The third William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum took place on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 7, 2025, and was organized by the SOM Foundation in partnership with the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM). The two-day event included presentations by academics and industry leaders whose body of work, creativity, and expertise inspire the future of materiality, assembly, and technology in the built world.
November 6–7, 2025
Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Avenida Juan de Herrera 4
28040 Madrid
Spain
“After successful editions of the forum organized in Chicago and Stuttgart, we are excited to be able to bring the forum to Madrid in November. With its long history of innovation in architecture and structural engineering, Madrid is the perfect place to bring together some of the most remarkable people practicing today. It will be a unique opportunity to learn from and discuss with students, faculty, and professionals how research and innovation can influence architecture and engineering,” said Iker Gil, Executive Director of the SOM Foundation.
“ETSAM at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid is honored to host this distinguished event organized by the SOM Foundation, which provides an exceptional platform for reflection and exchange,” said Javier Francisco Raposo Grau, director of ETSAM. “We take particular pride in the fact that the themes under discussion are closely aligned with the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and beauty that define the New European Bauhaus (NEB), to which our school is strongly committed. This convergence with the NEB vision, which we explored together with the Spanish Government's Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, further strengthens our collective commitment to advancing towards a more sustainable and inspiring future through architecture and design.”
Speakers of the forum included Masoud Akbarzadeh (University of Pennsylvania & Massive Form), Wesam Al Asali (IE School of Architecture and Design), Martin Bechthold (Harvard University), Alessandro Beghini (SOM), Catherine De Wolf (ETH Zürich), Mae-ling Lokko (Yale University & Willow Technologies Ltd.), Faidra Oikonomopoulou and Telesilla Bristogianni (TU Delft), Stefana Parascho (EPFL), Christopher Robeller (Technische Hochschule Augsburg & Digital Timber Construction), and Maria Yablonina (University of Toronto). You can find their full bios here.
Architect Rosa Cervera Sardá, founder of Cervera Arquitectos and former Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Alcalá, was honored during the third William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum for her contributions to the field of architecture through scientific inquiry and innovation. Mark Sarkisian, SOM Structural and Seismic Engineering Partner, delivered her recognition.
“Rosa Cervera Sardá is an exceptional architect who has devoted her career to design informed by research. As a professor in the School of Architecture at the Universidad of Alcalá in Madrid, she has educated hundreds of students stressing the importance of architecture based on the principles of nature. Her work is informed by a deep understanding of place derived from the environment in which the work exists. She is respectful of history and takes great care in transforming heritage buildings in Spain into facilities for use today. She has developed designs of the vertical city where futuristic buildings are conceived to address density and be self-sufficient. Her work is exemplary of the mission of the William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum,” said Mark Sarkisian.
Rosa Cervera Sardá.
On the second day of the event, participants gathered privately at the Casa de la Arquitectura to reflect on the ideas presented during the public forum and to discuss continued challenges in addressing climate change. Rosa Cervera (Cervera Arquitectos), Débora Mesa (Ensamble Studio), and Cameron Millar (SOM) joined speakers from the previous day to share their ongoing research. The presentations were followed by a group conversation prompted by the individual talks and the larger ideas of the forum. Architect and curator Manuel Blanco gave a tour of the exhibition Regenerations: China and Spain in the Mirror on view at the Casa de la Arquitectura as well as a tour of the Royal Collections Gallery.
The William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum was made possible with the generous support of the Sarkisian Foundation for the Arts and Engineering.
The SOM Foundation would like to thank Javier Francisco Raposo Grau, director of ETSAM, Manuel Blanco, former director of the ETSAM, David Escudero, Associate Professor at ETSAM, and Rodrigo de la O, Professor at ETSAM, for their logistical support and for the partnership. The SOM Foundation would also like to thank Sara Leon and the team at the Casa de la Arquitectura for hosting us the second day of the program.
