Maria Smigielska is an architect and researcher with diverse experience in academia and practice for architecture and design. Her interest lies in enhancing the creative potentials for digital and physical creation of architectural elements, design objects, artistic installations, and interactive systems. The methods often used are encoding and modulating materials properties, employing novel design strategies and custom, mostly robotic fabrication, altogether facilitated through digital infrastructures. ⁠
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Currently, she is also affiliated with the chair of Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zurich as a researcher. She gained professional architectural experience in Poznan, Warsaw, and Zurich, where she joined Baierbischofberger Architects in 2014 to implement computational design methods for arts-related architectural façade projects. From 2016 she has been involved in research and teaching with multiple institutions, including Digital Knowledge at ENSA Paris Malaquais, Creative Robotics UfG Linz, Interaction Design ZHdK Zurich. Since 2019 she has been working at the Institute Contemporary Design Practices HGK, FHNW Basel, where within the codefa team she obtained a nomination to Design Preis Schweiz 2021 in research category.

Maria holds a MSc degree in Architecture (TU Poznan, Poland, 2009) and MAS in Architecture and Information (ETH Zurich, 2013). Her work has been published and exhibited throughout Europe since 2013, while the most recent appearances include Tallinn Architecture Biennale (2017),Trondheim Biennale for Arts and Technology (2020), SAM Swiss Architecture Museum Basel (2021) or ZKM Karlsruhe (2021).