Forum Forum February - Rio de Janeiro: A Waterfront in Transition with Luisa Schettino

For our first event of 2026, Luisa Schettino will explore the urban evolution of her hometown Rio de Janeiro, with a focus on the city’s attempts to reposition its historic core through strategic urban transformation.

Luisa will focus on Rio’s business-dominated Centro district, examining the relationship of city to its formerly industrial waterfront and strategies to bring intensification and mixity through new urban housing. Through reflections on the city’s historic spatial patterns of development and recent major regeneration initiatives, the talk will share lessons learned, critical insights, and observations relevant to cities grappling with complex challenges of regeneration that aim to reverse the effects of post-war urban planning.

Luisa is an architect and urban designer with NH Architecture, specialising in large scale masterplanning and strategic design for mixed-use neighbourhoods. Her work spans major projects across Europe, North America and Asia, from Google’s Moffett Park in California to the city centre of Thimphu, Bhutan. Luisa is a Committee Member at Urban Design Forum, and we are excited to learn from her insights on the city of her childhood.

This Forum Forum is being generously hosted by NH Architecture at their office.

📍Place: NH Architecture (Level 7/12-20 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000)

🕖 Time: 6:00 to 8:30 pm

📅 When: Monday, 2nd of February, 2026

Image Credit: Andre Sanches

Note: Ticket price includes snacks and a complimentary drink.