We were honored to host our first DIVIA panel on 9 May at the Speakers’ Corner, Arsenale, as part of the GENS Public Programme of the Venice Biennale.

Titled Collective IntelliGENS: How Diversity in Architecture Shapes the Future, the panel brought together the five finalists of this year’s DIVIA Award and jury member Martha Thorne for an engaging conversation on visibility, diversity, and alternative approaches to architecture.

The event opened with a warm welcome by Carlo Ratti, curator of the 19th Biennale Architettura 2025, who underlined the importance of inclusive platforms within architectural discourse.

Finalists Carolina Rodas & Carla Chávez (Ecuador), Patcharada Inplang (Thailand), Izaskun Chinchilla (Spain), Trần Thị Ngụ Ngôn (Vietnam), and Cazú Zegers (Chile), alongside jury member Martha Thorne, shared their practices, challenges, and visions—each offering a distinct perspective shaped by context, community, and care. The panel was moderated by DIVIA’s Deputy Chair Dr. Julia Roever and Outreach & Development Lead Dr. Marina Wachs.

The conversation reflected what DIVIA stands for: opening space for underrepresented voices in architecture!