Fran Silvestre - Rethinking Architecture

Fran Silvestre is a Doctor of Architecture who graduated with honors from the UPV and earned a Magna Cum Laude doctorate in design. He also holds a degree in urban planning from TU/e in the Netherlands. Currently, he is a professor at UPV and the European University, where he also leads the MArch Postgraduate School in Architecture and Design. He previously served as vice-director of the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Valencia and held the Victor L. Regnier Chair at KSU in the United States. Early in his career, he trained with the Portuguese Pritzker Prize winner Álvaro Siza.Founded in 2005, Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is based in Valencia in the former workshop of sculptor Andreu Alfaro. The multidisciplinary studio of more than 50 professionals works on residential, cultural, corporate, and public projects worldwide.Throughout his career, Silvestre has received numerous international honors, including the Red Dot Design Award, German Design Award (2016, 2020, 2021, 2024), IF Design Award, NYCxDESIGN Award, the XIII Spanish Architecture Biennial Design Prize, and the International Federation of Architects and Designers Gold Medal in Architecture.He has lectured at institutions including KSU, AIA New York, and Virginia Tech, exhibited at Museu Serralves and MoMA, and his work has been widely published by Architectural Record, Phaidon, Taschen, Thames & Hudson, and Rizzoli.The studio's projects span Europe, Asia, North America, Australia, and the Middle East, with notable works including the Cliff House (Spain), Balint House (Spain), House in Hollywood Hills (USA), Zibo Master Plan (China), Boutique Hotel (Croatia), and Eolic Tower (Spain). Influenced by Álvaro Siza and Andreu Alfaro, the studio's architecture is recognized for its precision, purity, and ability to elevate everyday life through light, proportion, and simplicity.

Hamid Hasanzade is an architect, entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Parametric Architecture (PA) and PAACADEMY, two global platforms dedicated to advancing architecture, computational design, and emerging technologies. Through his work, he has built an international community of architects, designers, and innovators, connecting education, technology, and creative practice. He is also the host of Designing Forward, a podcast exploring the future of architecture, design, artificial intelligence, and innovation through conversations with leading industry figures.