Events are an integral part of the master programs: from workshops with guests professors to lectures series with relevant practitioners.
Wed, Mar 18, 2026
Masters’ Talks
7.30 pm — Event at DHub
Open to the public
Kathy Ryan
Backstories
Backstories
Kathy Ryan will choose a handful of photographs that stand out in her mind from the pages of The New York Times Magazine during the 39 years she worked there. She will share the backstory for each picture to give insight into how that image came into being. The photographs will cover a wide range of subject matter including international news, lifestyle stories, and culture coverage.
© Inez and Vinoodh
Ryan will also show and talk about some of the photographs from her Office Romance series that she made during the last decade she worked at The NYTMAG. They are a love poem to her colleagues and a celebration of the radiant light in the Renzo Piano-designed New York Times building.
The longtime director of photography at The New York Times Magazine, Kathy Ryan has been a pioneer of combining fine art photography with photojournalism. She has worked with the world’s best photographers across all genres of photography. She regularly brought new talent into The Magazine’s pages. She left The Times after 39 years to focus on her own artwork, curating exhibitions, teaching a course at Yale, and speaking engagements.
In 2011, Ryan edited The New York Times Magazine Photographs, a landmark book published by Aperture. An accompanying exhibition, curated by Ryan and Lesley Martin opened at the Rencontres d’Arles in 2012, traveled to FOAM Museum in Amsterdam, Palau Robert in Barcelona, Universidad Católica in Santiago and ended its run at the Aperture Gallery in New York City.
Ryan has contributed essays and Q&A’s to books by photographers Lee Friedlander, Christopher Payne, Seydou Keïta, Paolo Pellegrin, Lynsey Addario, Jack Davison and Brian Finke. She was the picture editor of Feeling the Spirit by Chester Higgins.
The Magazine‘s photography and videos have been recognized with numerous awards. Ryan was awarded the Dr. Erich Salomon Prize from the German Photographic Society in September 2025. Ryan was a recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Griffin Museum of Photography in 2007; the Royal Photographic Society’s annual award for Outstanding Service to Photography in 2012; the Vision Award at the Center for Photography at Woodstock in 2014; and the Outstanding Contribution to Photography recognition from Creative Review in 2016. Ryan has been recognized as Photo Editor of the Year by the Lucie Awards and Visa Pour l’Image. Ryan won two Emmy’s for videos she produced for The New York Times Magazine’s Great Performers series. Kathy was the International Center of Photography’s Spotlight honoree in 2024.
Office Romance, a book of Ryan’s photographs featuring her colleagues and the beauty and poetry to be found in the radiant light in the New York Times building was published by Aperture in 2014. This work has been exhibited in Europe and the U.S. All of Ryan’s photography is done with the iPhone.
April 9 — 11, 2026
Workshop
Núria Nia
IA & Performance
Only for MAIAD students
AI & Performance
The workshop will give the main keys of Performance Art and its intersections with disciplines, technologies and concepts to propose the exploration of a creative investigative process based on IA and performance. We will explore the history, theories, and practices of Performance Art while learning about the interactions between Performance Art and other disciplines, to be able to incorporate technology and IA into a transdisciplinary creative process.
Núria Nia
Trained in cinema, digital art and communication, doctoral student in Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona, her artistic practice starts from the audiovisual medium to combine with other forms such as performance or installation, activating mixtures of contexts and practices several that nurture theoretical and artistic research on topics such as digital bodies, digital work, the image-screen, the performed archive and collective thought.
Wed, May 27, 2026
Masters’ Talks
7.30 pm — Event at DHub
Open to the public
Jonas Janke, b+
Love me one time, two times … x times !
Love me one time, two times … x times !
The lecture is not a conventional showcase of selected projects from our daily practice, but rather aims to provide a broader insight into the network of actors in which b+ (bplus.xyz) operates, how we understand the contemporary way of an architectural practice and scope of work of an architect, and how we approach our projects—in short: who b+ is and how we work, what our values are, and what our understanding of our duties and responsibilities as architects is.
Jonas Janke (DE, 1991) is an architect and partner at bplus.xyz (Berlin). He has a diverse background in architecture, was trained as an architectural draughtsman before pursuing his studies in Hamburg, Stockholm, and Berlin. He gained valuable experience as a tutor and assistant in various departments including design & typologies, building construction, and structural design. He was part of the team 2038, the German Pavilion at 17th Venice Architecture Biennale 2021.
