Paola Cattarin is a Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, having joined the practice in 1999. With experience spanning urban development, infrastructure, architecture, and interiors, she has led major international projects including the Salerno Maritime Terminal and the Napoli-Afragola High Speed Train Station in Italy. Her portfolio ranges from large-scale masterplans in China to luxury retail and hospitality interiors across Europe and Asia. Educated in Barcelona and Rome, Paola also lectures widely on architecture and urban design. Her work bridges design excellence and project leadership, shaping complex civic and commercial environments across diverse global contexts.

Philip F. Yuan is a tenured professor and Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) at Tongji University. He is the founding principal of Archi-Union and Fab-Union. He has been honored with the Ministry of Education’s Chang Jiang Chair Professorship and the Shanghai Eastern Talent Program’s Leading Talent award. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of *Architectural Intelligence*, is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (Hon. FAIA), and a council member of the UIA-PPC. He has been a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and RMIT University, and has served as Thomas Jefferson Chair Professor at University of Virginia. His research primarily focuses on performance-based tectonics in architecture and robotic fabrication, and he has translated many of his research theories into architectural practice. He is Chair Professor of Architectural Intelligent Design and Fabrication. He has received numerous provincial and ministerial-level science and technology progress awards, including the Auguste Perret Award from the International Union of Architects—the first Chinese recipient—as well as the ACADIA Academic Innovation Award from the ACADIA, the AIA Honor Award for Architecture, and the Special Award for “Sustainable Development” from the Asian Architectural Association. He has also received the IAA Award, the Dezeen Award, and The PLAN Award multiple times. As an educator, he won the 2024 National Teaching Innovation Competition for University Teachers (National Second Prize, Shanghai Special Prize).

Alex is a producer, leader, and strategist with over 15 years' experience delivering large-scale, multi-disciplinary art, immersive experiences and socially engaged theatre. She has collaborated with pioneering studios and artists including Marshmallow Laser Feast, Assemble, Jon Hopkins, Punchdrunk, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Specialising in project architecture, partnership development, and innovation at the intersection of art, technology and audiences, Alex has built a reputation for guiding ambitious projects from concept to execution. Her work also spans strategic projects, including business and communications strategy. She has presented at leading forums including the Venice Film Festival and BAFTA, sharing insights on creative production and the future of immersive storytelling. Alex is passionate about supporting the creative industries as a Trustee for charities and mentoring young producers.

Professor Rafiq Azam, a globally renowned architect, was born in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1963.With over three decades of experience, he has honed his distinctive green architecture style, blending tradition, nature, and mysticism in his designs. Inspired by Bengali philosophers and mystics like Lalon and Tagore, Azam's work emphasizes the interplay of light, shadow, water, and air. In 1995, he founded ""SHATOTTO architecture for green living"" after graduating from BUET. His interdisciplinary background, including watercolor painting, world literature, eastern music, architectural photography, shaped his lateral thinking. He is also a dedicated educator and a recipient of various accolades, including the Urban Land Institute Award Winner 2025, CAA (Commonwealth Association of Architects) Robert Mathew Lifetime Achievement Award 2022, Winners of Eurasian Award 2020, LEAF (Leading European Architects Forum) Awards, ARCASIA Gold Medal, Jawaharlal Nehru memorial gold medal and the UIA & UN-HABITAT Awards 2022. His influence extends internationally, with interviews and articles published in prestigious publications, including Guardian, TIME Magazine, New York Times. Toronto Star, CASA Vogue, Harper Magazine etc. Additionally, he serves as a visiting professor at BRAC University and North South University in Bangladesh. Through the Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary scholarship program, he actively supports and mentors both national and international students, fostering the next generation of architects.

Jason Low is the co-founder of Virtualtech Frontier, a Malaysia-based studio building tools and platforms for the emerging metaverse. With a background in marketing and digital content, he transitioned into immersive technology during the pandemic, working with global brands such as Microsoft, Intel, and Nestlé. He leads the development of Mitoworld, one of the region’s early platforms aimed at simplifying metaverse creation. Jason is also the author of Metaverse: Now & Future and host of the “Go Meta with Jason Low” podcast, where he explores how virtual worlds, culture, and technology are reshaping how people create, connect, and experience digital spaces.