Bios

Merve Akdogan is a designer and artist working across architecture, computation, and digital media. Trained as an architect and holding a master’s from MIT’s SMArchS Computation program, their practice engages machine learning, AI, and interactive systems to explore algorithmic bias, queer archives, and the aesthetics of error. They are currently part of the MIT Future Heritage Lab, contributing to research-based art projects at the intersection of culture, memory, and identity. Their work has been presented internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, often weaving glitch, speculation, and cultural critique into new techno-poetic forms.

Azra Aksamija is a professor at MIT's Department of Architecture and director of the Art, Culture and Technology Program and Future Heritage Lab. An artist and architectural historian from Bosnia and Austria based in Boston, US, her work explores cultural heritage, identity, and pluralism through art and design. Her work has been exhibited internationally and recognized with numerous awards, including the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Elisabetta Bianchessi, PhD, is an architect, landscape, and community designer focusing on public space, social design, urban regeneration and social inclusion. She graduated with honors from the Politecnico di Milano and obtained her PhD from the Scuola Tecnica Superiore di Architettura in Madrid. She teaches Community Design at NABA Milano and has led the Master Paesaggi Straordinari Politecnico di Milano–NABA Milano. She collaborates with Land Works Circus and Arte Sella. In 2014 she created T12 Lab, a cultural association and research center, with which she develops her projects, such as Tunnel Boulevard, La terra che non c’è, Da Cosa Nasce Cosa, involving fragile communities and merging design, landscape, performance, and active citizenship.

Alberto Wolfango Amedeo D’Asaro is a Milan-based architect and illustrator working at the intersection of architecture, visual arts, and graphic design. He is a member of Palazzi Club, a platform for contemporary design and cultural collaborations. His work spans architectural projects, urban installations, and visual storytelling. D’Asaro has contributed to notable projects like YAP MAXXI in Rome, CityLife Nursery in Milan, TIM Headquarters, and the Vatican Pavilion for Expo 2015. His practice focuses on public space, blending design and illustration to foster dialogue between architecture and communities, positioning him as a distinctive figure in contemporary Italian design.

Anna Doneda, after her studies in Nuclear Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan, specialized in International Cooperation and dedicated her career to the Third Sector, applying her technical and managerial skills to the design and implementation of social projects. She is the General Coordinator of Project for People, a non-profit organization engaged in cooperation and development projects in the Global South. She manages human resources, oversees project progress, and maintains relationships with partners both abroad and in Italy. At the national level, she coordinates initiatives focused on the design and regeneration of educational spaces. She collaborates with philanthropic organizations, companies, public institutions, and universities, promoting civic education, art-based education, and environmental education as key drivers for sustainable development.

Fabrizio De Gaetano, after studying Mechanical Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, deepened his interest in design through artisanal research to better understand materials and their potential. The combination of a theoretical approach and practical experience allows him to refine his skills in effectively combining shapes, materials, and technologies.

Emma Greer is a Canadian architect and urban designer focused on sustainable urban development and climate action for cities. She has worked globally on projects ranging from counteracting sprawl in Canada to addressing land scarcity in Singapore and creating net-zero outdoor comfort in the Middle East. Emma brings expertise in public realm design, circular economy, and climate adaptation and mitigation solutions. She currently serves as a City Advisor for C40 Cities, supporting Milan’s Air and Climate Plan by advancing initiatives like climate shelters and urban shade. Emma works at the nexus of design, technology, and policy to shape resilient, thriving neighbourhoods for the cities of tomorrow.

Ganit Goldstein is a Computation Textile and Fashion Designer specializing in smart textile systems and 3D printing fabrication. Currently pursuing SMArchS at MIT Architecture and researching textile technologies at the Future Heritage Lab. A Royal College of Art MA graduate, her work combines craft and technology to create innovative textiles. Her collections have been internationally exhibited and she was awarded the Re-FREAM Horizon 2020 grant.

Kailin Jones is a researcher and designer whose work bridges architecture, real estate, and community-centered planning. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Beijing, she holds a Master of Architecture from MIT and is completing a Master of Science in Real Estate. Her work engages themes of community engagement, authorship, and cultural hybridity, with an architecture thesis that investigates contemporary copying practices through digital outsourcing and mechanical fabrication. She has collaborated with the Future Heritage Lab on exhibitions at the MIT Museum and the Venice Biennale.

Lillian Kology is an artist based in New York's Hudson Valley and the Lead Researcher in Art and Craft at MIT's Future Heritage Lab. Her artwork, which explores relationships between bodies, domestic objects, and spaces, has been exhibited at numerous venues including the Peabody Essex Museum, Boston Center for the Arts, and Edinburgh College of Art.

Penelope Phylactopoulos is an architect and researcher managing MIT's Future Heritage Lab projects. Co-founder of the Office of Open Practice, she focuses on empowering communities and addressing climate injustice. Her work includes coordinating international exhibitions, managing architectural projects, and teaching. She holds degrees from Illinois Institute of Technology and Harvard Graduate School of Design.