His early teaching experiences include guest studios at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) and Politecnico di Milano (Italy). He is regularly invited to give lectures and guest critiques at universities, cultural institutions, and public institutions. His focus is on new ecological construction materials and methods for adaptive reuse and renovation projects, seeking pragmatic and efficient technical and mechanical solutions that use material and construction thoughtfully.
bplus.xyz (b+) is a collaborative architecture practice (led by Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert, Jonas Janke and Roberta Jurčić) that operates at the intersection of theory and practice, using different media and formats. The practice seeks to engage with the contemporary challenges of our time, particularly those related to the social-ecological transformation of existing buildings, offering economically viable solutions.
b+ understands architecture as an open process, and views buildings as part of larger systems that require a systemic approach. The practice sees the given framework of existing buildings and legislation as an active design tool with the potential for transformation. Thus, b+ celebrates the potential of the existing built environment and aims to reveal and activate the latent potentials within.
b+ emphasizes working with different actors and stakeholders in project development. The practice values their knowledge and expertise and aims to create spaces for exchange and collaboration. b+ seeks to advance a new value system in architecture, one that places greater emphasis on collective responsibility, systemic thinking, and ecologically and economically viable solutions.
The current project in the field of political activism is the European citizens’ initiative HouseEurope! – HouseEurope! wants to create incentives that make renovation the new norm. This will boost the renovation market and give new value to what is already there. The goal is to preserve homes and communities, ensure a fairer and more local building industry, save energy and resources, and preserve our memories and stories.
May 25 — 29, 2026
Conference
Geneva, Switzerland
AI for Good
Global Summit 2026
Recommended external event for MHUAI students
AI for Good Global Summit 2026 is the leading United Nations global event focused on using artificial intelligence to address major global challenges. Over five days, experts from technology, design, science, public policy and international organisations come together to explore how AI can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The event combines conferences, technology showcases, workshops and multidisciplinary collaboration spaces.
AI for Good is a United Nations initiative led by ITU that promotes the responsible use of artificial intelligence to generate positive social impact. Through summits, projects and collaborative platforms, it connects governments, companies, researchers and designers to develop technological solutions aligned with current and future social, environmental and humanitarian challenges.
May 2026
Workshop
Garden of Light, Movement & Sound, Stephanie Rodriguez
Only for MHUAI students
Garden of Light, Movement & Sound is an intensive workshop where students explore collaboration between humans, artificial intelligence and physical systems. Over four days, participants design and build reactive plants that respond to human presence through light, sound and movement. The workshop combines creativity, technology and hands-on experimentation, culminating in a collective installation that embodies the idea of human machine co creation.
The workshop offers a collaborative learning environment focused on creative experimentation with artificial intelligence and basic electronics. Participants work in small groups to design an interactive object using Arduino, sensors and AI tools as creative support. The process prioritises exploration, hands-on learning and the collective construction of a shared interactive installation.
Stephanie Rodriguez is a professional working at the intersection of technology and human experience. With a background in mechatronics engineering and intelligent interactive systems, she specialises in artificial intelligence, programming, data science and human robot interaction. Her work focuses on the ethical and human centred use of technology in creative and educational contexts.
past events
Feb 16 — 20, 2026
MIWW workshop
Masters’ Interdisciplinary Workshops Week
Germán León & Regina Dos Santos
AI Entrepreneurship & Vibe Coding
Open to all Master’s students
Building Human-Centered AI Products
This intensive four-day workshop introduces participants to the ASPIC Framework, a practical, human-centered methodology for building AI products that truly matter. Rather than starting with technology, this workshop teaches participants to begin with empathy: identifying real user pain, designing trustworthy AI interactions, and building sustainable AI businesses. The framework stands for: Attract, Segment, Personalize, Interact, and Convert. Participants will walk away with a working prototype of an AI product, validated by real users, and a clear go-to-market strategy.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: Discover real user pain through structured interviews, Define AI value aligned with measurable business outcomes, Design trustworthy AI interfaces using the Five Moments of AI, Develop working AI MVP using no-code/low-code tools, Test through feedback loops and user validation, Grow using the Bullseye Framework for focused strategy, Monetize with pricing models designed for AI products, Build Responsibly with ethics, privacy, and trust as foundations.
