Rute is a Senior Project Manager at Gehl, as well as an architect and urban designer with two decades of experience. She is particularly interested in neighborhoods, public spaces, and child-friendly urbanism, and is committed to engaging people of all ages and cultures in shaping better cities. Having practiced in the UK, Sweden, Portugal, and the US, Rute brings a background that spans building design, urban design, teaching, and research. She thrives in collaborative, cross-disciplinary work at multiple scales, helping to create more human-scaled, inclusive, and experience-rich urban environments. Outside of Gehl, Rute publishes illustrated books about lives and places through her small press, Tower Block Books.

Kai-Uwe Bergmann is a Partner globally at BIG, bringing his expertise to proposals around the world, including work in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Working out of the New York office, KaiUwe coordinates with BIG’s five international offices, helping lead work in over 40 different countries. Licensed as an architect in the U.S. (16 states) and Canada (one province), Kai-Uwe most recently contributed to the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (the BIG U), a resiliency plan that will protect 10 miles of Manhattan’s coastline. Additionally, his work expands to the exhibition and publication of BIG’s literary portfolio by way of Hot to Cold, Yes Is More, Formgiving, and the newest Culture book. He complements his professional work through teaching assignments at Pratt Institute and Georgia Tech. KaiUwe is also an AIA Fellow and past board member of the Van Alen Institute, and participates on numerous international juries and in lectures globally on the works of BIG.

Tatiana Bilbao founded her eponymous studio in 2004 with the aim of integrating research, design, community-based strategies, and responsible construction. Her practice develops architecture as a platform to enhance life across geographies and typologies. Before founding the studio, she served as an advisor at the Ministry of Development and Housing in Mexico City. Bilbao teaches at Yale University and has held academic positions at Columbia GSAPP, Harvard GSD, Rice University, and institutions in Chile and Germany. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, A+U, Domus, Arquitectura Viva, El País, among others. Also, she has been recognized with several awards throughout her career. In 2025, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (HFAIA). That same year, the Sea of Cortez Research Center project was selected as one of the five finalist for the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) and her project “Opera Aperta”, the Holy See pavilion in the architecture Venice biennale in 2025, wins the special mention for national participation.

Architect Arthur Casas is the founding partner of Studio Arthur Casas, established in 1990. Since then, he has completed a wide range of projects, including residential and commercial architecture, corporate and urban design projects, public competitions, interior design, and furniture — both in Brazil and internationally, in cities such as New York, Lisbon, Paris, Tokyo, and Mexico City, among others. His work has received numerous national and international awards and is regularly featured in leading Brazilian and international publications. Arthur has participated in three São Paulo Architecture Biennials and the Buenos Aires Biennial, and has been invited to lecture on his work in Chile, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, and Spain. He has also published four books about his work and trajectory — the most recent released by the Italian publisher Rizzoli. In 2024, he founded the Arthur Casas Institute for Architecture and Innovation (IACAI).

Kofi Bio is CEO of the Adjaye Associates Accra studio overseeing projects across Africa. Kofi has been with Adjaye Associates for more than a decade, beginning in the London studio where he played an instrumental role in the completion of several significant projects including the Aïshti Foundation and projects for Goldman Sachs and Tishman Speyer. In 2017, Kofi and Sir David led the opening of the Accra studio to drive the realization of key projects such as the National Cathedral of Ghana, Marine Drive Accra master plan development, and Ghana Trade Fair redevelopment. Since the formation of the Accra office, Kofi has overseen its growth with an emphasis on sustainable development and cutting edge technologies with vernacular design. He has secured and overseen major cultural, commercial, and residential projects in the wider African market, including Southern and Eastern Africa. Kofi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Master of Architecture, all from Lincoln University, where he also served as a visiting lecturer. He has also participated in the MIT x True Africa University webinar series in which he discussed urban development in African cities.

