Speakers
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Bio
Dr. Jan Albert Eckert
Project Lead, Lugano Living Lab and Visiting Professor in Spatial Design, HSLUDr Jan Albert Eckert is a Swiss urbanist, researcher and curator whose work explores cities, soundscapes, ecology and culture through photography, field recordings and interdisciplinary research. He leads nominute.city, an independent research initiative developed in part through a residency in Kyoto supported by Pro Helvetia and the Bern Design Foundation. An active member of the Swiss Society for Acoustic Ecology, he is also Project Lead at Lugano Living Lab and Visiting Professor in Spatial Design at HSLU. He is the curator of perhaps silence, co-developed with Swissnex in Japan.
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Bio
Ms. Mariko Sugita
Urban designer and curatorMariko Sugita is an urban designer, researcher, and curator based in Kyoto. She is the representative director of *** in Residence Kyoto, connecting international creators with local communities and places. She co-founded for Cities, an urban experience design studio, in 2021, and manages Bridge Studio, a cultural space hosting interdisciplinary programs. Her work spans urbanism, architecture, and cultural exchange.
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Bio
Dr. Thomas Vauthier
Doctoral Researcher, Kyoto City University of ArtsFrench artist and researcher based in Kyoto. Graduated from École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, and received his PhD from Aix-Marseille University in 2024. He also conducts doctoral research at Kyoto City University of Arts.
Program
- 5:30pm – Doors open
- 6:00pm – Welcome by Swissnex
- 6:05pm – Program and exhibition introduction by Dr. Jan A. Eckert
- 6:30pm – Panel discussion
- 7:15pm – Live online discussion with Prof. Dr. Luca Pattaroni, EPFL
- 7:30pm – Audience Q&A
- 7:45pm – Networking reception
- 8:30pm – End of event
iCal / Outlook
Event start time
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Japan
6:00PM
Full Program
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Swissnex Window #15: Perhaps Silence
November 5, 2026 — December 10, 2026Who shapes the future of culture? Bringing together perspectives from science, art, and technology, Perhaps Silence explores how humans, other species, and emerging technologies contribute to shaping culture. Drawing on photography, sound, and machine learning, the exhibition invites us to rethink how culture is created and who and what shapes its future.
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Opening Event of Swissnex Window #15: Perhaps Silence
November 5, 2026Join us for the opening of Perhaps Silence, with a conversation exploring sound, urban space and the environments we share with other species. Bringing together perspectives from acoustic research, architectural history, sociology and creative practice, the discussion will consider how listening can reveal overlooked relationships in everyday places.
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Soundscape Tour
November 6, 2026What can we discover about a city by listening? In this guided soundscape walk to Nakanoshima Park with Dr Jan A. Eckert, participants will explore the sounds that shape everyday urban life. Through listening exercises and shared observations, the walk invites participants to reconsider how different forms of life inhabit and share the city. No prior experience is required.
Partners
A collaboration between Swissnex, Nominute.City, Re-Negotiating.Space, and Bridge Studio
