Design-Tech Talk

Tim Fu is a renowned architectural designer specializing in advanced computation and artificial intelligence (AI). Emerging from Zaha Hadid Architects, he founded Studio Tim Fu, a high-tech architectural practice pioneering the integration of AI into visionary design. As an active educator, Tim has held various workshops on advanced computation in design. Furthermore, he outspoken advocate of using and integrating AI in the architecture industry, speaking at multiple universities and conferences globally. Tim also amassed a following as a content-creator, sharing his design and technological innovations on numerous platforms.

Cas Esbach is a project leader and architect at MVRDV’s Rotterdam Office. With a rich professional background that includes positions at Derksen|Windt in Delft, Civic Projects in Chicago, and BIG in New York, Cas has been an integral part of the MVRDV team in Rotterdam for over five years. He has significantly contributed to and led numerous impactful projects during his tenure. His notable achievements include successful projects such as the Shenzhen Terraces, Tripolis Park in Amsterdam, and Valley in Amsterdam. Additionally, Cas has served as an esteemed educator, bringing his expertise to the academic realm as a dedicated teacher at TU Delft, where he imparts his knowledge and passion for architecture to the next generation of professionals. 

Arian Hakimi founded Arian Hakimi Architects, a multidisciplinary studio for Architecture, Urbanism, and design rooted in systematic design strategies. His academic background starts in India, where he attended the University of Pune and later transferred to the University of Tehran to finish his B.Arch, focusing on the lost arts of Iran. He then studied M.Arch at IaaC-UPC, focusing on urban design and computational-morphogenesis design methodology.

He has been lecturing in the field of parametricism and systematic design methods. He has tutored over 17 international workshops promoting bottom-up design methodology to unfold new territories in the design field. Including in Zaha Hadid Architects, the internship summer program resulted in an exhibition of the extraordinary process,” the late Zaha Hadid’s final show at Maison Mais Non-London.”

ZHA Experience

Lead Designer at Zaha Hadid Architects 2013 – 2021

He joined ZHA in 2013 and has been involved in more than 26 projects, ranging from residential and mixed-use buildings to transportation infrastructure and masterplan development, including two projects under construction. Unicorn Island in Chengdu and KAFD, an award-winning Metro Station in King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh. In both projects, he has contributed to implementing advanced parametric design strategies and automation in architectural workflow and complex geometry rationalization.