Keynote Lectures

  • 2024 / Pratt Institute, International Symposium + Workshop “Public Space Challenges: from theory to practice to policy“, co-organized by City Space Architecture and Pratt Urban Placemaking and Management, New York, April 25-27.
  • 2023 / Fus-ha Webinars: HIWAR organized by Œcumene Spaces For Dignity (online), July 4.
  • 2022 / UCLG – United Cities and Local Governments, World Assembly, side event ‘The Right to the City as an accelerator for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda” promoted by the Global Platform for the Right to the City and HIC – Habitat international Coalition in the framework of the UN High Level Meeting, New York, April 27.
  • 2021 / European sociological association (ESA), international conference, Semi-Plenary 07: “Public Spaces after Covid-19: Building Alternative Knowledges for the Future”, August 31 – September 3 (online).
  • 2021 / “Future of Urban Public Spaces”, International conference, promoted by Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, December 8-10 (online).
  • 2020 / Cosmopolitan Habitat Workshop & Symposium, organized by the Institute of Urban Design and Planning of Leibniz Universität Hannover in collaboration with the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo, funded by DAAD German Academic Exchange Service, November  6 / December 17 (online).
  • 2020 / Arte Polis 8 conference “Creative Society and Making of Place: Redefining Space in the Digital Era”, organized by the School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development, Institut Teknologi Bandung, September 3 (online).
  • 2019 / Green Building Council South Africa “Beyond. Shaping cities of tomorrow”, Cape Town, October 2-4.
  • 2019 / Croatian Chamber of Architects “The Days of Architects 3.0”, Split, Croatia, April 4-6.
  • 2018 / Centre for Built Environment (India), International Conference on Urban Conservation, Kolkata, November 26-28 (online).
  • 2018 / 2nd Saudi Urban Forum, promoted by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in cooperation with UN-Habitat, Riyadh, October 15-17.
  • 2018 / RMIT University, School of Art, Seminar “Reimagining Cityscapes & Mindscapes: perspectives from Italy and Australia”, included in CAST – Conversations on Art, Design and Social Practice – OUT LOUD, Melbourne, June 19.
  • 2018 / University of Sydney, School of Architecture, Design and Planning, Australia, international seminar “Design at Dusk”, Sydney, May 30.
  • 2017 / The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 10th Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU), The Entrepreneurial City, hosted at the School of Architecture of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, December 14-16.

New European Bauhaus: Regenerating the City of Tomorrow

Italian Architecture Festival “RIGENERA – Fare Con”, Palazzo Baroni, Reggio Emilia, 22 September 2022.
Keynote lecture: “The Public City: Social Infrastructures and Welfare Society” by Luisa Bravo

Podcasts

Cities Reimagined

Produced by Johannes Riegler, a member of the Management Board of Driving Urban Transitions Partnership (DUT).

In April 2023, I invited Johannes Riegler to spend a week in Bologna to visit me at the Museo Spazio Pubblico. He then visited me again to take part in the workshop “Suburban Spark” that I organised in Bologna in September 2023 as part of the Public Space Academy, and from there he launched the first episode of his podcast.

Here is how he presented me and my work: “What makes cities urban, you might find asking yourself from time to time. Whatever you find appropriate of a definition, it most likely have something to do with urban public spaces. There is no way of not addressing issues around urban public spaces in when discussing reimagining cities as they are key for healthy, cities. One of the most motivated people working on urban public spaces I met over the years is Luisa Bravo. […]. In our conversation we talked about teenage memories of Italian public spaces, Jan Gehl’s studies in the 60s and 70s, why Bologna has too many tables and chairs standing around, why public space and a museum dedicated to it in the suburbs matter, and much more.”

The Three Bells podcast

Produced by AEA Consulting for the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN)

In April 2024 I was interviewed by Stephanie Fortunato, Director of Special Projects at Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) for The Three Bells. Thanks to Gregorio Lucena Scarpella and Alyssa Cartwright.

My closing words: “We can’t imagine that public space will happen only because of passionate people. You have to create a consensus […]. That doesn’t mean that you only have people around you who agree with you. You have in your circle those who agree with you, but you also have many others who are sceptical, who are critical, who are against you, who are fighting you, but you want them to understand that your purpose is honest […]. We need people who are open-minded, who can understand the complexity of what you are doing, who can understand your commitment, who can understand the long-term effects of what you are doing. And even if they don’t agree with you, even if they don’t fully support you, they can still stand with you.”

The full episode is available here.

In conversation with Alfonso Femia and Giorgio Tartaro

Produced by 500×100, 2024

My point of view: “Architecture has largely neglected the subject of Public Space, leading to numerous challenges. However, there is much to be learned from past missteps, as they offer opportunities to explore alternatives and identify areas for improvement. Designing for voids demands the same level of attention, if not more, as designing for solid masses. This complex task requires collaboration with experts beyond the traditional field of architecture.”

Dialoghi sul Nuovo Futuro (Dialogues on a New Future)

Promoted by Glocal Impact Network
Centro di Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2020
Read a report of the event here.