About the course The world of AEC is going to face major challenges in the near future. The new perspectives in a framework of rapid changes can be understood through the reflection about regenerative worldview, system thinking, and complexity. The seminars of this course are given by Dr. Hossein Rezai-Jorabi, Global Design Director at Ramboll, and they aim at making it clear to the audience that "once you see in systems, you can't unsee it". The course is subdivided in six sessions, starting with a thorough examination of what "regenerative" is and what is not, with an explanation of the lexicon of regenerative designed and with the presentation of several case studies. The second session is focussed on systems. The speaker will discuss some important questions: What is system thinking? When is the whole more than the sum total of the parts? How to identify a system? How to improve a system? What is seeing? What is observing? How do we describe phenomena? After this, having understood the fundamentals of systems, it will be possible to talk about systems' design and its pillars and processes. The important role of technology will be considered, as well as the possible presence of layers of collaboration and layers of thoughts. Several case studies will be presented. Complexity is the subject of the fourth lesson. People involved in design process do need system thinking since the real world is complicated. Or is it complex, chaotic, disorderly? The lecturer will explain the differences between a simple, complicated, complex, chaotic and disorderly system, with emphasis on the role of non-linearity. The feedback loops will be investigated, along with the possible ways to improve systems. Session 5 will be devoted to the examination of the many futures, from possible to preferred. A scenario for the future of humanity is set up, also through the application of the 3 horizons model. Talking about growth and innovation, in a roadmap of a regenerative future for a degenerative past, it is nowadays necessary to consider the rise of AI and its interconnections with all the rest. The final session is referred to future growth of the participants, that can be achieved by means of reading recommended books, design publications and a regenerative design playlist. Don't fear the person who has many books... All the lectures will be strongly interactive, with the continuous involvement of the audience. The speaker is always looking for feedbacks from the students and to their personal reinterpretation of the concepts presented in the previous sessions. Bio-sketch of the lecturer Hossein Rezai-Jorabi is a structural engineer, a design visionary and an educator. He is a Global Design Director in Ramboll, and a proponent of Regenerative Design and System Thinking in the built environment. One of the initiators of the concept of "fusion engineering", he is the first and only engineer to receive the coveted title of "Designer of the Year" from the President of Singapore. He is very passionate about the process of advanced computational design, and a holistic approach to architecture + structure + environment. Dr Rezai's high-profile contributions to industry discourse include his involvement on the 13th cycle Aga Khan Award for Architecture's Master Jury in 2016, as a jury member for the Singapore President's Design Award (2017-2018) and as Vice Chair (2019-2020) and as Jury Chair (2021-2023).

dal April 2024 a May 2024