Biography

I am a public space scholar and a passionate activist, a cultural entrepreneur, and an academic. My expertise is grounded in extensive academic postdoctoral research and teaching in Italy and Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, as well as more than twenty years of professional practice as an urban designer focusing on public space.

Through my Italian non-profit organisation City Space Architecture, which I founded in 2013, I am fully committed to promoting public space culture on a global scale, working in partnership with UN-Habitat, universities, and leading institutions worldwide, engaging large audiences. I have

I hold a strong record of academic publications, in Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. I have been the recipient of prestigious grants and awards, such as the Marco Polo Scholarship granted by the University of Bologna and hosted at the University of California Berkeley, College of Environmental Design (2012) and the Australia Endeavour Executive Award, the Australian Government’s internationally competitive, merit-based fellowship program aimed at bringing leading researchers and professionals to Australia, hosted at the Queensland University of Technology, School of Design (2018). I have served as a speaker at major international conferences in more than thirty countries.

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As always Luisa – you are on FIRE! And an inspiration.
I am honoured to work with someone with such an incredible reach, collaborative generosity and inspiring vision and who never tires.

Fiona Hillary
Program Manager, Art in Public Space
RMIT University, Australia

You taught me the true importance of public spaces and the role they play on the human psyche. In a world governed by self-interest, it is crucial for universities all over the world to impart to their students the necessity of the existence of high-quality public spaces and you have gone above and beyond the call of duty to communicate such an existential concept to your students. I have become a true fan of your crusade for better public spaces.

Babak Shakiba
Master student, University of Florence

My personal congratulations to you for all ideas, from the very first one – that this world needs City Space Architecture – and, in particular, for your amazing stamina. I feel really proud for being part of your projects since that inspirational start in Bologna in 2014.

Darko Radovic
Emeritus Professor
Keio University, Japan

Your worldview about the human value of public space and your personal warmth uplifted us, Luisa, at a time when feeling uplifted is a precious, if not rare, quality.
And you! What a pleasure it was to meet you. I am still shaking my head when I look at the list of your accomplishments and your current endeavors.
Warmest thanks on behalf of all the students in University in the Community and a very special thank you from me. 

Joanne Mackay-Bennett
Coordinator, University in the Community
Toronto, Canada

Big shout out to you Luisa for your leadership, creativity, and productivity!! All these initiatives are super interesting and important. It is not easy to accomplish them without tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, especially at these extraordinary times.
This is amazing! Thank you.

Zhixi C. Zhuang
Associate Professor and Director, DiverCity Lab
Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada

Congratulations on officially signing the agreement with UN-Habitat. I can’t help but feel proud of your achievements that I have watched flourish through the past years. You really inspire me greatly.

Joumana Stephan
Architecte | Doctorante en Architecture
Université Libanaise UL – EDST

EDUCATION

  • 2008  /  Ph.D. in Building and Territorial Engineering, University of Bologna (Italy). Thesis in Contemporary Urbanism titled: “Public versus private: the fickle search for a plan for the urban well-being” (written and defended in Italian).
  • 2001 / MSc five-year degree, marks 100/100, in Architectural Engineering, University of Bologna (Italy). Thesis in Urban Planning and Design titled: “A perspective of urban regeneration: a case study in Ascoli Piceno”. The graduation thesis was made publicly available through an exhibition in the city of Ascoli Piceno (May 28-June 4, 2002), with the patronage of the Municipality of Ascoli Piceno and the support of the Province of Ascoli Piceno, curated by Luisa Bravo. The project was then included in the publication of the Province of Ascoli Piceno, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foundation under the patronage of the Presidency of the Italian Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, in the section “Perspectives” (2004).
  • 1997 / Member, as Student Researcher and Urban Designer, of The Prince of Wales’ Urban Design Task Force (London, UK) in Beirut and Sidon, Lebanon, July 26-August 23, for The Prince of Wales’ Institute of Architecture (POWIA – currently known as The King’s Foundation), invitation letter by Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in collaboration with the American University of Beirut, under the supervision of the POWIA Projects’ Office.
  • 1996 / Participant, as Student Researcher and Architectural Designer, of the Cours d’eté de la Garenne Lemot for CEPIA – Centre d’Etudes sur le patrimonie et l’Italianitè en Architecture (Nantes, France), promoted by Conseil General de la Loire Atlantique – Direction du Development educatif, culturel et des transports, Clisson, July 22-August 17.

AWARDS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ON THE PRESS (online)

WORLD

 

ITALY