The Future of Cities: Resilient Design and Equitable Communities

Maria R. Perbellini, Ph.D., is the Dean of the School of Architecture and Design at the New York Institute of Technology and a tenured Professor of Architecture. Her leadership advances design innovation, intellectual diversity, emerging computational technologies, and interdisciplinary programs. She has been notably recognized, including the 2018 AIA Long Island Educator Award.

She holds a B.Arch. from the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia in Italy and a M.Arch. from Pratt Institute in New York. Prior to New York Tech, Perbellini was the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Chair of Instruction in the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University. She also taught at the School of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin.

Perbellini is co-founder of Pongratz Perbellini Architects (PPA). Among others, PPA received the Segnalazione Premio Compasso d’Oro ADI, XXI Edition with the patented series in stoneHyperwave. Before establishing her own practice, she worked in New York City for Peter Eisenman and John Reimnitz on the design of prestigious commissioned buildings and international design competitions. With Christian Pongratz, Perbellini is the co-editor of the Monograph on Peter Eisenman for Korean Architects-KA (No.156, 08/1997), and the co-author of the books Natural Born CaaDesigners (Birkhauser, 2000), Cyberstone (Edilstampa, 2009), and Digital Media for Design (Cognella Academic Publishing, 2016).

In 2019, Alessandro was appointed by the Italian Minister of Culture as the curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 17th International La Biennale of Architecture in Venice 2021, and in 2020 Ambassador of Italian Design on behalf of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Previously, at the University of Auckland, he was the head of the technology area and director of postgraduate engagement at the School of Architecture and Planning. Between 2010-2013, he was the Director of Urban City Lab at the Institute of Architecture of the University of Applied Arts Vienna (Die Angewandte, Vienna) and visiting professor at the Foster Foundation, and in Germany (Anhalt University, Dessau).

In 1996, he founded Heliopolis 21, a multi-awarded architecture practice based in Italy, Germany, and the UK.

Ms. Lykke Leonardsen has worked with urban development for the past 25 years in Copenhagen. This includes local regeneration projects, international urban policies and communication. Since 2008 she has worked for the Technical and Environmental Administration in charge of making Copenhagen more blue and green – in charge of water management and green infrastructure planning. It was as part of this work that the city’s Climate Change Adaptation plan was developed.

From 2014-2016, she was the Head of the Climate Unit, in charge of the Climate Change Adaptation program, and the city’s ambitious plan to be the first carbon neutral capital of the world before 2025. Since 2016, she has been Head of program for Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions. Ms. Leonardsen has a Master in Near Eastern Archaeology and Master of Public Policy.

Michael is a Partner with Ben Baxt at Baxt Ingui Architects – a highly collaborative architectural design firm with extensive experience in residential, institutional, and commercial projects. He joined the firm in 1994 and was named Partner in 2000. Under Michael’s direction, the firm became a leader in the US Passive House movement, and most of our team are Certified Passive House Designers.

Michael is active in the Passive House community, speaking at many national and international conferences including Passive House Institute’s 25th anniversary in Darmstadt, Germany. Michael and the team at Baxt Ingui have extended their collaborative efforts by opening their homes during construction to teach students, architects, tradespeople, homeowners, and developers to integrate better building techniques.

In 2019, Michael founded the Passive House Accelerator as an engine to increase awareness of Passive House and support the community of Passive House builders. PHA has created a community where Passive House builders can share ideas and best practices, increasing industry knowledge and improving outcomes for clients.

Ambassador Berit Basse has enjoyed an expansive diplomatic career that has taken her around the world—from Senegal and Munich to Singapore and Uganda.

From 2012 to 2016, Ambassador Basse served as Denmark’s Ambassador to Singapore and Brunei, successfully overseeing key commercial and diplomatic relationships between Denmark and the two States. She has also served as First Secretary at the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda and Consul General of Denmark in Munich, Germany.

Meanwhile, from 1992 to 1996, the Ambassador worked on several development projects for the United Nations Development Programme in Senegal. Immediately prior to her New York posting, Ambassador Basse also led the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ department in charge of client relations and global commercial opportunities.

Ambassador Basse assumed her role at the helm of Denmark In New York on September 1, 2020.