Rena Giesecke
Program Engagement Manager, Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, Switzerland
Last updated: January 17, 2024
Rena Giesecke (Dr. sc. ETH Zurich) is Program Engagement Manager at the Holcim Foundation. She manages outreach and relationships with the Foundation’s global network of partner universities, and leads the design and implementation of a dynamic program of thought leadership activities for sustainable construction.
Before joining the Holcim Foundation, Rena was an ITA Doctoral Fellow at the Chair of Digital Building Technologies at ETH Zurich where she developed innovative solutions within the field of emerging additive manufacturing and digital technologies for construction.
Rena holds a Master of Architecture and a Doctor of Sciences from ETH Zurich. She studied architecture in Germany, Austria and Japan, and worked in a number of international offices. Her research at the Chair of Digital Building Technologies included digital construction methods for concrete slabs and glass facades, culminating in her thesis Digital Materiality of Glass Architecture: Additive Manufacturing of Three-dimensional Polychromatic Float Glass.
Besides architectural design and engineering, her expertise includes research with industry partners, teaching and project management from concept and technology development to implementation, and scientific publication.
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A Message from our Executive Director
2024: Sustainable Construction in Action
Zürich, 2024: Sustainable Construction in Action, Switzerland
Meet the 20 young professionals selected for our first Fellowship in Latin America
Introducing the Holcim Foundation Fellowship Cohort for Latin America!
Mexico City, Mexico
The NGX Ambassador team was joined by 10 students from around the world to open a new dance school and performance venue.
Immersive Design-Build Workshop Inaugurates a New Cultural Beacon in Indonesia
Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The Holcim Foundation Awards Talks in London explored the role of urban biodiversity in creating sustainable cities, from innovative design to community engagement.
Wild Education: Designing for Nature in the City
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Exploring innovative approaches to reducing carbon footprints in construction from Germany and Switzerland
Material Smart: Designing Low-Carbon Buildings
Zürich, Switzerland
USD 1M Holcim Foundation Awards 2025 competition now open
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Zürich, Switzerland
Construction Underway for Clinic of Care: Tanzania Project
Healthcare and Maternity Clinic Breaks Ground
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Holcim Foundation and ULI New York hosted a sold-out event on “Decarbonization at Scale”
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New York, New York, USA
Find out how two Awards-winning projects in Colombia and Ecuador not only deliver better built forms, but also strengthen social and economic resilience.
Reviving communities: Designing for resilience
Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Fellowship workshop kicks off in New York City
Decarbonization at Scale: From individual projects to global impact
New York, New York, USA
Holcim Awards Webinar looks at integrating the social and the ecological with approaches from Turkey and the UK
Urban Biodiversity: Crafting Biocentric Public Spaces
Zürich, Switzerland
Natural History Museum in London officially opens Urban Nature Project
Supporting an Urban Nature Recovery
London, UK
Holcim Awards Webinars look at different approaches to ecological revival in cities with projects from Mexico and Colombia that exhibit water consciousness at varied scales
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Zürich, Switzerland
Meet the 15 young professionals selected for our first Fellowship
Introducing the Holcim Foundation Fellowship Cohort for North America!
New York, New York, USA
Board plays key role in aligning the Foundation to current interpretations of sustainable construction – and pays tribute to outgoing Board members
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Zürich, Switzerland
Holcim Awards Webinars look at transforming neighborhoods with hyper-localized approaches from Egypt and Canada
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Unearthing Futures: Mexico City, Mexico – January 13-24, 2025
Holcim Foundation Announces Fellowship in Latin America
Mexico City, Mexico
Awards Talk Zurich highlights value of collaboration from design and finance to construction in reaching impressive sustainability targets
Panel discussion shares insights on timber-concrete construction
Zürich, Switzerland
Tone Wheeler from environa studio discusses ways to reimagine suburbia for sustainability
Suburbia is sprawling (and how to fix it)
Sydney, Australia
Building communities through diversity and empowerment
Designing Inclusive Futures
Zürich, Switzerland
Holcim Awards Webinars look at small and powerful transformations with winners from Ghana and Lebanon
Architectural Acupuncture: Small Projects, Big Impact
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Võ Trọng Nghia from VTN Architects explores how meditation is the key to healing ourselves and saving the planet.
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Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
Elevating vernacular riverside architecture in Brazil
Building with Nature
Manaus, Brazil
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Liz Minné discusses a range of innovative strategies that redefine our expectations of flooring.