A founding partner of the Miami studio of Perkins&Will since 1996, Pat Bosch leads the office as its Design Director. Internationally recognized for her design acumen and collaborative work style, Pat routinely brings together diverse groups of stakeholders to generate ideas and find common ground; design solutions emerge out of the strong partnerships she builds with her clients. Pat takes a humanistic and environmentally responsible approach to design that is supported by research and meticulously executed process. She combines edgy creativity with a careful examination of every project’s program, context, region, and local culture to produce design solutions so innovative that they consistently challenge the status quo. Her work has been honored with several national and international design awards and has been featured in architectural magazines and industry journals around the world. The strength of Pat’s design portfolio has made her a sought-after contributor to global forums, councils, commissions, and other architectural think tanks. She recently spoke at the National Building Museum as part of the Spotlight on Design Series and was a key contributor to the Fast Company Innovation Festival in NYC. Pat brings a multicultural, multinational perspective to her practice. Her story is now showcased as part of the Library of Congress Oral History project. She previously worked at Steven Holl and Richard Meier, and studied both business and structural engineering as part of her creative journey. Her fluency in four languages and ability to empathize with codes, customs, and beliefs sets around the globe - from the Americas and Europe to the Middle East and Africa - has allowed her to thrive in a variety of environments with a diversity of clientele. Some of her most important work includes L’Oreal Research Headquarters in Brazil, the America Express Americas Headquarters, and projects across the globe in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Mexico and Latin America, like Princess Nora University, and the NextEra headquarters. Pat’s critical regionalist approach to design and her passion to uncovered untold stories thru her projects, can be summarized best by her own words: “I don’t want to build monuments to my ideas, but rather, timeless and permanent reflections of what is best in each and every one of us—our creative forces, our souls, our visions.”

Luís Rebelo de Andrade is an architect and the founder of Rebelo de Andrade, a Portuguese architecture firm with more than four decades of practice. His career has been defined by a strong commitment to landscape, heritage, and cultural continuity, principles he has transformed into a consistent and enduring architectural vision. For Luís, architecture should not impose itself on a place, but rather understand it. Every project begins by listening to the landscape, history, culture, and people. This approach results in work that can be contemporary without abandoning memory and innovative without losing its connection to context. Rather than seeking spectacle, he values permanence, identity, and the creation of lasting cultural value. Throughout his career, he has developed extensive experience in heritage rehabilitation, as well as in hospitality, residential, religious, and cultural projects. His approach can be seen in works such as Casa dos 24, Six Senses Douro Valley, and the Art Legacy Hotel, where architecture, history, and experience come together in a balanced relationship. Recipient of the Rafael Manzano Prize, Luís Rebelo de Andrade has helped establish an architecture grounded in respect for what already exists and in a sense of responsibility toward the future. He believes that heritage is a living asset, that sustainability is a responsibility, and that the landscape belongs to everyone. His legacy extends beyond buildings. It lies in a way of thinking and teaching that good architecture listens before it speaks, reveals rather than dominates, and transforms existing places into future legacies filled with meaning, identity, and humanity.

Tiago Rebelo de Andrade is an architect and co-founder of Rebelo de Andrade, a Portuguese architecture firm with more than four decades of practice, recognized for its contemporary approach deeply connected to the landscape, culture, memory, and identity of each place. He graduated in Architecture from the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto and also studied at Politecnico di Milano through the Erasmus program. In 2010, he completed his master’s degree and, the following year, attended the Advanced Management Program at NOVA School of Business and Economics, combining creative thinking, strategic vision, and business expertise. His career gained international recognition in 2010, when he was awarded second place among 599 proposals in the international competition “A House in Luanda: Patio and Pavilion,” organized by the Lisbon Architecture Triennale. Since then, he has led projects in Portugal and across other countries, transforming innovative concepts into distinctive architectural experiences. Among the works that have shaped his career are Casa das Fragrâncias, the Tree Snake Houses, the Edifício Náutico, and the Art Legacy Hotel, which have been recognized by national and international institutions and platforms, including ArchDaily, Architizer, and the Portuguese National Urban Rehabilitation Award. Representing a new generation of leadership, Tiago combines the legacy built by the firm with a truly international ambition. He believes that the future needs roots and that growth does not mean replicating formulas, but rather understanding cultures, territories, and ways of life. His vision seeks to create architecture with identity, capable of balancing tradition and innovation while transforming buildings into meaningful places, memorable experiences, and lasting legacies.

