Richard Wood speaks at Design Perspective by FOAID

Richard Wood, Managing Director Asia, is invited to speak at Design Perspective by FOAID, which a curated design forum in India that brings together architects and interior designers through knowledge-led engagements across India and the Middle East. With over 100 editions presented over the years, the platform has grown into a strong bridge between global design practices and rapidly transforming regional markets

Snøhetta’s work has long been defined by its belief that architecture is fundamentally a social practice, one that shapes how people meet, move, gather, and build meaning together. Cultivating Connection - Architecture as Social Infrastructure explores how Snøhetta’s transdisciplinary approach creates built environments that strengthen relationships between people, place, and culture. From global landmarks such as the Oslo Opera House and Times Square, spaces that invite civic life and public interaction, to educational, landscape, and cultural projects shaped by deep community dialogue, Snøhetta consistently designs with connection at its core.

The firm’s collaborative process, where architects, landscape architects, designers, and artists exchange roles to expand perspective, reinforces a belief that architecture must be open, porous, and socially attuned. Through this lens, the lecture examines how Snøhetta’s projects function as social infrastructure: platforms for belonging, catalysts for collective experience, and frameworks for more inclusive, sustainable futures.