Impacts 2022 – Elsa SEMIN, Alumni 2015

The new ways of inhabiting space, of interacting with the biotope and living beings, fuel the daily reflection of Elsa, an urban designer who has chosen to focus on the development of bio-inspired habitats.

As a consultant for Except - Integrated Sustainability agency, she collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of over 70 experts on the design of the new World Trade Center offices, located in the business district of Schiphol airport, in Amsterdam. "The challenge on this project was to design the most autonomous and innovative building possible to respect the environment and the well-being of users while boosting the local economy. Based on the circular economy and systems theory, the major challenge was to find concrete solutions that would enable the flow of resources, energy and water in a closed circuit."

Harvesting rainwater, creating water reservoirs, producing energy locally, planting a vegetable garden to feed the occupants, enriching the soil of the natural spaces, recycling waste and wastewater, urban design is envisaged in a systemic approach that stems from a long-term vision.

Elsa also calls for a form of collective responsibility: "It is not the role of public authorities and economists alone. Architects, designers and urban planners are the decision-makers and they are at the heart of the ecological transition. It is a matter of taking back control of our own needs, our consumer habits and our lifestyles."