Maria Conen is a Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture, where she serves as Deputy Head of the Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies and leads the Professorship of Architecture and Housing. Her academic base is at HIL F 65.2, Stefano Franscini Square 5, Zurich, Switzerland. Her research concentrates on the intersection of architectural design, housing systems, and urban habitats, with emphasis on social dynamics within built environments. Key focus areas include: Documentary approaches to living spaces (Archives of the Living) Ecosystem-human interactions in designed habitats Collective living models and spatial configurations This work manifests in studio courses exploring how architecture shapes community formation and daily life practices through experimental design methodologies.
Prof. Peter Staub is the Director of the Department of Architecture, Wood and Construction at Bern University of Applied Sciences, where he holds the academic rank of Professor. His responsibilities include departmental leadership and teaching design courses while supervising bachelor's and master's theses. He has extensive international experience including professorial positions at Universität Liechtenstein and academic roles in London and Lausanne. His research interests encompass architecture, urban design, spatial development, and architectural theory. These interests stem from his educational background in City Design and Social Science from London School of Economics and his professional focus on architectural design and theory. Prof. Staub maintains active memberships in several professional organizations including: Schweizerischer Ingenieur- und Architektenverein (SIA) Architekturrat der Schweiz (Board Member) Stiftung Kaderschulung Holztechnik (Board of Trustees) Stiftung Baukultur Schweiz (Advisory Board) He has significant administrative leadership experience having served as interim Rector and Vice-Rector at Universität Liechtenstein before assuming his current directorship at Bern University of Applied Sciences.
Prof. William Fuhrer is Head of the Urban Transformation Research Group and member of institute leadership at Bern University of Applied Sciences' Institute for Settlement, Architecture and Construction. He previously served as Professor for Urban Development and Architecture (2017-2023) and scientific staff member at the Dencity Competence Center. His research focuses on: Urban systems and transformation processes Spatial strategies and design principles Participatory urban development methods Evaluation of spatial interventions He leads several major projects including sustainable habitat development (2024-2025), transformation of Biel/Bienne hospital district, and developing recommendations for 'Ageing in Place' in revitalization areas. Awards: SIA Award 2020 for best master's thesis He teaches architecture and civil engineering students, covering subjects like Space and Mobility, Urban Qualities, and Urban Strategies. As director of Stadtlabor Biel/Bienne, he oversees practical urban development initiatives.
Virginia Marano is an art historian and curator currently serving as an associate scholar in the Lise Meitner Group "Coded Objects" at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut. She also holds significant affiliations with the University of Zurich, where she co-directs the research project "Rethinking Art History through Disability," and has been appointed Junior Research Fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) starting in January 2026. Her academic journey includes a PhD in art history from the University of Zurich, supported by an ESKAS doctoral scholarship (2018-2021) and a FAN Grant (2021), followed by a SNSF Doc.Mobility fellowship at Hunter College/CUNY in 2022. She has also served as a Research Fellow at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice working on the PNRR-PEBA project for the Removal of Physical, Cognitive, and Sensory Barriers in Cultural Sites, funded by the NextGenerationEU program. Marano's research interests span multiple interdisciplinary areas: Gender and feminist theories in contemporary art Exile studies Critical disability studies and crip theory Disability aesthetics and access intimacy Decentralized exhibition making Sensory studies and embodied knowledge Her scholarly work examines how access functions as a critical space for rethinking relationships between art, science, and technology. Rather than approaching accessibility as a fixed or technical matter, she investigates it as an open process marked by uncertainty, experimentation, and care that exposes ableist structures in cultural and technological systems. Her research-based curatorial practice, grounded in intersectional feminist theory, develops methods of decentralization and shared inquiry, seeking to build connections between humanities and design practice. Her recent publications explore disability representation in art history, the intersection of medical humanities and artistic practice, and the reevaluation of artistic norms through feminist and disability perspectives. Among her notable achievements: ESKAS doctoral scholarship (2018-2021) FAN Grant (2021) SNSF Doc.Mobility fellowship (2022) Research Fellow at Fondazione Giorgio Cini (2023) Appointment as Junior Research Fellow at KIT (2025) As a curator and educator, Marano has organized numerous conferences, workshops, and symposia focused on disability, art, and access. She has taught courses at the University of Zurich on topics including exiled women artists and the intersection of care, disability, and art. Her current curatorial projects include "David Weiss. Il Sogno di Casa Aprile. Carona 1968–1978" at MASI Lugano and "Ear to the Ground" at Fondazione Centro Giacometti, demonstrating her commitment to making art accessible and inclusive.
