We met Giacomo De Conz, a young architect who graduated from UniTS in 2022 and this year became the youngest serving president of the Italian Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators, specifically for the Gorizia Province section.

What were the steps that led you to become the youngest president of a local section of the Italian Order of Architects?
My involvement with the Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of the Gorizia Province began during my university years, right at the University of Trieste campus in Gorizia.

In 2016, I was part of the ArGo Association (Architecture Students of Gorizia), an informal group created to promote collaboration and support among students of the degree program. During the “OPEN! – Studi Aperti” days, organized by the OAPPC of Gorizia, we were asked to display some of our university projects by setting up the Order’s premises. The experience was repeated the following year with an exhibition in a conference room in the city center.

On those occasions, we had the chance to meet the Council at the time and, even as students, understand the value of the institution and its role in the profession. Once registered in the professional register, we decided to run in the elections for the 2025–2029 term.

I particularly remember the event “50+ di architettura,” organized by the previous Council to celebrate professionals with over fifty years of membership. On that occasion, as the most recently registered member, I was asked to present the medal to architect Luisa Codellia, who had more than 61 years of activity. I experienced that moment as a symbolic “passing of the torch between generations,” respecting the path of those who came before us. It was then that I made the decision to step up and get involved.

I served as Secretary for a few months, a role that allowed me to gain deeper insight into the internal dynamics and responsibilities of the Order. When it became necessary to appoint a new President, I decided to run, fully aware of the responsibility it entailed.

How can your young age contribute significantly to your role?
I do not believe that the key to making a significant contribution lies in a single person. Rather, I believe the team is the true added value. The Council consists of eight members: two with consolidated experience and six, including myself, aged between 29 and 37.

Our young age allows us to closely observe the transformations in the profession, both in the increasing interactions with studios and institutions abroad, and in the evolution of the technologies at our disposal. A Council with this demographic can help absorb and translate these changes more quickly, offering members adequate training and informational support.

At the same time, there should be no generational opposition: the experience of colleagues with many years of practice represents a valuable resource to be collected, understood, and contextualized.

Why did you choose the Gorizia campus of UniTS for your Architecture studies?
When I chose the Gorizia campus, I considered several factors highlighted during the orientation days organized by universities. I was impressed by the course’s scale: a compact environment, almost like a small “academy,” where the contact between faculty and students was constant and direct.

The city also played an important role in my choice. Gorizia had a size and atmosphere that felt similar to my origins in Belluno. At the end of the program, I can say that my initial expectations were largely met.

The close relationship with the faculty was crucial, providing weekly moments of discussion that were essential for project development. My experience as a university tutor also allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the organizational structure of the degree program.

What I am most satisfied with is that I never felt like just a number. I always felt attention, support, and guidance, even during the most challenging moments, which are natural in any university path.

At the end of my studies, I chose to build my professional life in Gorizia, a city that today represents a dynamic and nationally recognized environment, offering significant opportunities both personally and professionally.