EXPERIENCE-PACKED
PROGRAM
Immerse yourself in four days of dynamic discussions, incisive workshops, and one-of-a kind experiences designed for maximum impact. Through concise keynotes, interactive sessions, and hands-on workshops, you'll directly engage with visionary leaders tackling flooding resilience.
Arrivals – Delegates arrive in Venice throughout the day and get settled.
Evening Welcome Dinner – An informal kick-off dinner at the Hilton Venice, allowing participants to meet and mingle in a relaxed setting.
Morning – Opening Keynotes: The day begins with breakfast and welcome addresses. Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf (climate scientist) and Parag Khanna (global strategy expert) delivering high-level keynotes that frame the challenge of flood resilience.
Input Session 1: Parallel breakout sessions in three themed tracks – Retreat, Resist, Respond – featuring concise expert talks (15-minute insights) followed by group discussions. Held at the Venice Heritage Tower in Marghera, these sessions dive into innovative approaches for living with rising waters.
Lunch & Networking: A networking lunch and coffee break at the Hilton Venice, giving attendees time to recharge and connect.
Input Session 2: A second round of parallel sessions, rotating through new case studies and perspectives on the Retreat/Resist/Respond themes. Participants reconvene in their groups to deepen the dialogue and share global best practices.
Evening – Giudecca Dinner: Attendees travel by boat to Giudecca island for dinner. This off-site meal offers a taste of authentic Venice and a chance to continue conversations in an informal, inspiring atmosphere by the water.
Morning – Input Session 3: After breakfast, the final set of parallel expert talks and discussions unfolds, addressing advanced topics in each track (Retreat, Resist, Respond). This session aims to synthesize insights and prepare the ground for collaborative action.
Interactive Workshop: Facilitated group workshops bring all participants together to brainstorm and co-create solutions. Building on the themes of the Forum, these hands-on sessions encourage cross-disciplinary teams to outline actionable recommendations for flood-resilient design.
Lunch & Break: A lunch at the Hilton and a short break allow for informal exchanges and reflection before the afternoon program.
Holcim Awards Ceremony: In the afternoon, delegates reconvene at the historic Teatro Piccolo for the Holcim Foundation Awards ceremony – a highlight event celebrating innovation in sustainable construction worldwide.
Evening – Celebratory Gala: An aperitif is followed by a celebratory dinner at Officine 800, a stylishly repurposed industrial venue. Amid this evocative setting, participants toast the Forum’s outcomes, network with peers, and reflect on ideas sparked during the day.
TALK
SYNOPSIS
KEYNOTE
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Flooded Futures: What are We Planning for? Prof. Stefan Rahmstor
The Holcim Foundation Venice Forum 2025 is an invitation-only gathering uniting an international community of architects, climate scientists, planners, and leading strategists to explore groundbreaking solutions for a flood-resilient world.
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Parag Khanna - From Ice Age to the Future - How humanity has navigated climate change
Influential geoeconomist offering insights on navigating geopolitical shifts amidst climate change.
RETREAT
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Ass. Prof. Jola Ajibade: Managed Retreats Globally: Success Factors and Limits
As managed retreat programs expand globally, it is critical to assess whether these programs are reducing exposure to climatic risks, enhancing adaptive capacity, and improving the living conditions of communities or if they instead exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. This talk draws on lessons from 140 resettlement programs across the Global North and South, specifically on case studies from Puerto Rico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Brazil, Fiji, Rwanda, Austria, and the United States. It explores the successes, challenges, and innovations shaping these programs, highlighting key retreat typologies and the factors influencing outcomes, including governance structures, planning strategies, social ties, timing, funding, and economic opportunities. Additionally, the talk emphasizes how framing and decision-making processes impact the justice and equity of resettlement efforts. I also identify how planners, architects, and non-profits can participate and champion the design and implementation of more just, equitable, and transformative relocation programs both in the Global North and Global South.
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Sofian Sibarani: Moving Jakarta to Nusantara: A Radical Retreat?
Indonesia’s capital relocation from Jakarta to Nusantara is a logical and anticipative response to Jakarta’s urban and environmental challenges. Facing severe congestion, land subsidence, and pollution, Jakarta requires urgent interventions to remain livable. While relocating the capital does not solve all of Jakarta’s issues, it offers a transformative opportunity for a more sustainable urban future.
This discussion explores the design features of Nusantara, shaped by the "Nagara Rimba Nusa" concept, which integrates a green city approach, renewable energy, smart mobility, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Nusantara aspires to be a model for future cities by combining sustainability with locally rooted solutions. It seeks to rediscover Indonesia’s urban planning wisdom and vernacular architecture, enhanced by parametric analytical tools for future-ready development. While Nusantara is part of the solution, revitalizing Jakarta remains crucial to ensuring a balanced and resilient urban future for Indonesia.
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Thomas Thaler: Relocation Mechanisms Across Europe: Governance, Compensation and Acceptance
Planned relocation is increasingly recognized as a critical adaptation measure to safeguard communities from the adverse impacts of climate change. While previous studies have documented its logistical and technical challenges, the presentation focus on the relocation mechanisms across Europe, mainly Austria, Germany, Italy and United Kingdom. The presentation presents the governance arrangements, compensation strategy and scheme and the individual acceptance across the four countries.
Morning – Architectural Tours: Guided visits to the Procuratie Vecchie, a newly restored Renaissance building on St. Mark’s Square, offer insight into Venice’s blend of historical heritage and modern resilience. Participants explore this landmark restoration (led by David Chipperfield Architects) and draw lessons on adaptive reuse and design.
Closing Plenary: A final plenary session at the Procuratie Vecchie gathers all attendees to share reflections and key takeaways. Forum leaders facilitate a forward-looking discussion, distilling the week’s learnings into strategies and next steps for global flood resilience.
Farewell Lunch: A standing “flying” lunch at the Procuratie Vecchie wraps up the official program. It’s a last opportunity for informal dialogue as participants exchange contacts and plan collaborations, against the backdrop of Venice’s historic center.
Afternoon – Biennale Visit: To conclude, attendees are invited to experience the Venice Architecture Biennale at their own pace. This self-guided visit to the world-renowned exhibition offers fresh inspiration and a broader context, reinforcing the ideas discussed at the Forum.
Departures – As the Forum comes to an end, departures are planned for late afternoon and evening. Participants leave Venice informed, connected, and inspired – carrying new insights and momentum back to their home cities.