University of Applied Sciences and Arts LucerneSwitzerland
Franco Bezzola serves as a Lecturer and Project Manager at the Institute for Sociocultural Development within the School of Social Work at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He has held this position since 2015, following prior service as a scientific employee at the same institute from 2012 to 2015. His educational background includes: 2010: Licentiate in Sociology, Media Studies and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Basel 2003: Certificate of Advanced Studies in Project Management from Bern University of Applied Sciences 2002: Certificate of Advanced Studies in Practical Training from Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts 1997–2001: Part-time Training in Sociocultural Animation from Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts Bezzola's research focuses on practical training methodologies, participatory processes in community development, social space theory, and qualitative social science approaches. His work emphasizes bridging academic theory with practical interventions in urban environments, particularly through sociocultural animation and neighborhood development initiatives. His publication trends reveal consistent engagement with urban development challenges, evolving from public space safety studies (2014) toward contemporary digital neighborhood networking (2024) and future-oriented social work education. These works span urban studies, community development, and social work education, demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of sociological theory and practical application. Bezzola has led extensive project work including SwissSTES PIT/CC-TES, Digitale Vernetzung im Quartier, Smart Density Bafu, and Holodeck Lucerne. These initiatives focus on participatory urban development, digital community tools, sustainable densification, and sociocultural animation, often in collaboration with municipal governments and community organizations. As a core member of the Institute for Sociocultural Development, he integrates teaching with applied research through projects examining micro-invasive urban strategies, cooperative implementation procedures, and community-led spatial planning. His work consistently emphasizes democratic governance in urban transitions and practical applications of sociocultural theory.
Tom Avermaete serves as Professor of the History and Theory of Urban Design at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture since 2018. His research investigates urban design through three interconnected lenses: cities as material culture, cross-cultural knowledge exchange beyond Euro-American paradigms, and urban development as a shared civic responsibility. His scholarly work centers on intercultural urbanism, examining how architects and planners operate across geographical and cultural boundaries. Key research strands include the historical development of urban commons, postcolonial urban histories (particularly in Africa), pandemic-era spatial adaptations, and alternative historiographic methods for global architectural history. His approach emphasizes the material dimensions of urban design while challenging Western-centric narratives. Avermaete's recent publications reveal consistent thematic clusters: pandemic urbanism (notably balcony studies), cross-cultural architectural exchanges (especially in postcolonial contexts), and reconceptualizing urban commons. His work frequently employs 'contact zone' theory to analyze knowledge transfer in global urban development, with significant focus on African and European case studies. As chair leader, he supervises research projects including 'Codes and Conventions for Future Zurich,' 'Exploring the Contact Zone,' and 'Building the Commons.' His team investigates qualitative densification strategies, historical urban models, and communal land use patterns across temporal and geographical contexts. Co-organized 'Transects through Alpine Water Landscapes' summer school (2020) Coordinated research studio on Zurich's land/water/green commons Developed 'Swiss Coloniality' research program examining knowledge circulation The chair functions as an international hub for critical urban studies, with members conducting fieldwork across Africa, Asia, and Europe while developing new methodologies for writing inclusive architectural histories that center non-Western perspectives and collective spatial practices.
Teresa Galí-Izard is a Professor at ETH Zurich where she directs the Being Alive Chair within the Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies (LUS) in the Department of Architecture. She also serves as director of the Master's program in Landscape Architecture at ETH Zurich and is a director at Arquitectura Agronomia, a landscape architecture firm based in Barcelona. As a trained agronomist from the Technical University of Catalonia, she brings interdisciplinary expertise to her work bridging landscape architecture, ecology, and agricultural science. Her research focuses on translating the hidden potential of landscapes through understanding climate and geology as foundational elements for design. She has developed innovative methodologies including the BeingAliveLanguage software integrated with Rhino/Grasshopper that revolutionizes visualization of soil-centric information. Her work emphasizes fieldwork as essential practice, with particular attention to soil systems, geological conditions, and climate patterns as primary matter for landscape design. Professor Galí-Izard leads the global Garden of the XXI Century project with installations in Spain, Switzerland, USA, and Chile, exploring regenerative landscape cultivation and experimental gardening practices. Her publications and research demonstrate a consistent focus on translating landscapes through drawing, cartography, and digital tools while maintaining deep engagement with living systems and their evolutionary processes. Nominated for Schelling Architecture Prize (2024) for revolutionary contributions to landscape architecture understanding President of the Jury of the European Prize for Urban Public Space (2022) Member of the Oberlander Prize Jury She actively supervises student work through foundation studios and seminars at ETH Zurich, with recent projects including 'Regenerative Practices for Exhausted Landscapes' and 'Slow Water: Exploring Keyline Design in Switzerland.' Her Being Alive Chair functions as a laboratory for developing new approaches to landscape architecture that emphasize care, translation, and understanding of living systems. The chair organizes fieldwork weeks, research colloquia, and public lectures that foster interdisciplinary dialogue about landscape practices in the Anthropocene.
