Urban Menus

Project


A training to improve RESILIENCE skills in sustainable urban and regional development

The aim of “DIALOGUE WITH A RESILIENT FUTURE” is to qualify urban and regional development stakeholders to create resilient habitats by making use of key assets such as:

Elaboration of Smart Development E-Learning & Live-Training(s)/workshops

Development of digital, mixed-reality Smart Development tools

Evaluation and fine-tuning of output

Creation of international momentum

Smart Development VET training

Digital Smart Development VET training tools for hybrid interactive training settings

We offer continued use of results – open access to materials & tools (with standard setup) for course participants

Graduates obtain the “URBAN MENUS Diploma in Resilient City Development”.

URBAN MENUS educational steering committee

Idea generator for URBAN MENUS passionate about global networking around the project.

Austro-Argentine architect with a holistic approach, multiple award-winning urban design projects (including the master plans for the innovative housing project Compact City and the university campus WU Vienna), founder and managing director of the architecture firm BUSarchitektur & the architecture-multimedia agency BOA büro für offensive aleatorik, both in Vienna. “I believe that only together, with many small steps, we can create the necessary matrix to allow the emergence of a collaborative space that is good for all of us – the emergence of Holistic Villages in our smart cities.”

Strategy partner responsible for backend, data structures and algorithm mathematics.

Co-managing director of the environmental informatics company akaryon (Vienna and Styria), founded in 1999, studied technical environmental protection and technical mathematics, involved for decades in international research projects on sustainability and conception of web tools for operationalizing sustainability (including CO2 calculator, energy simulation, climate change monitoring, etc.). “Structured data on estimated impacts helps to think about scenarios in an informed and factual way and to come to a consensus with a plan that makes as many different people or stakeholder groups happy as possible.”

Carla Zollinger is PhD Architect from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya ETSAB-UPC and she is Research Coordinator at LCI Barcelona. She has a Postdoctorate in Participatory Urbanism Grant PNPD-CAPES UFBA, MArch: Criticism and Design Project ETSAB-UPC. She is a researcher, professor and practitioner in the fields of design and architecture based on participatory methodologies.

Managing Director of the Global Governance Institute in Brussels.

He has been working for more than a decade in Brussels and in The Hague with and for think tanks, academic institutions, and organizations from across the EU, Eastern Partnership countries, and the US, on devising and implementing a wide array of research and education strategies, building institutional capacity in grant acquisition and fundraising, internationalization, teaching excellence and resilience. In 2018 he co-founded the Global Education and Innovation section of the Institute and has been overseeing the development of new educational formats and the implementation of grants on transnational higher education, adult education, and VET training. He has taught courses on EU negotiations, EU institutional dimension and functioning mechanisms, Global Ethics, or Research Methods.

Co-founder of IL PUNTO, he has a degree in Law cum laude. His focused on the commercial investment real estate field.

Co-founder of IL PUNTO/CORFAC International, partner of Studio Legale LEXCC and secretary general of ISIVI. He has a degree in Law cum laude. His main focus of interest is on the commercial investment real estate field and, in particular, in real estate due diligence, deal structuring, feasibility analysis, title/transactional liability insurance, crowdfunding, real estate capital market and banking regulatory. He is Vice President of FIABCI International and will assume the position of World President for the 2025-2026.

URBAN MENUS educational associated partners

Architect, urbanist. Founder and CEO of SYNCHRO SPACE, a hub of innovation for cities.

Architect, urbanist, and mentor for urban startups and municipalities, Alissa strives to develop spatial and tech solutions with strong social impact. Founder and CEO of SYNCHRO SPACE innovation hub. Co-founder of a spatial development agency, Voice of Space. 2021-2022 – coordinator of an UNDP-funded project on the Systemic Transformation of Coal Mining Cities. 2020-2021 – Head of the Acceleration Program, Ukrainian Startup Fund. 2019-2020 – Startup-in-Residence program lead, TechUkraine.

URBAN MENUS educational advisory board

Senior researcher specializing in complex urban systems and climate change.