Vibe coding is the art of building AI products with personality and intention. It moves beyond mechanical automation to create AI systems that feel intelligent, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Through careful design of prompts, interfaces, and feedback loops, participants learn to craft AI products that don’t just function,they resonate. Key vibe coding techniques include: Prompt craftsmanship, Personality design, Micro-interactions, Trust signals, and Feedback systems.
Germán León is a futurist, AI and UX expert, entrepreneur, and advisor. He is the founder and CEO of Helvetica Digital and founder of Gestoos, a computer vision startup acquired by Preact. With a master’s degree in Interaction Design from Umeå University and training in AI Design at MIT, he has led innovation at Oblong Europe and Vodafone Group. He currently directs master’s programs in AI and UX at Elisava. In this practical workshop, his goal is to provide students with clear and applicable tools to develop and bring their own projects to fruition.
Regina Dos Santos is a UX/UI designer and front-end developer focused on user-centered digital products. Her hybrid profile blends design, technology, and strategy, linking concept to execution. She covers full UX/UI processes—research, flows, IA, prototyping, interface design, and testing—guided by clarity, usability, and visual consistency. As a front-end developer, she works in the Google Cloud ecosystem, using Firebase, cloud services, and APIs to build scalable, production-ready apps. She collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, bridging design and technology with a product-driven, experimental mindset. In the workshop, Regina presents a practical approach combining UX, UI, code, and AI.
Wed, Feb 11, 2026
Masters’ Talks
7.30 pm — Event at DHub
Open to the public
Karel Martens & Thomas Castro
Unbound
Unbound
From July to October 2025, the Stedelijk Museum honored Dutch design icon Karel Martens with a comprehensive retrospective curated by Thomas Castro. Karel and Thomas will “flip-through” 200 pages of Martens’ works and invite the audience to participate in a lively conversation of anecdotes, insights, and unique examples of works, systems and sketches from his personal archive. From stamps and books to monoprints, architectural signage, and digital experiments, this is a unique opportunity to dive deep into the work of one of the most influential voices in graphic design.
Karel Martens (1939) is a Dutch graphic designer and educator. He studied at the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design, graduating in 1961. From 1977 to 2020, he taught internationally at ArtEZ, the Jan van Eyck Academie, and Yale University, and co-founded the Werkplaats Typografie in 1998. Martens designed the award-winning OASE magazine from 1990 to 2021. His work is held in collections including SFMOMA and The Art Institute of Chicago, and has been shown in solo exhibitions at P! (New York), Kunstverein München, 019 (Ghent), and Platform-L (Seoul). He received the BNO Piet Zwart Prize in 2023.
Alongside commissioned work, Martens has consistently developed an autonomous practice, most notably through his monoprints, begun in the 1960s. Since the 1990s he has used archival cards from the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, printing found objects onto them to create compositions that integrate printed imagery with existing archival text. Known for an experimental approach to typography, grids, color, and printing, his work moves fluidly between books, stamps, monoprints, signage, and digital systems.
Thomas Castro (1967) is a graphic designer, educator, and curator, and since 2019 Curator of Graphic Design at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. There he initiated the Post/No/Bills public poster circuit, curated the exhibition Karel Martens: Unbound, and edited the collection book Stedelijk Museum Posters by Color. Previously, he co-founded the multidisciplinary studio LUST and LUSTlab in 1996, which was awarded the BNO Piet Zwart Award in 2017 for their two-decade oeuvre. His practice connects making, education, and curating, with a focus on expanding the graphic design canon.
Jan 21 & 22, 2026
Conference & workshops
Berlin, Germany
propmt:UX 2026
Recommended external event for MHUAI students
prompt:UX 2026 is an international conference focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and user experience design. Over two days, professionals from design, product and technology come together to explore how AI is transforming the way we design, research and build digital products. The event combines talks, hands-on workshops and discussion spaces oriented towards real-world application in professional projects.
Luciano Lykkebo is a designer and event organiser specialising in user experience and digital innovation. He is the founder and host of prompt:UX, an international conference that brings together leading voices in design, research and technology to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on digital product design.
prompt:UX is a platform dedicated to fostering conversation and knowledge around designing experiences with artificial intelligence. Through conferences and workshops, it connects professionals working in UX, product and technology, encouraging the exchange of perspectives, hands-on experimentation and a critical understanding of how AI influences human experience.
