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Chiara Devoti

Chiara Devoti's picture

Associate Professor (L. 240)
Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST)

  • Referente del Rettore per Archivi e Collezioni storico-scientifiche
  • Componente Postgraduate School of "Beni Architettonici e del Paesaggio" Board

Profile

Keywords

Cartografia storica
Cultural heritage
Patrimonio architettonico
Patrimonio diffuso
Storia del territorio
Storia della città
Storia dell'urbanistica

Curriculum

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Scientific branch

CEAR-11/A - History of Architecture
(Area 0008 - Civil engineering and architecture)

Research topics

  • Critical investigations on the development and the architectural and functional transformations of monumental complexes dedicated to healthcare (hospitals, sanatoriums, leprosariums, and asylums). Beyond the broader national and international context, the focus has centered on a systematic study of the healthcare systems associated with the historic Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (hereinafter referred to as the Mauritian Order), a subject addressed through various publications, as well as participation in national and international congresses as an invited expert or member of the scientific committee.
  • Historical analysis on complex territorial systems, conducted on the basis of archival direct sources, mostly unpublished (maps, land surveys and atlas, reports). A specific approach is devoted to historical cartography. The scholarly output associated with this research area is significant; it manifests not only through publications but also via consistent participation in national and international conferences, as well as through consulting work and public engagement activities.
  • Patronage dynamics between the center and the periphery in the Baroque era: from the capital to the Duchy of Aosta. This section is specifically dedicated to the study of Baroque architecture - not only in the state capital, Turin, and throughout the rest of Piedmont, but also, and most notably, in the Duchy of Aosta, a peripheral area within the Savoyard states. Research has helped to identify not merely the presence, but the distinct character of the "provincial Baroque" in the Aosta Valley, a style defined by unique identity traits rooted, first and foremost, in the nature of its patronage. In this context, the figure of the bishop - who served as a count and a "pair" (peer) among the feudal lords until the end of the 19th century - plays a pivotal role (this was a unique instance in which certain rights were preserved, even though others had been abolished following the introduction of the "Règlement particulier pour le Duché d’Aoste" in the 1770s.) As a patron, the bishop was of particular significance, invariably drawn from the ranks of the nobility most steadfast in their loyalty to the House of Savoy.
  • The territorial and monumental heritage belonging to the Sacred Religion of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (later the Mauritian Order), the second dynastic order of the House of Savoy. The heritage has been reconstructed through a rigorous critical examination of documentary sources, involving extensive efforts to reorganize and catalog archival material. The analysis of the "commanderies" system - a highly specialized critical approach - explores a subject that has received little attention in both national and international scholarship, lending the work a distinct, recognized originality. This research has resulted in the publication of one single-authored monograph, two co-authored monographs, and various other scholarly contributions, as well as participation in conferences (both national and international, by invitation), seminars, and public events.
  • The urban development of Turin, with a particular focus on the transformations and the construction of its urban landscape. This research is based on a meticulous examination of archival records - most notably those held in the Historical Archives of the City of Turin -and a rigorous analysis of historical cartography, including both urban planning documents and materials produced after the fact, such as city views, comprehensive maps, and guides intended for travelers. The findings have been widely published, covering the period from the "Ancien Régime" to the contemporary era (a notable example is a monograph, co-authored by four scholars, dedicated to the boroughs and outlying neighborhoods of Turin). The research has also been presented at numerous national and international conferences and seminars. Of particular note are two conferences organized for SPABA - a prestigious, long-standing Piedmontese institution based in Turin - which focused on the Napoleonic era (and its associated urban planning) and the period spanning from the Restoration to the Unification of Italy.

Skills

ERC sectors

SH5_6 - History of art and architecture, arts-based research

SDG

Goal 4: Quality education
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Awards and Honors

  • Premio Optime conferred by Unione Industriale di Torino, Italy (1996)
  • Premio Regione Piemonte per le pubblicazioni conferred by Regione Piemonte, Italy (2010)

Fellowships

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Editorial boards

  • BOLLETTINO DELLA SOCIETÀ PER GLI STUDI STORICI, ARCHEOLOGICI ED ARTISTICI DELLA PROVINCIA DI CUNEO (2024-), Scientific Committee member
  • ARISTANA (2022-), Scientific Committee member
  • BOLLETTINO DELLA SOCIETÀ PIEMONTESE DI ARCHEOLOGIA E BELLE ARTI (2021-2030), Editorial board member
  • HEREDIUM (2020-), Director
  • Studi Piemontesi (2019-), Scientific Committee member
  • STORIA DELL'URBANISTICA (2018-), Scientific Committee member
  • IL TESORO DELLE CITTÀ (2018-), Scientific Committee member
  • MONFERRATO ARTE E STORIA (1997-), Scientific Committee member
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Conferences

