Information for speakers

1. The invitation

When invited to the conference, we will arrange a preparatory meeting to discuss your lecture topic in relation to our program. You will receive instructions on date, time and duration for your talk.

We will ask you to provide a portrait photo and a short biography of 3–8 sentences to be presented online. Examples from previous speakers can be found here.

2. Preparing the abstract

When preparing the lecture, we will ask you to write a preliminary title and abstract for our program. The abstract is a way to increase audience expectations and will help us place your talk where it belongs in our series of lectures. Please provide a summary in 3–8 sentences on your lecture content, together with a title.

Here are some questions to help formulate the abstract:

1. What problems will you address in the lecture?

2. Which topics do you want to cover in your lecture?

3. Which insights do the audience learn during you lecture?

4. What kind of solutions to the problem posed by your lecture will be presented?

Here’s an example:

Title: Non-modernist principles of urban planning – The scientific approach

Abstract: With the increasing urbanization of the planet, it is essential to use science to plan the human habitat. Lessons from traditional settlements define evolved elements of architecture and urbanism that have adapted to human biology. Those are verified by the latest diagnostic techniques using eye tracking and neuroscience. But Modernism implemented a strange ideology with inhuman typologies that the architecture-industrial complex forced users to adapt to. This effort continues the worst sort of massive social engineering trying to reshape humans into mindless machines. Researchers argue that the modernist built environment is generating enormous amounts of stress and long-term pathologies.

3. Preparing the slides

We will ask you to hand in your lecture slides before 25th of April 2025. Please send your presentation in PDF- or PowerPoint-format to speakers@barch.no

We encourage you to use slides with minimal text, relying mostly on pictures and drawings to support your talk. Avoid cluttered slides by keeping visuals large and clear, ideally one image per slide. Aim for about two slides per minute of speaking time, and adjusting the number of slides based on the length of your talk. For detailed visuals, zoom in by cropping or duplicating images to emphasize key points.

avoid crowded slides, use little to no text

4. Preparing the talk

Prepare well and practice your presentation in advance to build confidence. It’s perfectly fine if English isn’t your first language—what matters is clear communication.

Your talk will be recorded for YouTube, so maintain a smooth flow without audience interruptions. Technical staff will be available to assist with microphones and slides if needed. Add fresh perspectives to your lecture, even if presenting familiar material, to keep it engaging and relevant.

5. Submit an article (optional)

In the 2025 conference we aim to publish a selection of talks as articles for a brand new journal on Beauty in Architecture. We invite all speakers to contribute. More information on proceedings will be shared with you soon.