MAS ETH EPFL UTD - Urban and Environmental Theory Session #6

The Habitat Research Center is very pleased to conclude next Thursday the cycle of Urban and Environmental Theory Sessions, associated to the MAS ETH EPFL in Urban and Territorial Design. Over the fall semester, these public sessions have addressed the challenges of spatial, social and ecological transition through various contributions: from human geography, urban studies, spatial design, environmental studies and system thinking. With a focus on territorial realities and scales, these moments also constitute a place for debate: each session concludes with questions from the audience, in which you are warmly welcome to participate.

 

 

For the sixth and last session of the cycle, Paola Viganò will welcome Eva Pfannes in order to discuss experiments, struggles, and experiences in prototyping and upscaling inclusive urban strategies towards new socio-ecological imaginaries.

 

Based in Rotterdam, Eva Pfannes is an architect and urban designer working in Europe, India and Brazil. She co-founded the international design practice OOZE in 2003 with Sylvain Hartenberg, working across scales, from regional strategies to architecture and research, combining an elaborate understanding of natural, ecological processes, with technological expertise and deep insights in to the social-cultural behaviour of users of the built environment. The cyclic closed-loop processes found in nature are the foundation for each intervention and integrate the human scale within a comprehensive urban strategy.

She was co-curator of the 2020/ 2021 edition of the International Architecture Biennial Rotterdam - Down to Earth (IABR) and lead designer of the IABR-Atelier Rotterdam, working on a local energy action plan (LEAP) to decarbonize a local neighbourhood. She is the team lead for the City of 1000 Tanks project in Chennai, part of the global Water as Leverage programme of the Dutch Government. Her expertise covers urban, participatory and climate resilience strategies including Nature Based Solutions and developing multi-system models with an interdisciplinary team. OOZE's work was widely published including the Materials Book by Ruby Press, DOMUS, AJ and The Guardian. It was exhibited in the Venice Biennial (2021 with the project Future Island and 2012), Studio-X in Rio de Janeiro (2014 & 2017), in the Sitio Roberto Burle Marx (2017) and the Sao Paulo Architecture Biennial (2018). Awards include the 2017 Landscape Institute Award UK for ‘Best Design for Temporary Landscape’ and the LafargeHolcim Bronze Award-Latin America 2017 for an urban Circulatory System in Brazil (Agua Carioca). In 2015, she was Practitioner in Residence at Central Saint Martins (UAL). Eva was a jury member for the Rotterdam Architecture Prize 2018 and the 6th International Holcim Awards-Europe 2020/ 2021.