  • Heritage in Times of Crises (2/12/2026-3/12/2026), Program committee
  • La cultura torinese del primo Ottocento/I. Torino e il Regno di Sardegna tra Restaurazione e preparazione all’Unità d’Italia (1815-1860) (22/10/2026-23/10/2026), Program chair
  • La forma dell'acqua. Hybris e sostenibilità nei sistemi idraulici dei giardini (secoli XIX-XXI) (20/10/2025-20/10/2025), Program committee
  • L’arte di costruire i viali alberati delle città. Il viale alberato nella storia e il progetto dello spazio pubblico urbano. La tutela e il rinnovo del bene comune. (5/6/2025-6/6/2025), Program committee
  • “Conservare Innovare”. Il progetto urbanistico per la transizione ecologica. In memoria di Roberto Gambino (1935-2019) (21/6/2024-21/6/2024), Program committee
  • Macrosessione 2. Adattabilità sul lungo periodo e in circostanze normali / Cities’ adaptviness in the long term and in ordinary circumstances, in X congresso AISU - ADAPTIVE CITIES THROUGH THE POSTPANDEMIC LENS. Ripensare tempi e sfide della città flessibile nella storia urbana/Times and challenges in urban history (7/9/2022-10/9/2022), Program chair
  • ADAPTIVE CITIES THROUGH THE POSTPANDEMIC LENS. Ripensare tempi e sfide della città flessibile nella storia urbana - Times and Challenges in Urban History. X Congresso AISU (6/9/2022-10/9/2022), Program committee
  • Le strade con fondale. La progettazione coordinata di strade e architetture tra medioevo e Novecento (15/6/2022-17/6/2022), Program committee
  • SPABA - Celebrazioni legate alla figura dell’architetto Bernardo Antonio Vittone (28/5/2022-28/5/2022), Program committee
  • Il Piemonte al tempo di Napoleone: documenti e ricerche inedite (12/3/2022-12/3/2022), Program committee
  • Quand les cathédrales brûlent. Rencontre internationale de Chartres (15/10/2021-16/10/2021), Oratore su invito delle conclusioni del congresso
  • Maria Giovanna Battista di Savoia-Némours: Stato, capitale, architettura (17/2/2020-18/2/2020), Program chair
  • Architettura medievale: il Trecento. Modelli, tecniche, materiali (2/12/2019-3/12/2019), Program committee
  • Festival della Tecnologia - “Torino e le radici della tecnologia” (6/11/2019-6/11/2019), Participation to the organizing committee
  • Maria Giovanna Battista di Savoia-Nemours. Preparare lo Stato, costruire il destino del territorio: potere, architettura, città, immagine (25/9/2019-25/9/2019), Program chair
  • Leonardo e le scienze dell'ingegneria. Riflessioni sulla cultura multidisciplinare. Convegno internazionale di studi (27/6/2019-28/6/2019), Participation to the organizing committee
  • Living Heritage: protection, use, management. National discussion panel with stakeholder dell'Interreg Central Europe RUINS (20/6/2019-20/6/2019), Participation to the organizing committee
  • LA CARTOGRAPHIE PARCELLAIRE DANS LES CAMPAGNES D'ANCIEN REGIME (EUROPE ET AMERIQUES) : DE LA PRODUCTION AUX USAGES / LAND-PLOT MAPPING IN EARLY MODERN RURAL SOCIETIES (EUROPE AND AMERICAS): FROM PRODUCTION TO USES (21/3/2019-22/3/2019), oratore internazionale su invito
  • ROVINE MEDIEVALI TRA RIUSO E VALORIZZAZIONE. ESPERIENZE A CONFRONTO. NATIONAL DISCUSSION PANEL WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON SUSTAINABLE USE AND REUSE OF RUINED SITES (nel contesto del programma Interreg Central Europe RUINS (18/10/2018-18/10/2018), Participation to the organizing committee
  • Construire, Restaurer, Détruire. Les chantiers du XVIII e au XXe siècle. Les technologies modernes dans les chantiers de restauration du début du XIX e siècle à 1920 : sources, pratiques et théories dans l’environnement européen (8/6/2018-8/6/2018), oratore internazionale su invito
  • Castello reale di Govone. 30 anni di valorizzazione, restauri, studi e ricerche (5/5/2018-5/5/2018), Program committee
  • Archivi e Cantieri per interpretare il Patrimonio: fonti, metodi, prospettive / Archives et chantiers pour l’interprétation du Patrimoine: sources, méthodes, mise en perspective (1/1/2018-9/3/2018), Program chair
  • Enrico Guidoni. Architetto, storico, umanista, l’attualità del suo pensiero (13/12/2017-14/12/2017), Program committee
  • Enrico Guidoni. Architetto, storico, umanista. L'attualità del suo pensiero. (13/12/2017-13/12/2017), Program committee
  • VIII Congresso AISU (Associazione Italiana di Storia Urbana) " La città, il viaggio, il turismo. Percezione, produzione e trasformazione" (7/9/2017-9/9/2017), Coordinatore della sessione
  • L’identité territoriale du Duché de Savoie à l’époque moderne: stratégies culturelles, géopolitiques et patrimoniales (21/3/2016-22/3/2016), Program committee
  • Le fabbriche del tabacco in Italia (14/5/2009-15/5/2009), Participation to the organizing committee
  • La santé des populations civiles et militaires (16/10/2008-17/10/2008), Program committee
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Other research or teaching roles outside Politecnico

