Keynote Speakers
MARKUS J. APPENZELLER
Markus Appenzeller (1972) was born in Tübingen, Germany. After graduating from secondary school, Markus followed a professional training in the banking industry, working for the State Bank of Baden-Württemberg. After national service, he first studied law in Konstanz and later architecture and urban planning in Stuttgart and Chicago. From the onset of his career, Markus has worked in both fields of architecture and urban planning. Working for the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and kcap Architects & Planners, he headed large-scale urban planning operations, as well as architectural projects, in Europe, Russia and Asia.
In 2012, he co-founded mla+ as a multidisciplinary architecture, planning and consultancy practice, which currently has offices in Rotterdam, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Rio de Janeiro. Besides his professional activities, Markus has continuously been active as an educator. After having taught at the Berlage Institute in Rotterdam, the Urban Transformation School in St. Petersburg and the Moscow School of Architecture, he was appointed as head of Urbanism at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture in 2017. Markus has published numerous texts on urban planning and design topics, most recently on planning in the post-Soviet states and on the City of Shenzhen in China.
JONAS BÜCHEL
Jonas Büchel is Lecturer at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Social Sciences, with a special focus on Social Work and Political Sciences. Since 2022 guest lecturer at RISEBA FAD. During the last years focusing on the theoretical concepts and practical applications of cultural planning and participatory / co-creative methodologies in regional, municipal and community settings.
Jonas is Association Urban Institute co-founder, board member and project manager.
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Initiator, co-creator and curator of the „Empty Spaces“ project. The project aimed to raise the awareness of the situation of abandoned buildings and conceptually worked on tools and instruments of temporary reuse of the buildings. in Riga. In cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Riga. http://blog.goethe.de/weltstadt/plugin/tag/riga
Co-author of the „Free Riga 2014”, later „Free Riga“ (NGO) movement.
Consulting partner of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Municipality of Riga, the City Architect Office in Riga, the German Embassy in Latvia and other state and municipal institutions in the Baltic States and Finland. Main working focus: Social and economic urban and regional regeneration.
LINE THORUP
SCHULTZ
Line is leading the Transformative Partnerships at VELUX and is responsible for managing partnerships on Living Places -an experimental project in Copenhagen that demonstrated the potential for a significant reduction in carbon footprint and improved indoor climate. The project won several awards, including a MIPIM award in for best residential project and the New European Bauhaus Affordable Housing Award.
Line focuses on identifying, developing, and fostering pioneering partnerships with the building industry across Europe and beyond, to share valuable insights on how to build or transform housing into new Living Places projects. Transformative partnerships drive innovation and create a construction ecosystem that fosters shared knowledge.
With an architectural and planning background, and more than 20 years of experience from both the private and public sectors, including 10 years of experience as a developer, Line has an ability to build trust across disciplines and to act and create collaborations where concrete solutions from Living Places move the building industry towards a more sustainable and healthy future for both people and planet.
TED SCHAUMAN &
JONAS NORDGREN
Schauman & Nordgren Architects is an award-winning Nordic architecture and urban design studio based in Copenhagen and Helsinki. The studio’s mission is to create inclusive environments from the home to the neighbourhood, the city, and the landscape.
By environment, the practice understands not only physical surroundings, but also the relationships between people, plants, animals, and the interventions architects make in cities and landscapes. Across all scales and contexts Schauman & Nordgren Architects seeks to establish and strengthen sustainable environments characterised by ownership, care, and presence.
The studio’s philosophy is grounded in the belief that architecture is more than buildings and masterplans. It is about creating environments and meaningful contexts. A deep understanding of the interplay between landscape, city, building, in between spaces, and materiality is central to their work. Timeless architecture is always experienced on multiple levels.
Their goal is to create inclusive, resource aware, and caring environments where people and other species can feel a sense of belonging, and where architectural qualities endure for generations.
Ted Schauman is the co-founder and CEO of Schauman & Nordgren Architects and leads the studio’s architectural and strategic direction together with Jonas Nordgren. He has extensive experience working with complex projects in culturally sensitive urban contexts, ranging from large scale urban visions and masterplans to building design and architectural detailing. Ted has been responsible for a wide range of award-winning projects and competitions and is known for his ability to guide projects through dialogue driven processes with public and private clients. A recurring principle in his work is that public value and the perspective of the citizen are central to all projects, regardless of scale or programme.
Jonas Nordgren is an architect urban planner and co-founder of Schauman & Nordgren Architects with extensive experience in large scale urban development and strategic planning. He has played key roles in the development of major city districts, innovation environments, and long-term urban visions, contributing to processes that span from early visioning and governance frameworks to implementation strategies. His work is characterised by a strong ability to integrate diverse interests into coherent architectural and urban concepts, with a particular focus on the relationship between architecture, city, and landscape. Alongside practice Jonas is active as a lecturer and guest teacher at several international universities, contributing to research and teaching on inclusive and citizen driven urban development.
STEFAN KURATH
professor Dr. Stefan Kurath (born 1976) is an architect and urban planner. He runs his firm urbaNplus, specializing in architecture and urban planning, in Zurich and Graubünden. He also serves as a consultant and chair of review panels, currently involved in planning projects in Munich North. He is a professor of architecture and urban planning at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) Department of Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering, where he co-directs the Institute for Urban Landscape with Professor Regula Iseli. This institute focuses on the architecture of the 21st-century city. He is also a frequent speaker and author. His two most recent bestsellers are *Jetzt: die Architektur!* (Now: Architecture!), published by Park Books in 2022, and *Baukultur mit Bestand* (Building Culture with Existing Structures), published by Triest Verlag in 2025.
MICHAEL SWISZCZOWSKI
BA(Hons), MArch, ADPPA, ARB, RIBA
CHAPMAN TAYLOR, Group Board Director, UK
Michael joined Chapman Taylor in 2016 to build the practice’s expertise in the residential sector. Appointed to the Group Board in 2025, he continues to play a leading role in shaping and expanding the practice’s residential and hospitality portfolios across the UK.
He has designed and delivered a wide range of award-winning projects, with a particular focus on Build-to-Rent, student accommodation, hotels, serviced apartments, and modular construction.
Michael is a regular speaker at residential and property conferences where he articulates Chapman Taylor’s design approach and skill sets, offering thought leadership on future living trends and sector evolution.
He was nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association for Rental Living (ARL) in recognition of his significant contributions to the Build-to-Rent sector. He also serves as a Special Design Advisor on the ARL Design Committee and is a RIBA-elected member of the Regional Council for RIBA North West.
Areas of expertise:
Residential / Build-to-Rent / Student Accommodation / Hotels