As the keynote speaker for the Center for Green Buildings and Cities symposium, “Environmental Adaptations/Adaptive Environments,” Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, the co-founder of Snøhetta, will provide insights into the firm’s work, highlighting the relationship between people, nature, and built environments. Established in Oslo, Norway, in 1989, Snøhetta was inspired by the Brundtland Commission’s report on sustainability, Our Common Future, published by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) two years earlier. Today, Snøhetta is a transdisciplinary practice with studios in eight locations worldwide.

As the building industry accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, Thorsen believes designers and architects must take significant responsibility while recognizing the opportunities to drive the industry toward a greener transition. He will discuss how social and environmental sensitivity can inform design, showcasing notable projects globally, including the Library of Alexandria, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, the firm’s material exploration, the Powerhouse series, as well as Harvard HouseZero, and Vertikal Nydalen.