ARCANE is a space for conceptual thinking applied to creative expression. Operating between London and Berlin Arcane focuses on the creative potential of nature as a material over a spectrum of design disciplines and across scales pursuing synthesis and abstraction.

Stefano Dal Piva studied architecture in Venice, Helsinki and Vienna. He has delivered award-winning architecture projects from conception to completion at a wide range of scales from masterplanning to product design. As director at ACME in London he focuses on architectural systems and languages that deal with issues of place, identity and environment.

Alexandra Polyakova studies architecture and art in Odessa, Vienna and Berlin. Beside her career as an architect at Heneghan Peng in Berlin Alexandra pursues an art career. Her work explores the introspective relation between the human self and the natural environment where photography is combined with spatial installations. She is also active in organising yearly educational workshops for architecture students across Europe tacking social and urban issues through theoretical explorations and practical interventions.

Disjunction Studio is a collaborative design practice that was formed by Yorgos Berdos and Cesar Cheng. The Studio engages with design questions across different scales and operates mainly between the UK, Greece and Panama. Coupling the use of advanced digital tools with expanded architectural thinking they work on design and research-oriented projects ranging from material systems to urban design and from temporary pavilions to residential and hospitality projects. Their ongoing research-based projects are focussing on alternative digital fabrication workflows – active fabrication – and on creative big data analysis and use of artificial intelligence to test multiple urban scenarios that could inform city planning.

Yorgos studied architecture at the University of Thessaly, the HaffenCity University and the Architectural Association (EmTech) while Cesar studied architecture at the Northeastern University and the Architectural Association (EmTech).  Outside Disjunction, Yorgos is teaching design studios, computational design and contemporary practice courses at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Dundee and the Macintosh School of Architecture while pursuing a PhD on “trustless architecture”. Cesar works as an independent consultant providing urban spatial analysis services based on data informed models to urban developers and public institutions across Latin America. At the same time, Cesar has been teaching workshops on resource driven urbanisation and alternative construction systems. He has developed work advancing bamboo construction in Panama, and taught a number of workshops on digital design for bamboo construction.

Motley Collective – the Platypus is a research-based practice, testing the mutual relationship between theory, design. We collectively work between academia and practice in order to create a platform for developing ideas, to work in different contexts and with different media, involving design, digital technologies, construction and writing. Stefan Maier, architect, researcher and techno-enthusias based in Innbruck. Giacomo Pala, after studying in Genova, Italy, and working for various offices including Coop Himmelb(l)au, is now a research associate at the institute of architecture theory of Innsbruck university. Jörg Stanzel was trained in Innsbruck and after several working experiences across Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Italy) he is now a research associate at the Institute of Urban Design at the University of Innsbruck.

Giacomo Pala

Architect and researcher. Currently Research assistant at the Intitute of Architectural Theory, Innsbruck University, in Innsbruck (Austria), where he co-conducts the “ArchiFIcture” studio under the direction of Bart Lootsma. PhD student under the guidance of Peter Trummer at the same University, his interests lie at the intersection of Architectural theory, history and design. More specifically, he is conducting a research about ways of looking at history as a non-linear narrative that can be used as a design method – parachronism – as well as a tool for speculation: a new contemporary way of dealing with canons and mimetic references. Beyond his academic career he has worked in several offices, including Coop Himmelb(l)a and in 2013, he has cofounded the cultural association Burrasca.

Stefan Maier

Based in Austria, Stefan Maier graduated in architecture from LFU in Innsbruck, where he is working on diverse projects and exhibitions around Europe. Recently he collaborated on an installation with Karen Lohrmann and Stefano de Martino, which was exhibited at the 2nd Architectural Biennale at FRAC Orléans, France.

Lily Zhang and Wataru Shinji practice architecture while based between the United States and Japan. Their work strives to expand for newness in architectural thinking and possibility, particularly in engaging with the idea of an environment. Zhang earned her Master of Architecture degree from Princeton University in 2016, and her B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 2010. She is the recipient of the 2018-19 James Harrison Steedman Memorial Fellowship in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Previously, she has practiced in New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo, including at the offices of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, nARCHITECTS, Junya Ishigami, Toyo Ito and Fumihiko Maki. Shinji received his B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 2009 and afterwards joined the office of Junya Ishigami in Tokyo. During his practice, Shinji refined his architectural philosophy as Senior Designer + Project Lead for eight years while leading a number of international award-winning projects, notably the Park Vijversburg Visitor Center in Tytsjerk, Holland. He has taught at Rice University School of Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Princeton University School of Architecture, Mendrisio Academy of Architecture, and The Oslo School of Architecture and Design.

Architect planner for ETSAM 2007. Co founder of the Architecture office CASALEGANITOS in 2007 together with Beatriz Sendín, Leticia López de Santiago and Marwan Zouein. He works as a designer and practitioner architect having commissions on cinema production, industrial design, fashion design and digital fabrication. He has been co-directing the Construction Site Supervision of the Castillo de Garcimuñoz Media-Library from 2009 to 2011 together with Izaskun Chinchilla. He has been linked to teaching giving workshops and lectures since 2005 in the United Kingdom, Spain, Colombia, Russia, Lebanon and Thailand among others. Teaching Architectural Design ETSAM, Exploration Projective Group “GEP” 2007-2010, directing Diploma Unit22 (Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL) together with Izaskun Chinchilla from 2010 to 2018, and coordinating the Bartlett Summer Studio Course from 2013 to 2019. In 2011 creates the brand DelAmorYlaBelleza developing animations, scenography, fashion and design projects.

Ko Nakamura was born in Tokyo in 1978. He graduated Nihon University in 2002 and he got Master degree in 2005 and PhD in 2011 at Waseda University. After working with Professor Nobuaki Furuya in Waseda University as a research associate, He was working in the University of Tokyo with Professor Kengo Kuma as Assistant Professor from 2010 to 2016. After receiving PhD by researching Street Food Carts in South-East Asian Cities, He established his own office Mosaic Design in Tokyo in 2011 to design and develop his research.

Brian McGrath is Professor of Urban Design and former Dean of the School of Constructed Environments, Parsons School of Design. He is the founder of urban-interface, an urban design consultancy with expertise in architecture, ecology and media. McGrath is a Principle Investigator in the Baltimore Ecosystem Study. served as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Thailand in 1998-99 and was an India China Institute Fellow in 2006-2008. He received his Masters of Architecture degree from Princeton University.