Eva Franch i Gilabert named Vectorworks Design Summit Keynote Speaker

Global design and BIM software maker, Vectorworks, Inc., has announced that Eva Franch i Gilabert, a New York-based architect, curator, educator and lecturer on experimental forms of art and architectural practice, will deliver the design keynote address at the 2016 Vectorworks Design Summit on 27 April 2016.

Eva Franch i Gilabert—The Importance of Risks

Franch’s keynote is titled, “Alternatives” and will focus on the importance of experimental ideas and practices in design, as well as the possibilities and insights gained from an appreciation to take risks.

Franch i Gilabert attained two masters in architecture degrees, first from the Escole Téchnica Superior d’Arquitectura (ETSA) Barcelona and then secondly from Princeton University. She then founded her own practice, Office of Architectural Affairs (OOAA), in 2004.

Since 2010, Franch i Gilabert has been the chief curator and executive director of Storefront for Art and Architecture in New York, which is a nonprofit organization committed to the advancement of critical and innovative ideas in architecture, art, and design. In 2014, she was selected with the project OfficeUS by the U.S. State Department to represent the United States Pavilion at the XIV Venice Architecture Biennale. She has taught at Colombia University GSAPP, the IUAV University of Venice, SUNY Buffalo, and the Rice University School of Architecture.

“I’m excited to inspire—and be inspired by—other creatives, designers and creators at the Vectorworks Design Summit,” said Franch. “I hope to contribute something meaningful to the exchanging of ideas while sharing the chances I’ve capitalized upon to experiment, take risks and raise doubt, as well as go beyond disciplinary labels and boundaries.”

Franch’s Voice Highlights Vectorworks Inc.’s Commitment to Design Community

As an independent voice for architectural thought and practice, Franch’s presence highlights Vectorworks’ commitment to the design community and mission to build tools that enable more than half a million users around the globe to see the world differently and explore possibilities through creative design workflows.

The annual Summit is a reflection of this commitment and will bring together over 500 designers from the architecture, engineering, construction, landscape and entertainment design industries on April 25 through April 27, 2016 at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois. Attendees will enjoy thought-leadership sessions worth Continuing Education credits and a sneak peek into the future of the Vectorworks® software line. Additionally, attendees will have access to one-on-one tech support, product feature training and many networking opportunities through evening activities.

Training and Architectural Tour Registration

The Summit kicks off with optional, pre-conference training on April 25. Registered attendees can secure their preferred classes now on topics like Project Sharing, Energos and Marionette, and the newest addition to the Vectorworks product line, ESP Vision.

In addition, Vectorworks partnered with the Chicago Architecture Foundation to enable attendees to choose one of three complimentary local architecture tour options following the conclusion of the final conference sessions on April 27. Registered attendees can secure their tour here.

After-Hour Activities

Complementing the training opportunities are a series of after-hours events where attendees can network and have fun. There will be a welcome dinner at SPiN from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. CT. Better known as a ping-pong social club, SPiN boasts 20 table tennis tables, as well as a full bar and restaurant to combine sport, design and entertainment.

The celebrations will continue on April 26, where the evening will kick off with the Expo Happy Hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT, featuring headline sponsor Bluebeam® Software, Inc., along with other sponsors Asite Solutions Ltd., 3Dconnexion, Inc. and Canon U.S.A., Inc. In addition, ConnectCAD Limited, HP, Maxon Computer GmbH, Modelo, Inc., Pulp Art Surfaces, SCIA, Inc. and Solibri LLC will be on hand to help attendees find the right solution for their design needs.

The winners of the Marionette Science Fair, a global, virtual graphical scripting contest, will also be announced during the April 26 Expo Happy Hour event. Entrants don’t have to be a Summit attendee to win. Entries will be accepted up until April 11, at 11:59 p.m. CT, so there’s still time for interested participants to submit for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

Following the happy hour, attendees will head to the Art Institute of Chicago for the Customer Appreciation Party, which starts at 7 p.m. CT. With its collection of diverse artistic pieces, the Art Institute provides the perfect backdrop for celebrating another fantastic Summit. The event includes dinner and an open bar, access to the Impressionism exhibit and the Architecture and Design Galleries and the music of a local band, Hey Jimmy. Additionally, the capabilities of Vectorworks software will be illuminated via the party’s lighting design by a local, Chicago-based firm, AV Chicago.

To learn more about the 2016 Vectorworks Design Summit, visit http://www.vectorworks.net/design-summit. Press members who are interested in attending the Summit for free should email Vectorworks’ Communications Manager Lauren Burke at lburke@vectorworks.net.