural practice.
Previously, she served as Head of Computational Design at COBE and worked as a computational designer at 3XN/GXN. She is the founder of ELNI Studio, an Authorized Rhino Trainer, and an educator who has taught computational design and digital technologies internationally.
At PAACADEMY, she has taught Computational Dreamscape and Computational Dreamscape 2.0, sharing her expertise in computational design, artificial intelligence, and architectural visualization with an international audience.
Connect with Eliana Nigro on LinkedIn
About PAACADEMY Alumni Spotlight
PAACADEMY Alumni Spotlight celebrates the professional journeys of architects, designers, and creative professionals who have participated in our educational programs. Through their experiences, we explore how continuous learning, experimentation, and the exchange of knowledge contribute to careers in architecture and design.
