J. (Javier) Arpa Fernandez

J. (Javier) Arpa Fernandez

Profile

Javier Arpa Fernández is an academic in architecture and urbanism, as well as an author, curator, and researcher. He holds a Master of Science in Architecture from Delft University of Technology, specializing in urban design, research, and dissemination. He is currently pursuing a PhD at RMIT University in Melbourne with the title "Building Audiences — Research, Communicate, Act."

Currently, Javier is the Head of the "Building Audiences" Group, a newly established lab at the Department of Architecture (TU Delft) aimed at making design knowledge accessible to broader audiences, promoting research, and disseminating ideas about the built environment through publications, exhibitions, and conferences. He is also the Curator of Public Programs at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment (TU Delft). In this role, he is responsible for organizing exhibitions and directing the “BK Talks,” which address topics related to architecture and urbanism and are broadcast live over the internet and social networks. Additionally, he is a columnist at “Domus” magazine in Milan, where he manages the monthly column “Emerging Territories,” focusing on current formats and scales of urbanization.

Previously, he served as the Director of Research and Education at The Why Factory (TU Delft), a think tank dedicated to researching the future of cities. He also held the position of Editor-in-Chief at MVRDV, a global architecture and urbanism firm, and was the Deputy Editor of "Domus" magazine in Milan, Italy, in 2019.

As Coordinator of Research and Education at The Why Factory, Javier launched educational programs at numerous universities worldwide, leading multidisciplinary projects and promoting collaboration with experts in fields such as ecology, fashion, sociology, and health. He organized international exhibitions and events, focusing on exploring new forms of urbanization to address issues like the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. He co-led urban studies on Marseille for the contemporary art biennial Manifesta, as well as similar initiatives in St. Petersburg, Eindhoven, and Prague.

Javier has taught at prestigious institutions such as Harvard GSD, Columbia GSAPP, and Penn Design in the United States; ENSA-Belleville and ENSA-Versailles in France; and IE University, ETSAM-UPM, and the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Spain.

Javier curated the exhibition "Paris Habitat" in 2015 at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris, celebrating 100 years of social housing policies in Paris. In 2013, he co-organized the conference "The City That Never Was" with the Architectural League of New York, analyzing the impact of Spain's real estate bubble burst and imagining alternative urbanization modes. He co-curated the exhibition "African Speculations" at the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival in July 2017, Architekturgalerie München in 2018, and Politecnico di Milano in February 2019.

As an author and editor, Javier has contributed to numerous publications in architecture and urban planning, including the reference monograph on collective housing, "Paris Habitat: Cent ans de ville, cent ans de vie." His work at “a+t research group” involved sourcing editorial content and coordinating authors, resulting in influential series such as "Density," "Hybrids," "Civilities," "In Common," "The Public Chance," and "Strategy," all of which he co-authored.

In 2021, he was appointed President of the Jury for the French Architecture Prize "D'Architectures," providing him with first-hand knowledge of contemporary architectural awards dynamics.

Javier continues to participate in and lecture at numerous conferences and events worldwide, sharing his insights on architecture and urbanism.

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Courses 2024

Courses 2023

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