Richard Hassell - Rethinking Architecture

Richard Hassell, founder of WOHA, is both a designer and artist. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1989 and was awarded a Master of Architecture from Melbourne’s RMIT University in 2002. He has lectured at many universities and has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia. He is also appointed the Seidler Chair in the Practice of Architecture at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. WOHA projects are living systems that connect to the city as a whole. With every project, the practice aims to create a matrix of interconnected human-scaled environments that foster community, enable stewardship of nature, generate biocentric beauty, activate ecosystem services and build resilience. WOHA applies their systems thinking approach to architecture and urbanism in their building design as well as their regenerative masterplans. WOHA received a number of architectural awards such as the Aga Khan Award for One Moulmein Rise as well as the RIBA Lubetkin Prize and International Highrise Award for The Met in Bangkok. The practice was awarded the CTBUH Urban Habitat and Best Mixed-Use Building and World Architecture Festival World Building of the Year for Kampung Admiralty and CTBUH Best Tall Building Worldwide for the Oasia Hotel Downtown and the Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore.

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.