Jan Wurm

Dr. Jan Wurm is Professor for Regenerative Design at the Department of Architecture at KU Leuven University and leads the EU Engagement and Venturing for Arup in Europe. He is driven by the opportunity to transform current practices of construction by scaling up bio-based building techniques linking tradition and innovation, bridging industry and scientific research and connecting key stakeholders, including policy makers, investors, developers, designers, material producers, contractors and users.

He obtained a Diploma of Architecture at RWTH Aachen University in 1999, followed by a PhD at Faculty of Architecture in 2005. As a Director for Research & Innovation, Jan Wurm has been leading Arup’s Research portfolio in Europe and the Foresight Team in Germany from 2014-2021. Recognized internationally as an expert for sustainable materials and building systems, he has steered a number of award-winning applied research projects exploring the potential of bio-based processes and materials for construction. SolarLeaf won the Zumtobel Award for Applied Innovation in 2013, the BioBuild Project the JEC Innovation Award in 2015 and FORESTA, a timber mycelium based acoustic fitout system, the German Product Design Award in 2021. Jan delivers key note speeches at international level and is Member of Steering Committees of the ECTP, the Advisory Board of the Design Modelling Symposium and of the Bauhaus Earth Fellowship Program. He was jury member of the 2023 New European Bauhaus Prizes. At KUL he is leading a research program on engineered living building materials for regenerative buildings.