Raising the floor on innovative carbon solutions
Atlanta, GA, USA
Holcim Awards Webinars look at sustainable design on campus with winners from Singapore and the USA
Green Campus Blueprints: Crafting Net-Zero Architecture
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Holcim Awards winning project delivers urban renewal in the city of Dhaka
BRAC University unveils ground-breaking sustainable campus
Dhaka, Bangladesh
The delicate balance between heritage and innovation, and the nuances of urban and rural development
Guardian of the built and unbuilt – Brinda Somaya, SNK
Mumbai, India
Design students present four site concepts to enrich community healthcare facility
Learning from Nkweshoo: A Community-Led Design Studio
Machame, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
We examine the impact of urban parks on surroundings and nearby residents
Challenging the greenery facade - Leonard Ng, Henning Larsen
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Decarbonization at Scale: New York City, USA - August 5-16, 2024
Holcim Foundation Announces Inaugural Fellowship in North America
New York City, USA
Tackling the carbon dilemma requires a fresh perspective
Simplifying the carbon conundrum - Stuart Smith, Arup
Berlin, Germany
Holcim Awards Webinars continue with winners from the USA and Vietnam
Industrial Architecture: Prioritizing Efficiency and Well-Being
Zürich, Switzerland
Holcim Awards winner Xu Tiantian on the art of revitalization
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Paris, Île-de-France, France
Research in Practice Grant recipients in Indonesia release final report on new design solutions
Re-adapting buoyant vernacular architecture
Purwakarta, West Java, Indonesia
Join our Next Generation Ambassadors for an 8-day heritage architecture reconstruction workshop in Indonesia
Open Call for Construction Workshop Participants
Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The impact of architecture on the human condition
Connecting people to place - Barclay & Crousse
Lima, Peru
How do we re-imagine the design process?
Unleash the power of process - Kjetil Trædal Thorsen
Oslo, Norway
Winners from China and Mongolia feature in second Holcim Awards Webinar
Heritage and Tradition: Innovating for a Sustainable Future
Zürich, Switzerland
What role will design play in solving the climate crisis?
How form-making will unlock the power of architecture - Bjarke Ingels
Copenhagen, Denmark
First Holcim Awards Webinar to feature winners from Canada and Spain
Integrated Multisystem Approach: A Key to Sustainable Building Design
Zürich, Switzerland
Workshop builds understanding of stakeholder needs and student skills in sustainable design
Co-design and Collaboration in Tanzania
Nkweshoo, Tanzania
Research in Practice Grant recipient proposes a new approach for recycled architectural glass
Introducing the Shingle Façade
Boston, MA, USA
One of the first tall buildings designed in timber to receive approval for construction in the USA
Framework broke new ground with mass timber high-rise in Portland
Portland, Oregon, USA
Juxtaposing a new mosque next to its predecessor, now retrofitted into a library
A derelict mosque in Niger is revived into a hub for the community
Niamey, Niger
An innovative design-to-delivery system that tackles pressing issues in the North American housing sector
Platforms for Life is a modular system for net-zero affordable housing
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Small-scale learning facilities in dense urban contexts across Indonesia
SHAU’s Microlibrary promotes reading and social engagement in Bandung park
Bandung, Indonesia
End of year message from Laura Viscovich, Executive Director
Supporting a Global Community of Change Accelerators
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The five jury chairs are here to tell - the big takewaways, who showed the most ambition.
Holcim Awards 2023: Round-up in Venice with the jury chairs
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A deep dive into the specifics of sustainability: energy and carbon, nature and cities.
Paul Finch, World Architecture Festival: The tastemaker (Part 2)
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Exemplary designs at the forefront of sustainable architecture
Holcim Awards 2023 Announces Global Winners
Venice, Italy
An affordable, eco-friendly solution that lasts and adapts over time
A modular, incremental model for urban housing
Córdoba, Argentina
How does the architecture we praise today square up with a sustainability mandate?
