Future Forum Forest & Wood

Building and Value Creation for the Future

On 30 October 2026, the Future Forum Forest & Wood took place in Savognin. The event centred on the Selva Futurainitiative, which brings together stakeholders from forestry, the timber industry, research, politics and architecture to strengthen regional timber value chains and explore new perspectives for the sector.
Celina Martinez-Cañavate, Member of the Management Board and Head of Research at HILDEBRAND, participated in the panel discussion “Building and Value Creation for the Future – New Architecture”, alongside Michael Hartweg (MICA Ventures) and Jon Erni (InnHub La Punt).
The discussion explored how architecture can contribute to the sustainable development of regions beyond the scale of individual buildings. From our perspective, the importance of a holistic understanding of architecture was emphasised – one that connects landscapes, resources, industry, craftsmanship and the socio-cultural context. Sustainable construction is not simply about using low-carbon materials, but also about strengthening regional value creation networks and generating long-term ecological, economic and cultural value.
Alongside the forum, insights from our research project MEHRwert HOLZ, developed in collaboration with ZHAW and supported by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) through its Wood Action Plan. Through spatial analyses of regional timber value chains, the study illustrates the close interconnections between local resources, businesses, infrastructure, knowledge and regional development.