“ARCH (K)now! | CONNECTIONS – AI & Architecture: Co-Piloting Sustainable Futures”, part of the BIM (K)now! – ARCH (K)now! Lectures Pavia 2026 series, will explore the relationship between artificial intelligence, sustainability, and architectural design. Hosted by the University of Pavia and sponsored by the IUSS School for Advanced Studies Pavia, the event will bring together internationally renowned professionals, researchers, and scholars to discuss the role of emerging technologies in shaping the future of design.
How are AI-based technologies transforming the way we design, build, and imagine our cities? What opportunities do they offer to make architecture more sustainable, efficient, and responsive to environmental challenges? These are among the key questions at the heart of “ARCH (K)now! | CONNECTIONS – AI & Architecture: Co-Piloting Sustainable Futures,” taking place on 28 May 2026, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, in Lecture Hall 1 of the New Engineering Teaching Campus at the University of Pavia (Via Adolfo Ferrata 5).
Organised by BIM (K)now! in collaboration with the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr) of the University of Pavia, and sponsored by the IUSS School for Advanced Studies Pavia, the event aims to foster dialogue between academic research, professional practice, and technological innovation by bringing together some of the most advanced voices in the international architectural landscape.
A central theme of the event will be the concept of “co-piloting”—the collaboration between designers and artificial intelligence systems. In this perspective, AI is seen as a tool that enhances creativity and supports decision-making, expanding opportunities for analysis and experimentation without replacing the architect’s role.
Among the featured speakers is Cosimo Scotucci, Senior Project Leader at the Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, who will deliver the lecture “Datascape. A Journey through the Past, Present, and Future of MVRDV.” His presentation will examine the evolution of digital tools and data-driven processes that have transformed the way architectural projects are conceived and developed.
Stefania Trozzi, 3D Visualization Specialist at OMA Rotterdam, will present “The AI Paradox — Sustainability, Architecture, OMA,” reflecting on the relationship between technological innovation and sustainability while exploring both the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence brings to architecture and construction.
The programme also includes the keynote speech “AI after the Hype: a Shift in Everyday Reality” by Gianluigi Ballarani, founder of HUDI – Human Data Income and university lecturer. His talk will focus on the transition from the initial enthusiasm surrounding AI to its practical integration into everyday professional, organisational, and decision-making processes.
The event will conclude with a roundtable discussion on the future of digital and sustainable architecture, featuring professionals and representatives from the worlds of design, innovation, and research. The discussion will address how emerging technologies can contribute to creating more resilient, efficient, and inclusive buildings, environments, and cities.
Open to students, researchers, professionals, and anyone interested in the intersection of architecture, digital innovation, and sustainability, the event offers an opportunity to engage with some of the most pressing questions facing contemporary design and the construction sector.
Practical Information
- Event: ARCH (K)now! | CONNECTIONS – AI & Architecture: Co-Piloting Sustainable Futures
- Date: 28 May 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Venue: Lecture Hall 1, New Engineering Teaching Campus, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata 5
- Organisers: BIM (K)now! and the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Pavia
- Sponsor: IUSS School for Advanced Studies Pavia
CONNESSIONI_Poster.pdf