Japan

nexCafé #13: Engineering Heritage

Join us online on March 9 for nexCafé #13, “Engineering Heritage: Seismic Risk and Resilient Architecture in Japan, Switzerland, and Italy,” a special talk dedicated to seismic risk and resilient architecture in Japan, Switzerland, and Italy.

Seismic Risk and Resilient Architecture in Japan, Switzerland, and Italy

This online talk brings together experts from Japan, Switzerland, and Italy to explore how engineering and architectural practice can strengthen the resilience of built heritage in earthquake-prone regions. Through case studies ranging from traditional timber-masonry structures to urban heritage sites, the discussion will examine how seismic risk mitigation, innovative technologies, and sustainable design strategies can be thoughtfully integrated into conservation practices while respecting cultural and historical values.

Drawing on Italy’s decades-long development of regulatory frameworks for seismic assessment, Switzerland’s proportional and research-based approach in a context of moderate seismicity, and Japan’s long-standing expertise in earthquake-resistant construction and timber-masonry systems, the event highlights both shared challenges and context-specific strategies. By placing these perspectives in dialogue, nexCafé #13 underscores the importance of international exchange in safeguarding architectural heritage for future generations.

Program

  • 7:00pm – Introduction by Fiammetta Pennisi & Dr. Ilyas Azouzi
  • 7:15pm – Presentations by Prof. Yohei Endo, Prof. Katrin Beyer, and Prof. Claudio Chesi
  • 8:00pm – Panel discussion
  • 8:20pm – Q&A
  • 8:30pm – End of the event
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Event start time

  • Japan

    7:00PM

Speakers

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    Bio

    Prof. Yohei Endo

    Associate professor, Shinshu University

    MSc in European Urban Conservation, Dundee University, Scotland (2009), advanced MSc in the second edition of SAHC course (2009) and PhD in construction engineering, Barcelona-tech UPC (2015). From 2024 to present, head of International Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE), Shinshu University, Japan. He has published 70 scientific papers relating to heritage conservation and is the editor of the three international academic journals.

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    Bio

    Prof. Katrin Beyer

    Full Professor, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory, EPFL

    Katrin Beyer studied civil engineering at ETH Zurich, graduating with distinction in 2001, and worked with ARUP in London on projects in structural dynamics, impact engineering, and seismic analysis. She later completed a Master’s degree in earthquake engineering at IUSS Pavia and earned her PhD from the University of Pavia in 2007, before returning to ETH Zurich as a postdoctoral researcher. She joined EPFL in 2010. At EPFL, she leads the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory. Her research focuses on the seismic behaviour of unreinforced masonry structures, particularly historical buildings not designed for seismic loads, combining large scale experimental testing with advanced numerical modelling. Since 2024, she has served as Dean of ENAC and is a board member of the European Association of Earthquake Engineering.

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    Bio

    Prof. Claudio Chesi

    Professor, Politecnico di Milano

    Claudio Chesi has been Full Professor of Construction Technology at the Politecnico di Milano, where he is still working. He has developed his teaching and research activities entirely at the Politecnico, where he taught courses in “Structural Mechanics” at the School of Architecture and “Earthquake Resistant Design” at the School of Civil Engineering. His research activity mainly focuses on seismic engineering problems related to the structural behaviour of new and existing buildings.

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    Bio

    Dr. Ilyas Azouzi

    Head of Science, Research, and Innovation, Istituto Svizzero

    Dr. Ilyas Azouzi is Head of Science, Research, and Innovation at Istituto Svizzero. A historian specialised in the political history and urban planning of fascist Italy, his work has focused particularly on the architectural legacy of Italian colonialism. Ilyas holds a PhD in History from University College London (UCL), a Master’s in Art History from the University of Lausanne, and a Master’s in Architectural History and Theory from the Bartlett School of Architecture.

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    Bio

    Fiammetta Pennisi

    Head of Art-Science and Deputy CEO, Swissnex in Japan

    With a background in architecture from ETH Zürich and the University of Tokyo, Fiammetta previously worked at Takenaka Corporation and interned at Kengo Kuma & Associates. With her broad multicultural background, she brings over four years of experience bridging art and science between Switzerland and Japan.

Partners

  • Swissnex
  • Istituto Svizzero

Contact

    Fiammetta Pennisi

    Head of Art-Science
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