He is a senior researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and at the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy. In addition, he is external lecturer in the Complexity Science Hub in Vienna and a section editor at PLoS One (Urban Studies). Most recently, he was admitted to the Heisenberg-Program (German Research Foundation, DFG). Currently, he also serves as the coordinator of the UPon project (Urban Percolation) funded by the DFG. Diego holds a PhD in Physics from Justus-Liebig-Universität (Germany). His research focuses on cities and urban systems – specifically, on cities as complex systems, cities and climate change (mitigation/adaptation), and urban climate and the urban heat island effect.

Ph.D. in transdisciplinary studies of culture and communication.

With 22 years experience in learning-experience design, 21 years in scientific publishing, and two decades in project design, management, and assessment, she brings a wealth of expertise to the Board. Furthermore, with 23 years in multimedia and discourse analysis, 21 in applied anthropology, and 8 in futures studies, her skills span diverse domains. As an undergraduate and graduate professor for 19 years and a groups facilitator for 28 years, she offers extensive educational and collaborative experience. And with 35 years as a storyteller and recognized as a National Researcher at CONACYT level 1, her multifaceted background significantly contributes to research and knowledge dissemination.

Consultant at the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction.

He oversees various projects in the area of European and international urban development policy, including the EU Mission 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, the further development of the Urban Agenda for the EU as well as international partnerships and city networks within the framework of “Dialogues for Urban Change”. In addition, he coordinates European networks for integrated risk management and difficult cultural heritage and supports the national contact point of the New European Bauhaus initiative. Jan Schultheiss is an art historian (BA Roosevelt University, Chicago) and urban planner (Master in Urban Planning, Harvard University, Cambridge).

Head of Europe LCI Education. mathematics Barcelona Design Week 2023 Curator.

Design strategist, futurist and educational manager. At present, he is Head of Europe of LCI Education network (LaSalle College International – www.lcieducation.com): one of the largest creative and innovation education network with a diverse learning community of 12 select higher education institutions with 23 campuses on 5 continents, and 2,000 colleagues involved in educating over 20,000 learners worldwide each year. He is also collaborating with BCD Barcelona Center of Design as the curator of the Barcelona Design Week 2023 edition with the concept “Design for Human Future”. He is Ph.D. Cum laude in Design Thinking applied in Trend Analysis and Foresight, researcher and author for UOC (Open University of Catalonia). As studied Sociologist, he has more than 30 years of professional experience in the world of innovation, design, fashion, trends, communication, creativity and in the fields of education and research.

Dedicated to promoting and facilitating the ideas and methods of contemporary international art and education in China. Upon graduating with a master’s degree in 1995, she joined China’s largest film and television media production agency, becoming one of the first CG production personnel in China’s digital media industry. She started engaging in Video and Media art as well as documentary creation in 2000. From 2001 to 2006, she participated in art festivals and art exhibitions in Europe with her works. She received awards of excellence in documentary film. From then onwards, she worked as an educator, a curriculum design expert and competition judge for universities, helped governments, institutions, and individuals in establishing connections and exchanges with the international creative field in the academic realm.

Prof. Asmita Joshi, an experienced professional in architecture, landscape urbanism, ecology, and sustainable development, holds a Master’s degree in Landscape Urbanism from Kingston University. As a Professor of Architecture at BNCA, she actively engages in environmental conservation and international projects, notably establishing the UNAI Hub for addressing SDGs. As Executive Director of ISDS, she advocates for sustainability, showcasing expertise in architecture and landscape practices. In her current role as the Executive Director of the Institute of Sustainability and Development Studies (ISDS), Asmita continues to champion sustainability and development initiatives. Her multifaceted expertise, coupled with her dedication to education and environmental conservation, makes her a pivotal figure in the fields of architecture, landscape urbanism, and sustainable development.

Mina Marefat is a registered architect, urban designer, and architectural historian with a strong focus on sustainability, climate change mitigation, historic preservation and strategic planning for buildings, cities and countries. As principal of Design Research, Mina combines design skills with in-depth and original research. In addition to her practice, Mina is a published author and an exhibition curator. She has consulted and delivered lectures worldwide and has taught at renowned institutions including MIT, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Catholic, and Technical University in Vienna. Mina holds a Masters of Architecture and Urban Design from Harvard and a PhD in Architecture from MIT.

