The Norwegian Opera and Ballet. Photo credit: Helge Skodvin / Snøhetta
Event Description
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, co-founder of global architecture and design practice Snøhetta, will share insight into Snøhetta's work, focusing on the dynamic interplay between people, nature, and built environments.
When Snøhetta started in Oslo, Norway, in 1989 as an architectural and landscape collective, the founders were inspired by the Brundtland Commission's report on sustainability, Our Common Future, published by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) two years earlier.
Since then, the practice has adhered to the belief that architecture and design can—and should—contribute to improving society and the environment, emphasizing human interaction and connection with both our natural and built surroundings.
Today, Snøhetta is a global, transdisciplinary practice encompassing architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, art, product design, graphic design, and digital design. As the building industry accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, Thorsen believes that designers and architects must take significant responsibility while recognizing the opportunities to drive the industry toward a greener transition.
During the lecture, he will explore how social and environmental sensitivity can guide design and share examples from some of Snøhetta's most notable projects, including the new Library of Alexandria in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, the redesign of Times Square in New York, material exploration, and the Powerhouse series—buildings that generate more energy than they consume.
Speaker
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Architect, MNAL, FAA, AIA, Int.FRIBA, Dr.H.C., Founding Partner, Snøhetta
Moderator: Giancarlo Alhadeff, FAIA, Representative to the College of Fellows, AIA International
CES: Estimated 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members
Speaker Bio
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen co-founded Snøhetta in Oslo, Norway in 1989 and has been instrumental in defining Snøhetta’s philosophy and growth into a transdisciplinary and global architecture and design practice. He has had large roles in major projects such as the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Le Monde Group Headquarters in Paris, the Beijing Library, the Shanghai Opera, Europe's first underwater restaurant Under and the world's northernmost energy-positive building, Powerhouse Brattørkaia.
For his work, he has been awarded the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, the EY Entrepreneur of the year and the FRAME Lifetime Achievement Award amongst others.
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen is a frequent lecturer, and from 2004 to 2008, he was Professor of Architecture at the Institute of Experimental Architecture at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. In addition, he often acts as a jury member for international design and architecture competitions and awards, such as the Obel Award, the Zumtobel Group Award, the Frederick Kiesler Prize 2024, the National Monument to Freedom and Unity in Leipzig 2024 and the State Award for Architecture and Sustainability 2024, Austria. In 2024, he led the jury for the Obel Awards, and he will be the chairman for Holcim Awards in 2025.
Moderator Bio
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Giancarlo Alhadeff is an Italian citizen and U.S. resident. Educated at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo and St. George’s School in Newport, R.I., he holds an A.B. from Harvard College and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University.
A distinguished member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) since 1977 and a Fellow since 2008, Alhadeff also holds membership in the Italian Architecture Licensing Board (since 1983) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) since 2014. He served as President of the AIA Continental Europe Chapter in 1999 and as AIA liaison to the Architects' Council of Europe from 2005 to 2008.
In 1991, Alhadeff established Studio Alhadeff Architects, a practice dedicated to design with an international perspective. Since its inception, the studio has undertaken diverse projects worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Japan, and the Far and Middle East. The firm’s portfolio spans new constructions such as hotels and fitness centers, restorations of architecturally significant structures, and commercial and private interiors, including boutiques, offices, showrooms, restaurants, and private residences.