Paul Finch, World Architecture Festival: The tastemaker
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Clinic of Care: Indonesia marks two major milestones
Preservation through Deconstruction in Java
Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Banking on symbiotic nature-based solutions
Creating fountains of hope in Medellín through urban intervention
Medellín, Colombia
Banking on symbiotic nature-based solutions
Turenscape uses nature-based scheme to turn gray riverbanks green
Shenzhen, China
A centre where experts can engage local communities in the preservation of their national resources
A breathing lab as a symbol of sustainable rainforest management
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica
Enhancing the human condition without damaging the environment
Nina Maritz, Nina Maritz Architects: The frugality champion
Windhoek, Namibia
A showcase of innovative design and construction practices
Holcim Foundation Announces Finalists for the International Holcim Awards
Zürich, Switzerland
Preserving a treasure trove of heritage and culture
‘Acupuncture therapy’ saves Shenzhen’s district from demolition
Shenzhen, China
Measuring value from a sustainability perspective
Ambrish Arora, Studio Lotus: The reflective practitioner
New Delhi, India
Envisioning a biodiverse habitat for indigenous flora and endangered fauna
Hanoi breathes new life into eroded island landscape
Hanoi, Viet Nam
Groundbreaking hub set in biophilic environment
Ankara’s Eco-Techno Park is a green oasis for business
Ankara, Turkey
Transform the community first
A self-sustainable sanctuary on the outskirts of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Modular architecture that is net positive
Self-financing houses combat homelessness and carbon emissions
Municipality of Minalin, Central Luzon, Philippines
The strategy and the application of sustainability is very different in every situation
Tatiana Bilbao: The architect of care
Mexico City, Mexico
Next Generation Ambassadors explores architectural transformation
Maternity and community health center project now underway
Nkweshoo, Tanzania
Construction of environmental, cultural, and social hub continues in East Jerusalem
Collaborative design supports social reconstruction
East Jerusalem, Palestine
A design approach marked by an emphais on place
Benny Kuriakose: The vernacularist
Chennai, India
Examples from design and the built environment
Roles of start-ups in scaling circular innovation
Rotterdam, Netherlands
The first global flooring manufacturer to sell all its products as carbon neutral across their full life cycle
Nigel Stansfield, Interface: The flooring innovators
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
We need a transformational shift of the way we work, the goals we set, the processes we deploy
Maria Atkinson AM: The sustainability whisperer
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Hybrid event on building preservation in Indonesia set for August 26
Next Generation Ambassadors to host workshop on vernacular architecture
Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
Paradigm-shifting strategies on how to transform the energy sector
Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute: The energy guru
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Documentary explores the unique architecture of the riverine communities in Brazil
Life on the Amazon Waters
Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil
Restoring the water cycle in the built environment
Building with water
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Holcim Awards jury meetings underway to uncover the most exemplary projects in sustainable design
“A unique opportunity to spotlight a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow” – Belinda Tato
Zürich, Switzerland
Stage one of the Holcim Awards winning urban flood protection infrastructure project completed in New York City
First phase of Manhattan’s climate resiliency project opens
New York City, USA
Research in Practice Grant recipients publish research on creating renewable energy infrastructure in Patagonia, Argentina
Creating public discourse on the role of infrastructure in the age of climate change
Punta Loyola, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
The new generation of nature-based 3D printed artificial reefs
Coastruction: Bio-active constructions for reef recovery
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Urban design responds to road-related deaths: Africa’s leading cause of youth mortality
Designing safer pathways for the most vulnerable road users
Kampala, Uganda
Holcim Awards winning design displays the big impact of extending building life and thinking long-term
An artful approach to sustainability
Culver City, California, USA
Challenging traditional ways of material sourcing by putting the reuse of building elements at the forefront of construction
Beyond recycling: Why reuse is vital for resilience and regeneration
Zurich, Switzerland
Creating a toolkit for delivering sustainable urban growth
A new role for architectural design in improvised settlements
Cairo, Egypt
Introducing the Next Generation Ambassador projects
Clinic of Care
Zurich, Switzerland
The Wildgarten urban master plan encouraging diversity and sustainability has been completed in Vienna
Sowing the seeds for urban vitality
Vienna, Austria
Anton Savov on using digital tools to provide customized housing solutions for urban densification
7DayHouse: Fabrication-aware generative design
Zurich, Switzerland
Entry phase wrapped up on April 6
Enthusiastic response to return of Holcim Awards competition
Zürich, Switzerland
Ammar Mirjan on robotic rebar solutions create concrete structures that save on materials, emissions and waste at the Holcim Foundation Sounding Board
Digital rebar: An opportunity for material-efficient construction
Zurich, Switzerland
Submit your project by March 30 2023
One month left to enter the Holcim Awards 2023
Zürich, Switzerland
2023 competition opens for entries
Tatiana Bilbao, Craig Dykers, Lesley Lokko, Manit Rastogi, and Belinda Tato to chair the Holcim Awards 2023 juries
Zürich, Switzerland
Get ready to share your sustainable design
Holcim Awards competition launches this February
Zurich, Switzerland
End of Year Message from Laura Viscovich, Executive Director
Re-imagining the Holcim Foundation
Zürich, Switzerland
Circularity 2022
Holcim Foundation Board members participate in built environment session
Sydney, Australia
Cities: Affordable Housing
Holcim Foundation teams up for workshop with Norman Foster Foundation
Madrid, Spain
Holcim Awards Next Generation winners from The Americas celebrated in Córdoba
Inspiring young professionals to lead the transformation of the building sector
Córdoba, Argentina
A participatory project in Cabo Verde is rebuilding a community on the edge of new lava flows
Sustainable reconstruction in the shadow of a volcano
Cha das Caldeiras, Cabo Verde
Next Generation Awards Lab celebrates new ideas in sustainable construction
A launchpad for what architecture could be
Lausanne, Switzerland