Solano Benítez is a Paraguayan architect who graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the National University of Asunción (UNA) in Paraguay in 1986. Throughout his career, he has founded and participated in different architectural collectives through which he has developed much of his professional practice. He currently works at Jopói de Arquitectura. Internationally recognized for his contribution to contemporary architecture, Benítez has built a career marked by experimentation, research into materials and construction systems, and an approach deeply connected to the social and cultural context of Latin America. Over the years, he has received numerous national and international awards and distinctions. In 1999, he received the Decade Award 1989–1999 from the Paraguayan College of Architects. In 2000, he was a finalist for the 2nd Mies van der Rohe Award for Latin American Architecture in Barcelona. In 2008, he received the BSI Swiss Architectural Award in Lugano, Switzerland. In 2011, he was named Architect of the Bicentennial by the Paraguayan Association of Architects, and in 2012 he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. In 2016, he received the Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale in Italy. In 2021, he was awarded the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture by UNESCO in Paris and received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Asunción. In 2022, he served as Plym Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois in the United States. In 2023, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Rio Branco in Brazil. In 2024, he received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Rosario in Argentina, as well as the Gold Medal from the Association of Architects’ Colleges of Mexico. In 2025, he received recognition as Architect and Urban Planner from the State University of Maringá in Brazil.

Thomas is a visionary designer and fierce advocate for bringing joy, interest and humanity to our cities. Over the past 30 years he has designed soulful and extraordinary new city districts, cultural landmarks and transport modes across the globe. He now also campaigns for an end to the “blandemic” of harmful, boring buildings that are bad for society and the planet. His studio has become one of the most diverse and inventive creative organisations in the world, currently working on over 30 projects in ten countries, including Seoul’s Nodeul Island, an astrotourism and science centre in Saudi Arabia, and Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 in collaboration with KPF. Previous projects include Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills neighbourhood; Little Island, a public park in New York City; Google’s first ground-up campus in California; the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town; and the transformation of London Olympia into a new cultural neighbourhood.

Bruno Simões is an architecture and design curator, living between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2013, he founded his studio, dedicated to scenography, product design and curation. This is the same period of his other responsibility as partner/ curator of MADE Fair, the first platform for collectible design in Latin America. Since 2022, he is the curator of ApexBrasil - Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, in charge of international exhibitions, and also the design consultant curator for the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Finally, Bruno is the curator of Instituto Bardi/Casa de Vidro - the organization that preserves the legacy left by architect Lina Bo Bardi and curator Pietro Maria Bardi, based in the couple's iconic Glass House in Sao Paulo.

Landscape architect, graduated from the School of Architecture and Urbanism (1997, FAU-UFRJ), with a master’s degree in Urbanism (2004, ProUrb-UFRJ) at Federal University of RJ. She was a professor at the School of Architecture of PUC-Rio from 2005 to 2007. She has over 25 years of professional experience in landscape architecture design and developed projects in Brazil and abroad. Throughout these years, she worked at the Burle Marx landscape design Studio directly with Haruyoshi Ono, her father, and the creative partner of Roberto Burle Marx for nearly 30 years. More recently, she curated three exhibitions in Brazil (2021, 2023, and 2024) on the legacy of Burle Marx and his collaborative projects, developed over the past seven decades, as well as the itinerance of the last exhibition in 2025 at MAC-CCB in Lisbon. As the daughter of Haruyoshi Ono, she inherited her father’s passion for the profession and for the collective legacy of Burle Marx. The creation of the Institute started with the commitment to preserve and disseminate, making this archive and contents globally accessible, opening possibilities to explore new meanings from these materials and to inspire new visions for the future.

Graduated from Escola da Cidade (2006), with postgraduate degrees from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona (2009) and Escola da Cidade (2016). He is the founder of Estúdio Artigas (2013), an architecture practice and research studio based in São Paulo, and Hipocampo, where he develops research and projects focused on architecture and climate change. He served as Director and Vice President of the São Paulo chapter of the Brazilian Institute of Architects (IABsp) from 2019 to 2022 and is currently President of the Virgínia and Vilanova Artigas Institute (2021–2026).

Ana Paula de Assis is a journalist specializing in design, architecture, and living culture. She has worked for leading publications including Casa Vogue, KAZA, and GIZ, and was responsible for mapping the 100 most influential Black architects in Brazil. Throughout her career, she has contributed to outlets such as Glamour, Bazaar Man, Forbes, and Estadão. She currently serves as editor of POP-SE magazine and Decornautas, while also curating the Design category for the Forbes Under 30 awards.

An architect and urban planner graduated from FAU-USP, co-founded FGMF Architects with Lourenço Gimenes and Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz in 1999. At FGMF, he shares creative responsibilities with the other partners and coordinates the office's media and communication efforts. He has been a professor of Architectural Design and has collaborated with magazines and other architectural media outlets.

