DIRECTORS
Executive Director, Co-Founder
Danny is an architectural designer, educator and researcher. His work explores the limitations, histories and biases of tools and the representations they produce. He has studied, lived, worked and taught throughout Europe, Asia, South Africa and the US, building and managing several public and non-profit projects. In 2017, he co-founded Space Saloon to put his interest in situated research, place-making and design-build to use for good.
Say hello to Danny.
Programs Director, Co-Founder
Gian Maria is an architect, educator and co-founder of Space Saloon. After growing up in rural Italy he studied between Italy, Sweden and Switzerland obtaining a Master in Architecture and a Master of Advanced Studies in Urban Design. He has worked across 3 continents in both academia and practice at all scales. His main interest lies at the intersection between architecture and the tangent disciplines that define its context: physical and social geography, earth sciences and landscape design. Space Saloon is his undertaking for exploring his multiple interests while bringing positive change to learners and communities around the globe.
Send a message to Gian.
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Rebecca van Beeck
Creative Director
Rebecca is a scenographer and educator from South Africa. Influenced by her background in architecture, her approach links across urban research, participatory design, spatial design, stage and costume design, and live and visual art. She is interested in the relationships between ‘space’ and ‘performance’, with the notion of performance ranging from daily patterns of use to theatrical movements on stage. Rebecca considers the design process an ‘improvisation framework’ for collaboration and collective making. She has worked and lived in Cape Town, Stockholm, Zurich, Bangkok, Los Angeles and now London.
Reach out to Rebecca.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Space Saloon’s Board of Advisors serve as stewards of Space Saloon’s mission. They help guide and support the organization through active participation in board meetings, committees, strategic fundraising and programming development. Their educational, professional, and creative backgrounds align with Space Saloon’s core values. If you are interested in joining our growing team of advisors, please get in touch!
Natasha Sandmeier
Architect, O.UR
Geoff Manaugh
Steven Hillyer
Director, Architecture Archive, The Cooper Union
Architect, O.UR
Educator, UCLA, AA, SCI-Arc
Geoff Manaugh
Freelance Writer, BLDGBLOG
Steven Hillyer
Director, Architecture Archive, The Cooper Union
Co-founder, Arkanjel Productions
TEAM