Housing and Cities: Exploring Urban Architecture

Luca Ortelli is a Professor Emeritus at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where he led the Construction and Conservation Laboratory. After graduating in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1983, he established himself as an authority on 20th-century architectural history, particularly focusing on German avant-garde and Nordic domestic architecture. His research examines crucial architectural experiences from the early 20th century, with special attention to housing design and renovation. At EPFL, he chaired the 3rd year Bachelor Design Studio on Housing and taught Master-level courses in History of Housing and Architecture and Renovation. His academic work includes numerous publications on domestic architecture, contributing significantly to the understanding of modern architectural theory and housing design principles.

Catarina Wall Gago is a researcher and lecturer at EPFL's Construction and Conservation Laboratory in the School of Architecture. After completing her architecture degree at IST, she earned her Ph.D. jointly from IST and EPFL, focusing on the contemporary renovation of 19th-century housing. Her research examines the delicate balance between preserving historical character and implementing modern amenities in historic buildings, particularly studying cases in Lisbon, Oporto, and Geneva. She teaches Master-level courses in Architecture and Renovation and History of Housing at EPFL, where she shares her expertise in architectural heritage preservation. Her recent book on renovation best practices provides guidance for maintaining the charm of historic properties while adapting them to contemporary living standards. She currently conducts research at the Laboratory on Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS), contributing to our understanding of sustainable urban renovation practices.

Karen Zysman is a lecturer at the Construction and Conservation Laboratory at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)'s School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). As an EPFL-trained architect, she specializes in housing design and architectural history. Her teaching responsibilities include the 3rd year Design Studio on Housing and the Master-level course on History of Housing, where she contributes to students' understanding of residential architecture and its historical context. Working within EPFL's Construction and Conservation Laboratory, she helps maintain the institution's strong tradition in architectural education and research.