1st Charis Awards

- Gemma Galeno *

Architecture Jury Member

Architect · GIG Architectural Design / Imgems

Gemma Galeno, a 30-year-old architect and building engineer, harbors a profound passion for biophilic design and the restoration of heritage buildings. With roots in both Sicily and the Netherlands, she pursued her degree in Building Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology and later specialized in the sustainable transformation of heritage buildings for her Master's at Delft University of Technology.

Her career commenced with a three-year stint at Zecc Architects, where she engaged in the transformative restoration of old churches, water towers, and other neglected properties. Subsequently, Gemma transitioned to working with a real estate developer in Amsterdam, focusing on breathing new life into venerable, monumental buildings through innovative renovation projects.

This journey eventually inspired her to establish her own studio, dedicating her expertise to biophilic projects in exotic locales like Bali and the Dominican Republic, utilizing rammed earth and other indigenous materials. Concurrently, she continues to contribute to the transformation of monumental buildings across Europe.

From a young age, Gemma's passions lay in painting, drawing, and conjuring up fantastical realms. Her discovery of CGI tools led her to develop a keen interest in rendering, and two years ago, she became captivated by AI-image tools, viewing them as a harmonious blend of artificial and human intelligence. A particular scene from Westworld, where a designer crafts creations through voice commands to an AI computer, left her enchanted. "I would looove to have that device one day!" she exclaimed to her partner. Now, she finds herself at the threshold of this reality, where machines and designers collaboratively forge new creations.