She is a Colombian architect and landscape architect with a master’s degree in landscape design and honoris causa Doctor of Letters (DLitt) Sheffield University, also CEO of Grupo Verde, specializing on landscape architecture, urbanism, and urban design. Martha is a co-founder and chairwoman of the Latin American Landscape Initiative (LALI), dedicated to safeguarding Latin American landscapes through collaboration across sectors. She also held the position of President of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), spearheading initiatives in Latin America, Africa and expanding membership to India and China. Additionally, she sits on the Board of Directors of Nature of Cities (TNOC), advocating for resilient, sustainable, and just urban environments worldwide.

URBAN MENUS educational team

Florian Fritz, akaryon

Responsible for the technical implementation of the websites. Member of the akaryon team.

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Emilio Gagliardino, BUS

As an industrial designer, 3D modeler and illustrator, I merge creativity with functionality to develop innovative, functional, and aesthetically appealing products. From conception to digital representation, my approach covers every stage of the process.

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Lucrezia Galbiati, Il Punto

She has been working at IL PUNTO for 11 years, she is office manager of the company. She has a degree in Environmental, Land and Landscape Sciences, main subjects’ studies: Geography, Population geography, Environmental policy. She has always been passionate about environmental and social issues. She is one of the Project coordinators for IL PUNTO.

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Vera Besse, akaryon

Vera Besse lives in Vienna with her family including two cats and works for akaryon as a project manager for the last decade and is specialized in projects on sustainability. Trained biologist and adult educator and experienced problem solver. Always up for a good laugh, she works hard for her vision of a better world: Live well and let live well.

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Barbara Kraml, akaryon

Supports the URBAN MENUS team with research and text contributions. Studied German and Austrian Studies at the University of Vienna, worked in the cultural sector on expression and now uses her creative and writing talent in the sustainability industry.

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Nelson Zambrano, LCI

Architect, Master in Urban Design, and Master in business administration. CGI Expert with extensive experience producing and directing architectural visualization, and interactive/immersive media projects worldwide.

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Özge Taşpınar, BUS

After graduating from Kadir Has University, Department of Architecture with honors in 2019, she completed the Erasmus + program in Vienna for 1 year. Later, she won various awards in domestic and international competitions.

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Julieta Martinez, BUS

Architect graduated from the UCC, Córdoba, Argentina. She is currently developing her thesis for a master’s degree in landscape architecture. She was a member of projects of different scales. Member of the urban menus team since 2021

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Tobias Kampl, BUS

Currently a student of Architecture at Vienna University of Technology, having completed his study of philosophy in 2019. Participates in URBAN MENUS projects in various areas such as urban concept, design process and 3D modeling. Intrigued with creating virtual spaces and envisioning an optimistic stance for the future of living in cities.

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Sebastian Dan, BUS

Since 2021, he has been an integral part of the URBAN MENUS team, contributing to conceptualization, evaluation and data management. He has a mixed background in architecture – urban planning and informatics.

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Gina Urazan Razzini, BUS

Colombian-born, London-educated designer based in Madrid. Early career in museum design at Gold Museum, Bogota, and British Museum, London. Explored interior design in commercial and residential spaces. Currently merging architecture, illustration, and storytelling, collaborating with BOA Büro für offensive Aleatorik in Vienna.

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Iryna Konstantinova, Il Punto

Project Coordinator at SYNCHRO SPACE, a hub of innovation for cities. Brings 13 years of experience in project management and digital communications across hospitality, construction, and urban projects. Participated in the development of an educational course on circular economy for the Maidan Open University.

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Catalina Pedraza, BUS

A skilled architect and designer with diverse experience in Concept Design, Design, Multimedia & Communication. Studied architecture in Bogotá and spatial design in London. involved in developing innovative creative content from concept inception to final production. Joined the team in 2016.

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Javier Maseda, LCI

With a specialization in design, new technologies, and innovative learning, my professional journey spans over 18 years in the realm of education. Initially taking on the role of Design Director at the Istituto Europeo di Design, I later assumed the position of Head of Design and director of the Digital Design Lab—a research facility dedicated to exploring the intersections of design, new technologies, and innovative learning.

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Bianca Severin, BUS

Multimedia Developer, currently focusing on using Virtual Reality to streamline the urban analysis process and support architects in the early stages of project development. Has been part of the URBAN MENUS team since 2017, where she specializes in the development of 3D software for participatory and impact-oriented urban planning.

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