  • Attivita' di insegnamento (art. 23 L. 240/10), presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (1/9/2014-31/8/2017)

Other titles

  • Membro del Comitato di Indirizzo Scientifico della Fondazione Ordine Mauriziano su indicazione dei Rettori del Politecnico di Torino e dell'Università degli Studi di Torino (2020-2025)
  • Referente del Rettore per Archivi e Collezioni storico-scientifiche dell'Ateneo (2024-2027)
  • Direttore Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Architettonici e del Paesaggio (2019-2025)
  • Membro della Commissione Toponomastica della Città di Torino per designazione del Rettore del Politecnico di Torino (2017-)
  • Collaboratore a progetti di ricerca e programmi di convegni con il Centro Studi del Consorzio delle Residenze Reali Sabaude – Reggia di Venaria (2013-2027)
  • Componente del Consiglio di Gestione del Centro Interuniversitario per la Storia delle Università Italiane-CISUI (2025-2030)
  • Componente Giunta del DIST - Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio (2026-2027)
  • Lecturer presso CoESPU - Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units/Vicenza - 11a e 12a ed. "Training the trainers" course (2022-2022), Invited lectures/visiting professorship in a foreign university
  • EHESS (École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris), Master en Sciences Sociales "Santé, population, politiques sociales" - ciclo di conferenze su invito (2006-2007), Invited lectures/visiting professorship in a foreign university
  • Université Paris 13 nord, UFR LSHS e Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, MSH-Paris-Nord, "Naissance et évolution du rapport médecin malade en France et en Italie (XVII-XIX s.) - ciclo di conferenze (2006-2008), Invited lectures/visiting professorship in a foreign university
  • CeSRAMP - Centro Studi e Ricerche sull’Architettura Militare in Piemonte, collaboratore alle attività di ricerca e studio, con partecipazione alle attività editoriali e di conferenze (2006-2020)
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Research networks

Roles as evaluator or expert

  • PRIMA. Prevenzione Ricerca Indagine Manutenzione Ascolto per il patrimonio culturale” - FASE 1.. 2023
    Fondazione Compagnia Di San Paolo
  • Bando Vinci 2026 - Università Italo Francese CAPITOLO 3 - Finanziamenti per borse triennali di dottorato in cotutela / contrats doctoraux en cotutelle. 2026
    UNIVERSITA' ITALO-FRANCESE - Direzione Ricerca e Relazioni Internazionali

Non-commercial collaboration agreements

Teaching

Collegi of the PhD programmes

  • PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO /ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, 2025/2026 (41. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO /ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, 2024/2025 (40. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO /ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, 2023/2024 (39. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI, 2022/2023 (38. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI, 2021/2022 (37. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI, 2020/2021 (36. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI, 2019/2020 (35. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
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Collegi of the degree programmes

Teachings

PhD

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Master of Science

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Bachelor of Science

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Research

Research Areas/Fields/Groups

Research projects

Projects funded by commercial contracts

Supervised PhD students

Publications

Last years publications

PoliTO co-authors

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Knowledge Valorisation

Technology transfer

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Production and management of public goods

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