University of Applied Sciences and Arts LucerneSwitzerland
Christoph Flury serves as a Lecturer at the Institute of Architecture within the School of Engineering and Architecture at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), based in Horw, Switzerland. His academic work is deeply integrated with professional architectural practice through Flury + Furrer Architects, where he has operated since at least the early 2000s. His research and professional focus centers on sustainable architectural methodologies, emphasizing historical preservation through minimal intervention, material reuse, and site-specific collective construction processes. Flury's philosophy prioritizes adaptive engagement with existing structures, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design to achieve historically sensitive yet functionally innovative outcomes. His work consistently demonstrates how architectural interventions can transform industrial heritage sites into vibrant cultural spaces while maintaining structural integrity. Flury maintains a longstanding collaborative relationship with the Sitterwerk Foundation and Kunstgiesserei in St. Gallen, where his firm has executed over 20 projects spanning exhibition design, building transformations, and cultural space development since 2002. Notable works include the Badehaus Sittertal conversion, implementation of Fischli/Weiss's 'Haus' sculpture at the Guggenheim Museum, and comprehensive renovations of medieval structures like the Jänischhüs in Gspon. His architectural practice operates through direct collaboration with artists, heritage conservationists, and local craftsmen, often employing construction teams formed from on-site personnel. Projects consistently feature energy-efficient retrofits, modular spatial solutions within historic constraints, and thoughtful integration of natural light - demonstrating how sustainable principles can be implemented within strict preservation frameworks.
University of Applied Sciences and Arts LucerneSwitzerland
Samuel Frei serves as a Lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – School of Design, Film and Art, where he teaches Visual Communication and Data Visualization across Bachelor's and Master's programs including the Applied Information and Data Science and MA Design curricula. His academic journey began after a career shift from biology and finance, completing a Master's in Design in 2011 followed by dissertation research at University College Dublin's SMARTLab (2012-2020). His research focuses on the intersection of analog and digital media, particularly in immersive technologies (AR/MR/VR) , cultural heritage digitization , and data storytelling . Key projects include the Digital Storytelling Lab, ALE (UNESCO World Heritage mobile experiences), and IDN-Kommunale Energie-Transformation. His work consistently explores how mobile and immersive technologies transform learning in cultural institutions and tourism contexts. Frei's 2024-2022 publications reveal a strong trend toward geospatial data visualization in tourism, cultural heritage preservation through mixed realities , and participatory digital archiving , often involving Swiss parks, museums, and indigenous communities like Amazonian collectives. His work bridges technical development with human-centered design principles. Nomination for Swiss Design Prize 2017 (Research category) Best of Swiss App Award 2016 (2x Bronze for ALE project) As former coordinator (2013-2023) and director (4 years) of continuing education programs, he managed interdisciplinary collaborations with cultural institutions, nature conservation groups, and educational organizations. His current leadership of the Investigative Methods in Research Practice module (2025) demonstrates ongoing curriculum development. Frei also maintains professional practice as an illustrator and concept designer, applying research to real-world projects in conservation and cultural sectors. His Visual Narrative research group serves as the primary laboratory context, producing projects like the Digital Storytelling Lab and Virtuelles Museum that integrate mobile technologies, indigenous knowledge systems, and emerging AI/AR platforms for cultural engagement.
