Milan Navigli Canal Challenge Jury Panel

Buildner Competition Organisers is pleased to announce the jury for the Milan Navigli Canal Challenge!

James Biber, Biber Architects
Grazia Comai, Townshend Landscape Architects
Carola Enrich, Townshend Landscape Architects
Samista Jugwanth, Zutari
Silvana Ordinas, Peter Pichler Architecture
Lukas Rungger, noa* network of architecture
Sean Shen, ZJJZ Atelier
Rituparna Simlai, Studio Arth LLC
Alessandro Zoppini, Studio Zoppini 

James Biber is an architect and partner in the firm Biber Architects, based in New York. He has completed projects including the USA Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015, the iconic Needle and Button kiosk for the Fashion Center BID in New York's fashion district, and the design of the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.

 Grazia Comai is a Senior Landscape Architect at London-based Townshend Landscape Architects and is a registered landscape architect with over ten years’ experience working on a diverse range of public realm projects. She has particular experience working on urban regeneration projects in Italy and UK such as Canada Water Masterplan. Grazia’s experience ranges from early visioning work on masterplans, through to delivery on site. Grazia is passionate about designing public spaces for people and creating special sequences between buildings and open spaces that provide a variety of experiences for people and increase the prospect for a better quality of life.

Carola Enrich is a Senior Associate having joined Townshend Landscape Architects after graduating as a Landscape Architect from the University of Greenwich.  She is also a qualified Architect, having previously practiced in Spain.  Carola runs a team of Landscape Architects, working on a diverse range of projects in both the UK and abroad.  Carola’s experience covers the early stages of projects through to their delivery on site ensuring the agreed visions are achieved.  Carola’s broad range of experience, keen interest in culture, and her enthusiasm for creating successful, sustainable spaces around the world is at the heart of her original concept designs.

Samista Jugwanth is an Associate and shareholder at Zutari, which in 2020 was ranked first in the Top 225 International Design Firm Rankings for Africa by ENR. Samista has twelve years’ experience in engineering design (in public infrastructure, commercial and industrial projects), project management and construction management in Africa.  Samista strongly believes that for infrastructure development to be effective, designs should be human centred.  Design is not a linear process, but interactive and must be developed through engagement and inclusion of environmental, economic and social aspects.

Silvana Ordinas is Founder and Partner of Peter Pichler Architecture, based in Milan, Italy, a studio that has completed projects such as the Future Space Pavilion for the 2018 Salone del mobile in Milan. Silvana was born in Mallorca, Spain. She holds an Executive Master degree in Marketing and Sales from SDA BOCCONI School of Management in Milan and ESADE Business School in Barcelona. She studied Tourism at the Universitat de les Illes Balears.

Lukas Rungger is a founder of noa* network of architecture, based in Bolzano, Italy and Berlin, Germany. Lukas graduated in architecture from the Technical University Graz (AT)  and after additional studies in Brussels (BE), he first worked as an architect with Prof.  Hans Gangoly in Graz (AT), then with Softroom Architects in London (UK) and finally in  Milan (IT) with Matteo Thun. After having completed his thesis in New York City (USA)  followed by his professional qualification as an architect from IUAV Venezia (IT), Lukas  has been extensively involved in a wide range of projects mainly in the field of master planning, housing, hotels and interior architecture of bars and restaurants. He was a member of the RIBA Royal Institute of British Architecture and is now a member of the  Architectural Chamber of Bozen/Bolzano.

Sean Shen is a lead architect at Shanghai-based ZJJZ Atelier. ZJJZ’s projects have garnered numerous recognition, such as its Woodhouse Hotel being listed as one of the top 10 Chinese architecture projects by Dezeen in 2019. Rituparna Simlai is Principal of Studio Arth LLC, based in Miami, USA and New Delhi, India. A disciple of the philosophy “Design with Purpose” Rituparna firmly believes that Landscape  Architects are equipped to act as proactive agents of transformation that use design as a tool  for space making, creating environmental and social awareness; and above all make the future  world better than the present. Throughout her practice as an Landscape Architect, her work has  focused on integrating parametric technology with form and function while seeking a design  with a greater purpose.

Rituparna Simlai is the founding principal of Studio Arth, a Landscape  Architecture design firm based in Coconut Grove, Miami. Rituparna has collaborated with renowned design firms such as AECOM, Cannon Designs,  Integral Designs and Raymond Jungles on geographically diverse projects scaling from  residential design to large master planning and infrastructure projects. With over 10 years of  cumulative experience in landscape + architecture and a passion for planting design especially  in the tropical region, she has worked on award winning international projects in New York,  Miami, California, India, Singapore and the Caribbean Islands. She received her Bachelor’s  degree in architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, India and earned  her Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University, Cambridge, USA. She is a registered Landscape Architect in the State of Florida and a registered Architect in India.Rituparna was honored with the Exception Emerging Professional Award by the Florida chapter  of American Society of Landscape Architect (ASLA).

Alessandro Zoppini has 25 years experience in architectural design focusing mainly on sport and leisure facilities design, both internationally and in Italy. Alessandro is part of a very limited number of architects to have designed venues for three different Olympic Games (Torino 2006, Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018). Following work experience at Arup Associates and Renzo Piano Building Workshop he became a partner at Studio Zoppini where took an active role from the conception to the construction of all projects providing input both at design and managing level. From 2015 to January 2019 he was Director at Gensler. Alessandro has proven experience in architectural design at all levels providing concept input and managing multidisciplinary design teams with particular focus on large complex venues. He has served as Visiting Professor at the faculty of architecture at the Politecnico in Milan from 2000, Visiting Faculty at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbour in the Winter Semester 2000, from 1997 visiting critic and lecturer at The University of Michigan, The University of Washington, The Architectural Association in London and the Kingston University. He has won several Architectural Prizes including the IOC Gold Medal Award. He is a frequent speaker at international Architectural conferences.

For the Milan Navigli Canal Challenge, participants are tasked with conceptualising the Milan of the future and envisioning a symbiotic relationship between the city and the Navigli canal. Projects should focus on ​​environmentally - friendly design, mobility, and the relationships between water and urban spaces. The competition is being run in collaboration with Riaprire i Navigli Association – "Reopen the Navigli Association'' – and Primitivo studio Milan, who are proposing a complete renovation of the existing canal.