One of the founding partners of FGMF, he holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from FAU-USP, where he also pursued his PhD. He is a faculty at Mackenzie University's graduate school and a visiting professor at Università Degli Studi – Roma Tre (UniRoma3). He has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at FAAP, Unip, Instituto Europeo di Design (IED), Atitus, and FAU-USP (PAE), and contributed as a guest lecturer in workshops for the International Honors Program (IHP), Columbia, and MIT. At the office, he takes part in the concept of all projects and oversees the urbanism team and FGMF LAB. He is the founder and board member of the NGO Aproxima, which is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the Architecture sector.

A graduate of FAU-USP, he completed a master’s degree in the Design department of this university. He has teaching experience as a professor of Architectural Design in Brazil. At the office, he engages in the conceptual discussions of projects alongside the other partners and also serves as the office administrator.

Manoela Machado and Pedro Lira are architects and urban planners, founding partners of Natureza Urbana, an international consultancy firm working in the fields of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and territorial planning. Both graduated from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and expanded their academic background through studies at the Polytechnic University of Milan, in Italy, and at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, in Spain. Throughout their careers, they have coordinated multidisciplinary projects focused on sustainable urban development, landscape regeneration, tourism planning, and the relationship between cities and nature. Founded in 2012, Natureza Urbana develops projects across different scales and disciplines, integrating architecture, environment, infrastructure, tourism, and strategic planning. The office operates nationally and internationally, with projects throughout the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, creating solutions that combine innovation, biodiversity conservation, and social and environmental responsibility. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the firm seeks to strengthen the connection between people, territories, and natural systems, contributing to more resilient, inclusive, and environmentally conscious cities and landscapes.

Manoela Machado and Pedro Lira are architects and urban planners, founding partners of Natureza Urbana, an international consultancy firm working in the fields of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and territorial planning. Both graduated from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and expanded their academic background through studies at the Polytechnic University of Milan, in Italy, and at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, in Spain. Throughout their careers, they have coordinated multidisciplinary projects focused on sustainable urban development, landscape regeneration, tourism planning, and the relationship between cities and nature. Founded in 2012, Natureza Urbana develops projects across different scales and disciplines, integrating architecture, environment, infrastructure, tourism, and strategic planning. The office operates nationally and internationally, with projects throughout the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, creating solutions that combine innovation, biodiversity conservation, and social and environmental responsibility. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the firm seeks to strengthen the connection between people, territories, and natural systems, contributing to more resilient, inclusive, and environmentally conscious cities and landscapes.

Founded by Luis Guedes and Pablo do Vale, Guá Arquitetura is a design and architecture studio with Amazonian roots, recognized for its fusion of innovation and ancestry. Named in 2024 and 2025 as one of the 50 most influential architecture firms by Casa Vogue, Guá stands out on both the national and international stage for its research on vernacular riverside housing and ancestral knowledge. Its work has been featured at prestigious events such as Milan Design Week, Galleria Rossana Orlandi (Milan), DW São Paulo, DW Brasília, SP Arte, UN events during NYC Climate Week, and the Tiradentes Creative Week (2023, 2024, and 2025). In 2024, Guá won the EDIDA award by Elle Decor Magazine and the Design for a Better World award, consolidating its impact on global design. In addition to being an active voice in promoting Pará in national and international publications, Guá advances a dual sustainability approach, both material and social, challenging market paradigms and creating new pathways for social empowerment through design, architecture, exhibition design, Creative Direction, and Curatorship.

Founded by Luis Guedes and Pablo do Vale, Guá Arquitetura is a design and architecture studio with Amazonian roots, recognized for its fusion of innovation and ancestry. Named in 2024 and 2025 as one of the 50 most influential architecture firms by Casa Vogue, Guá stands out on both the national and international stage for its research on vernacular riverside housing and ancestral knowledge. Its work has been featured at prestigious events such as Milan Design Week, Galleria Rossana Orlandi (Milan), DW São Paulo, DW Brasília, SP Arte, UN events during NYC Climate Week, and the Tiradentes Creative Week (2023, 2024, and 2025). In 2024, Guá won the EDIDA award by Elle Decor Magazine and the Design for a Better World award, consolidating its impact on global design. In addition to being an active voice in promoting Pará in national and international publications, Guá advances a dual sustainability approach, both material and social, challenging market paradigms and creating new pathways for social empowerment through design, architecture, exhibition design, Creative Direction, and Curatorship.