Lecturers

Georges Descombes

Lecturer 5

School of Architecture, Geneva, dipl. 1969. Architectural Association Graduate School of Architecture, London, dipl. 1973 Main projects and realizations 2004-2008 Lyon, Promenade de Saône / Place Nautique, restricted competitions 1st prize. 2003-2007 Paris, Park Cour du Maroc, restricted competition, 1st prize. 2002-2004 Bienne, New Design for the « Strandbad » beach, restricted competition, 1st prize. 2000-2008 Geneva, Design for the restoration of the river Aire, restricted competition, 1st prize. 1999-2001 Fribourg, Design of a new urban park, restricted competition, 1st prize. 1998 Salerno, Design for the historical center. International competition in two phases: among the 12 selected projects for the second phase. 1996-1998 Lausanne, Seven fountains in the historical center. 1996 Geneva, New design for the Place Neuve square. Competition, 1st prize. 1994-1998 Amsterdam, Bijlmer Memorial. 1992-1994 Amsterdam, Design for the Amstelveen Westwjik centrum square. 1987-1991 Lake of Uri, «The Swiss Path». 1986-1988 Geneva, Design for the «Pré l’Evêque Square». 1980-1986 Geneva, Design for a Park in Lancy.

Marc Augé

Lecturer 5

Marc Augé, born on September 2, 1935. Anthropologist, Director of Studies at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (where he was president from 1985 to 1995). Agrégé de Lettres Classiques in 1960 (a prestigious competitive examination for teachers in France); alumnus of the École Normale Supérieure (higher education establishment outside the public universities system); Docteur dÐÉtat in 1971 (French doctorate). Went on numerous missions to Africa and Latin America. Has made numerous contacts with urban planners and architects since the publication of his book “Non-Lieux.” Over thirty books translated into fifteen languages.

Massimo Venturi Ferriolo

Lecturer 5

Professor in Aesthetics. He worked at the Universities of Urbino, Milano Statale, Heidelberg, Salerno and he was visiting professor of many international bodies. Member of S.I.E. (Società Italiana di Estetica), he was Director of ‘Centro Interuniversitario di Studi e Ricerche sul Giardino e il Paesaggio Mediterraneo’. Since 1987 presides for ‘Guerini e Associati’ editors of Milan, “Kepos” collection and “Quaderni di Kepos”. He was (1992-94) member of Editorial Advisory Board at the international review Journal of Garden History. In the 1994 he conquered special price of Giardini Botanici Hanbury International Prix (Grinzane Cavour), and now he’s members in the jury of price. Landscape between Ethic and Aesthetics, Theory and Project, is the main deal of his didactic and scientifi c works. His investigation perspective embraces historical analisys, aesthetic-philosophic speculation looking to the relations between human and his environment, architectural/artistic/geographic aspects.

Josep Ramoneda

Lecturer 5

Philosopher and journalist. He currently directs the Barcelona Center of Contemporary Culture and contributes to El País and Cadena SER (radio station). In the past, he was director of the Institute of Humanities (1986-1989), contributed to La Vanguardia newspaper (1980-1996), and taught contemporary philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1975-1990). He has also published several books, which include On Condensed Time (Random House Mondadori, Barcelona 2003) and After the Political Passion (Taurus, Madrid 1999).

Gilles Lipovestky

Lecturer 5

Gilles Lipovetsky born in France in 1944. Professor of philosophy. Honorary Doctorate from Sherbrooke University (Canada) and from the New Bulgarian University (Sofi a). Knight of the Legion of Honor. Member of the National Council of Programs (National education) up to 2005. Member of the Prime Minister’s Council on the Analysis of Society. Consulting expert to the APM (Association for Management Progress). Field of research: the transformation of regulations, values, and behaviors in western developed societies. He has participated in seminars and conferences on the Ethics of large industrial or banking groups in Europe and America as well as in research seminars on individualism, luxury, consumption, and contemporary lifestyles around the world. He has had several works published recently, which include: “Essay on the Society of Hyperconsumption” (2006), “The Society of Deception” (2006), and “The Global Screen” (2007).

Manuel de Solà-Morales

Lecturer 1 and 5

Barcelona 1939-2012. Architect and urban planner, specifi cally dedicated to the subject of urban design. Student of Ludovico Quaroni in Rome and Josep Lluis Sert at Harvard. Professor of Urban Planning at the School of Architecture of Barcelona. Founder and director of the Urban Planning Laboratory of Barcelona since 1968, a group researching urban morphology. He has given courses in urban design at universities in Cambridge (UK), New York, Santiago (Chile), Lisbon, Harvard, Lovaina, Milan, Naples, Caracas, Coimbra, Paris, Nanjing, Shanghai, Melbourne, Copenhagen, etc… Director of the Master’s courses entitled “Planning the periphery” (1991- 95). Director of the School of Architecture of Barcelona from 1994 to 1998. Fellow of the University of Cambridge, UK (1984). Member of the French Academy of Architecture (2003). Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Lovaina (2004).

Eugeni Bregolat

Lecturer 6

Born in La Seu d’Urgell in 1943. Has a degree in Law and be­gan his diplomatic career in 1971. Was director general of the Departamento Internacional in the cabinets of Adolfo Suárez and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo (from 1978 to 1982). Has been an ambas­sador to Indonesia, Canada, Russia, and twice to China (an ex­ceptional case, from 1987 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2003). Also served as policy director (in charge of coordinating common for­eign policy with members of the EU) in the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores. He is currently the Ambassador of Spain to Andorra.

Sean Quiao

Lecturer 6

Helms AECOM in China and oversees the global company’s seven capabilities there: Architecture, Building Engineering, Design + Planning, Environment, Project and Program Management, Transportation, and Water and Urban Development. An advocate of AECOM’s collaborative vision, Mr. Chiao has led AECOM’s multidisciplinary experts into partnerships with local and provincial governments in China to help steer their “green growth” plans across the country. Under Mr. Chiao’s leadership, a growing base of private sector clients in China also are relying on AECOM’s local knowledge and innovation to meet their engineering, design and program management needs. Across Asia, Mr. Chiao has overseen high-density master plans for new towns and regenerations of existing urban landscapes that have drawn on sustainable themes. He has spearheaded the design and construction of several high-profile landscape master plans and major public open spaces in China and across Asia. Mr. Chiao is a member of both the AIA and the ASLA and holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University and Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Kelin Chen

Lecturer 6

Director of Wetlands International-China. Professor Chen has more than 30 years experience in wetlands conservation and management. His work at Wetlands International-China focuses on wildlife management, nature reserves and the development of comprehensive wetland conservation and wise use pro - grams within China. Professor Chen has collaborated with many international organisations including the World Bank, GEF and UNDP on projects such as the Peatlands Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Project in the Ruoergai Marshes (Sichuan Province), the Integrated River Basin Management and Wetlands Biodiversity in Tarim River (Xinjiang region) and the Lake Dianchi Aquatic Biodiversity Restoration Program (Yunnan Province). Professor Chen assisted in the completion of China’s Wetlands Conservation Action Plan and he is also more widely involved in the North Asia region particulary in public awareness and educational activities. Professor Chen has produced numerous Chinese and English publications since 1990. Publication topics have included wetlands, migratory waterbirds, nature reserves, wildlife management and endangered species.