University of Applied Sciences and Arts LucerneSwitzerland
Monica Gaspar is a Lecturer at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), specifically within the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art. She works as a lecturer in the BA Product Design program and serves as a mentor for BA thesis in product design (object, jewelry, textile, spatial) and supervisor for Master Research Thesis in Design. Her professional profile extends beyond academia as she is also an active freelance curator and author with international recognition. Universitat de Barcelona (Art History) Zurich University of the Arts (Cultural and Gender Studies) Escola Massana Barcelona (Jewelry Design) Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Doctoral candidate) Gaspar's research focuses on redefining the "applied" as an experimental and socially relevant field of action. Her work explores design cultures, craftsmanship as critical practices, cultures of wearing (bodies, objects and identity), exhibitions as research devices, and intersectional and decolonial perspectives in design and art. She has developed a distinctive approach that bridges art, design, and activism through curated exhibitions and theoretical contributions. Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory exploring the intersections between material culture, critical theory, and social practice. Gaspar's work increasingly engages with decolonial perspectives, examining how design practices can challenge dominant narratives and power structures. She has developed innovative methodologies that position exhibitions themselves as research devices for investigating cultural interstices. Editorial Advisory Board Member, Journal for Jewellery Research (2017-present) Board Member, NDG Network for Design History (2019-present) Peer Reviewer, ICDHS International Committee for Design History and Design Studies (2018-present) Foundation Board Member, FHD Design History Foundation Barcelona (2016-present) Co-Convenor, DHS2021 Design History Society Annual Conference (2020) Gaspar has shaped teaching at the interface between theory and practice through collaborations with art and design universities across Scandinavia, England, the Netherlands, and the USA. Her research projects include "Accelerating the pursuit of the SDGs in Swiss design education: Design Action Labs" and "Craft Round Tables: Shaping of digital transformation of work environments through human-centered craft competences." She previously served as a research associate at the Institute for Theory at Zurich University of the Arts (2013-2016) for the research project "Aesthetic Practices."
University of Applied Sciences and Arts LucerneSwitzerland
Carmen Gasser Derungs serves as a Professor in the Department of Interior Design within the School of Engineering & Architecture at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. She maintains an active academic presence with her office located at Room C212, Technikumstrasse 21, 6048 Horw, and holds teaching responsibilities across multiple core curriculum areas. Her academic foundation includes qualification as a Graduate Designer and Interior Architect FH, complemented by an MAS ZFH in Design Culture. She pursued interior design studies at both the ZHDK in Zurich and the Art Institute in Chicago, establishing professional experience through her joint interior design and scenography practice in Zurich and Chur with Remo Derungs. Her research concentrates on acoustic spatial qualities in urban environments and performance spaces, evidenced by leadership in projects such as "City Sound - Activation of sound space qualities in urban outdoor spaces" and "Music rehearsal rooms – Acoustic standard solution through typification". These investigations bridge interior design with auditory experience in public and specialized settings. As Artistic Director of DAS GELBE HAUS FLIMS, she extends her influence into cultural programming. Her instructional portfolio encompasses Core module Finishings+Details, Interdisciplinary Workshop Construction, Project module INVENTORY, Study trips interior design, and BachelorThesis Interior Design, demonstrating comprehensive engagement with interior design pedagogy from technical details to final thesis supervision.
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Dr. Patric Wyss is a Research Associate at the School of Applied Psychology, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and concurrently serves as a Research Associate at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern. His interdisciplinary work bridges psychology, data science, and healthcare, focusing on innovative approaches to health diagnostics and workplace mental health. Dr. Wyss completed his academic training at the University of Bern, Switzerland with a Doctorate in Biomedical Sciences (2019-2022), Master's degree in Statistics and Data Science (2017-2020), Master's degree in Psychology (2014-2017), and Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a Minor in Mathematics (2010-2014). His research interests center on work and health, predicting health variables with complex algorithms, and data-driven personalized health diagnostics. Dr. Wyss has made significant contributions to dementia diagnosis through data-driven approaches, cognitive assessment tools, and digital interventions for mental health. His work often integrates machine learning with clinical psychology to develop predictive models for health outcomes. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia and cognitive decline in aging populations. His research increasingly incorporates digital health technologies, virtual reality, and algorithmic approaches to develop personalized diagnostic tools. The publications demonstrate a progression from fundamental cognitive neuroscience to applied health diagnostics with practical workplace applications. Dr. Wyss has been actively involved in several significant projects including Digital Balance, Healthy@Work, and work-related stress and mental disorders in the workplace. His current position at the Institute for Mental and Organizational Health at FHNW focuses on how digitalization, social upheavals, and new forms of work present both opportunities and challenges for mental and organizational health. His professional activities include research collaboration across multiple institutions, development of digital assessment tools, and investigation of HR analytics applications for health monitoring. Dr. Wyss has also contributed to the development of serious games for cognitive assessment and rehabilitation, particularly for older adults and patients with neurological conditions.