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
masters’ talks
19:30 h — Event at DHub
Open to the public
Ronan Bouroullec
Day After Day: Rencontre with Ronan Bouroullec
Day After Day
Despite not always being entirely comfortable with the label “designer,” Ronan Bouroullec is undeniably among the most prolific and admired practitioners working today. For more than three decades, his Paris atelier—led with his brother Erwan until 2023—has produced a remarkable series of “singular objects,” often in collaboration with leading design manufacturers such as Alessi, Artek, and Vitra. In a special conversation with journalist Anne Quito, Bouroullec reflects on the arc of his career and explains how his drawing practice has remained a central pillar of his life and work. Vignettes from his latest monograph, Ronan Bouroullec: Day After Day (Phaidon, 2023) will be a highlight of the evening.
© Marion Berrin
Born in Quimper, Brittany, Ronan Bouroullec is a celebrated artist and designer based in Paris. His studio, formerly led with his younger brother Erwan, has collaborated with some of the world’s most prestigious design companies, including Artek, Alessi, Cappellini, Galerie Kreo, Hay, Kartell, Kvadrat, Magis, Mattiazzi, Mutina, and Vitra. Also a prolific artist, his drawings have been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Ronan Bouroullec’s studio, founded 30 years ago, is based in Paris and comprises a team of six assistants.
Wed, Nov 12, 2025
masters’ talks
7.30 pm — Event at DHub
Open to the public
Dries Depoorter
Surveillance art, dying phones, and fake likes
Surveillance art, dying phones, and fake likes
In this engaging talk, Dries Depoorter delves into his world of his art, blending the boundaries between technology and creativity. Attendees will be taken on a journey through Depoorter’s recent and upcoming projects, offering insights into the conceptual and technical processes behind his works. Dries will showcase live demonstrations of his art in the form of giving away likes or followers. This lecture offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the projects that have brought him worldwide recognition.
Belgian creative technologist and artist Dries Depoorter, based in Ghent, creates thought-provoking work about technology, surveillance, AI and social media in a playful way that makes people laugh while delivering serious messages in an accessible way. His projects explore digital culture that can inspire marketers: privacy challenges, artificial intelligence applications, surveillance and authentic social media projects.
With his unique background in electronics and digital innovation, Dries has become a voice for forward-thinking brands and marketing professionals looking to navigate today’s complex digital landscape. His artistic approach can directly inspire brands to think differently and develop original marketing concepts that stand out. Through his work, Dries demonstrates how combining creativity with technological insight creates viral moments.
His award-winning “Die With Me” app, accessible only when a user’s phone battery drops below 5%, demonstrates how scarcity and unique user experiences can create powerful engagement. On Black Friday, he doubles the price of his app instead of offering discounts, showing brands how breaking marketing rules can create attention.
In his viral project “The Follower” Dries leverages open cameras and AI to reveal the reality behind curated Instagram moments—offering marketers an unfiltered look at consumer behavior and content creation.
Meanwhile, ”The Flemish Scrollers” uses AI to automatically identify politicians using smartphones during parliamentary sessions, highlighting how technology can create accountability and transparency in public spaces.
Dries has exhibited at prestigious venues including the Barbican in London, Art Basel, Mutek Festival in Montreal,ZKM, Bozar, WIRED and Ars Electronica.
Nov 5 — 6, 2025
Workshop
Ricard García, Statement Typefaces
Cryptic Type Systems
Only for MAIAD students
Cryptic Type Systems
A workshop to hack writing systems for dissident ideologies. In a world where freedom of expression is increasingly at risk, spreading subversive or system-critical ideas is becoming ever more difficult. Throughout history, writing has been one of the most powerful tools for sharing dissident thought — and at its core lies something as fundamental as the alphabet itself.
This workshop invites participants to explore how we might reformulate alphabetic systems into cryptic or coded forms that, beneath a seemingly random or pseudo-chaotic appearance, can still convey messages and meaning.
Participants will experiment with ways of encoding communication — creating new visual, symbolic, or structural systems that disguise yet preserve language, challenging the boundaries between legibility, secrecy, and artistic expression.
Ricard Garcia is a type designer based in Barcelona. In 2015 he received his BA in Graphic Design from the University of Barcelona. Before moving to The Hague to study at Type and Media, he worked at Typerepublic as a type designer. His work is now a balance of type design, lettering & code.
