Future Fest 2023: 9 Inspiring Live Talks By the World’s Best Architecture Firms

This year’s Future Fest welcomed speakers from Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects, UNStudio and more.

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Get ready for a feast of architectural inspiration: recordings of Future Fest’s second season are now available for you to watch from the comfort of your home. If you missed the live events themselves, never fear — recordings of the various talks are available to watch at your leisure. Every talk was and continues to be 100% free to attend.

During Future Fest, we ask top designers and thought leaders, each one a prestigious A+Award Winner or Juror, to present their projects and give their personal perspectives on the future of architecture. We assembled a roster of renowned speakers from around the globe to offer their insights from three critical perspectives: The Future of Sustainable Design, The Future of Practice and the Future of Architecture.

Find out more details on each talk below, and hit the blue buttons and register to access the recordings.


The Future of Sustainable Design

Echo, TU Delft by UNStudio, Delft, Netherlands | 2023 A+Awards, Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Cultural/Instutional Building Photo by Eva Bloem 

Talk 1 | Rethinking Sustainable Design With Michael Green Architecture

Special Guest: Michael Green, Founder of Michael Green Architecture

For our opening live talk of Future Fest 2023, we welcomed Michael Green to introduce our theme: The Future of Sustainable Design. Michael urges us to challenge our preconceived notions of “sustainability” and lays out his manifesto for a future in which architects are powerful agents of change.

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Talk 2 | Pioneering Healthy Architecture With UNStudio

Special Guest: Arjan Dingste, Director / Senior Architect at UNStudio

UNStudio’s Arjan Dingste pulls back the curtain on Echo at TU Delft, one of the world’s most sustainable new education buildings, providing key insights into the project’s development from concept to construction. Arjan also reflects on lessons learned from Echo, asking: How can we build healthier buildings for the next generation?

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Talk 3 | Architectural “Monsters and Mutants” With Archi-Tectonics

Special Guest: Winka Dubbledam, Founding Partner and Principal at Archi-Tectonics

Winka Dubbledam takes us through the making of the innovative Asian Games 2022 Master Plan and Hybrid Stadium in Hangzhou, China, lifting the lid on Archi-Tectonic’s radical new vision for public space. Winka considers how “mutant structures,” inspired by nature’s intelligence, may hold the key to the creation of more resilient cities.

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The Future of Practice

Komera Leadership Center by BE_Design, Rwanda | 2023 A+Awards: Popular Choice Winner, Community Centers; Jury Winner, Architecture + Community; Jury Winner Architecture +For Good; Jury & Popular Choice Winner, Architecture +Low Cost Design  

Talk 4 | Global Architecture, Local Knowledge With BE_Design

Special Guests: Bruce Engel + Team, BE_Design

For the first time in Future Fest history, we welcomed an entire firm to the virtual stage for a lively panel talk! BE_Design’s presentation focuses on their work in East Africa, in particular on the recently completed Komera Leadership Center. This project coincided with the formalization of BE_Design and its team members, who are among the first graduates of architecture in Rwanda.

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Talk 5 | Reimagining Practice With Zaha Hadid Architects

Special Guest: Melodie Leung, Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects

Zaha Hadid Architects has redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Melodie Leung, Associate Director, shares how the practice of ZHA is founded on a culture of recognizing, mentoring and cultivating design leadership, continuing to develop its team towards sustainable, cultural and community-centered effectiveness for future generations.

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Talk 6 | How to Tell Stories — So You Can Get Better Clients

Special Guests: Ayo Abbas, Built Environment Marketing Expert & Nikita Morell, Founder of Architects WordShop

Buildings don’t speak for themselves — they need you to tell their story. In this presentation, A+Awards jurors Ayo Abbas & Nikita Morell explore how you can use the power of storytelling to get better clients. More specifically, they focus on how to tell the story of your firm, your projects, and your design process.

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The Future of Architecture

Ombú by Foster + Partners, Madrid, Spain | 2023 A+Awards, Jury Winner, Sustainable Commercial Building

Talk 7 | Adaptive Reuse Masterclass With Foster + Partners

Special Guest: Taba Rasti, Senior Partner & Co-Director at Foster + Partners

In this adaptive reuse special, architect Taba Rasti, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners’ Madrid Office, will take us through the making of the stunning, A+Award-winning Ombú. Learn about a project that breathes new life into a historic industrial building in Madrid, creating an exemplar of building reuse and revitalizing the surrounding area.

Talk unavailable as recording. 

Talk 8 | Designing a Bespoke Narrative With Sordo Madaleno

Special Guest: Fernanda Patiño, Project Director and Interior Design Leader at Sordo Madaleno

Sordo Madaleno’s Fernanda Patiño explores interior design as the key to connect intimately with the final habitant of a project. Through multiple projects including the A+Award-winning Ling Ling Mexico City, Fernanda considers the emotions a journey through an architectural space can provoke, and how a rich narrative can translate into a tailormade experience for any user.

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Talk 9 | Architecture and Beyond: The Unexpected Journey of Olson Kundig

Special Guest: Marlene Chen and Edward Lalonde, Principals at Olson Kundig

Join Principals Marlene Chen and Edward Lalonde as they explore the surprising origins and rich architectural legacy of Olson Kundig. Marlene and Edward highlight the key projects and internal initiatives that have guided Olson Kundig’s trajectory and will continue to inform future generations of the firm’s approach to design and leadership.

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Interested in accessing the recordings to last year’s edition of Future Fest? Follow this link for the full 2022 program.

Top image: BEEAH Headquarters by Zaha Hadid Architects, Sharjah, UAE | 2023 A+Awards Popular Choice Winner, Offices – Low Rise (1-4 floors) 

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