Michela Rosso

Full Professor (L. 240)
Department of Architecture and Design (DAD)

Profile

Research interests

Architectural satire, architectural cartoons
History of architectural criticism
History of architectural history
History of modern architecture, cultural heritage, conservation

Biography

Architect and Full Professor of History of Architecture, MR holds a PhD in History of Architecture and Urban Planning. Her research interests span the fields of architectural history, architectural criticism and historiography, the history of modernism and conservation of architectural and urban heritage. In her work she seeks to intersect diverse academic knowledge areas converging to the relation between the history of the built landscape and the different forms of mediation of architectural and urban culture. In this perspective are to be viewed her most recent studies aimed at examining architectural journalism and satire as test cases for studying the reception of architectural facts and their impact on specific segments of public opinion. MR was a visiting scholar at the Getty Research Institute; Centre Canadien d'Architecture; Yale Center for the British Art; NYU - Institute of Fine Arts and visiting professor at Bartlett UCL; ETSAB - UPC Barcelona; GSAPP-Columbia University, SEU Nanjing; Kyoto Institute of Technology. Among her publications: Laughing at Architecture. Architectural Histories of Humour, Satire and Wit, London - New York: Bloomsbury, 2019; “Heritage, Populism and Anti-Modernism in the Controversy of the Mansion House Square Scheme”, in Á. Moravánszky, T. Lange (eds), Re-framing Identities: Architecture's Turn to History, 1970-1990, Basel: Birkhäuser, 2017, pp. 227-43; “The Wild 1926-1942: Architectural Polemics and Invective Imagery”, Architectural Histories, vol. 10 (2016), p. 1-42; “Between History, Criticism, and Wit: Texts and Images of English Modern Architecture (1933-36)”, Journal of Art Historiography, vol. 14, (2016), p. 1-22; La storia utile. Patrimonio e modernità nel lavoro di John Summerson e Nikolaus Pevsner: Londra 1928-1955, Torino: Edizioni di Comunità, 2001.

Scientific branch

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

Research topics

  • Architecture and cities in the contemporary age: studies in the history of architecture and urban history in the 20th century. The line of research is open to studies on selected episodes and actors of the Italian and international architectural and urban scene. The reconstruction of the educational and professional itineraries of the figures investigated is accompanied by the investigation of the the designed and built architecture, carried out through rigorous archival research such as to reconstruct the phases of conception, production, communication and critical reception.
  • Architecture and public opinion: studies on the reception of architecture and urban facts. The research examines episodes of criticism, judgment and diffusion of architectural and urban culture and studies them as vehicles of the mediation between architects and their public. The temporal perspective is broad, starting from the dawn of the contemporary age up to the present day. The following questions are at stake: what space have the major means of communication reserved for that heterogeneous set of knowledge that has the built landscape as its object? In what forms did the media aimed at the general public (prints, daily and weekly newspapers, exhibitions, cinema, television and the internet) contribute to the diffusion of architectural and urban culture? What interaction, beyond the mere celebration of works and authors, was there between architecture, its actors, and the non-expert public? Who were the key figures, the themes recurring, the places and languages ​​(verbal and visual) of this interaction?
  • The history of architectural stories: studies of architectural and urban historiography in the 20th century. The research focuses on the methods and tools of making history and criticism of architecture with particular attention to the work of architectural and urban historians and critics living and working in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries. The study starts from the historical reconstruction of the social milieu and the broader intellectual contexts in which the historical interpretations were produced and circulated, highlighting the indissoluble (and inevitable) intertwining between personal research trajectories and contemporary instances, which has constantly characterized the criticism and historiography of architecture and the city. In this perspective, the investigation into the personal papers of the historical figures being studied, on their respective intellectual, educational and professional itineraries, is accompanied by the analyses of the secondary sources, and the testimonies given by those who with these figures shared work and research experiences, relationships developed in the traditional places of intellectual exchange, such as the editorial boards of specialist magazines as well as generalist newspapers, the educational institutions, professional associations, archives, libraries... Particular attention will be dedicated to the social and public function of the discipline history of architecture, where the historical knowledge is accompanied by an intense action of promotion, communication and dissemination of historical memory and culture among large sectors of society and for a diversified public.

Skills

ERC sectors

SH5_8 - Cultural studies, cultural identities and memories, cultural heritage
SH6_1 - Historiography, theory and methods in history, including the analysis of digital data
SH5_6 - History of art and architecture, arts-based research
SH6_14 - History of ideas, intellectual history, history of economic thought
SH6_9 - Modern and contemporary history

SDG

Goal 4: Quality education
Goal 5: Gender equality
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Fellowships

Editorial boards

  • STUDI E RICERCHE DI STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA (2024-), Scientific Committee member
  • IL GIORNALE DELL'ARCHITETTURA (2002-2012), Editorial board member

Conferences

  • Architecture and coastal tourism (1960-1980): fragility between historical studies and new scenarios (22/5/2024-24/5/2024), Program committee
  • EAHN Fourth International Meeting https://eahn2016conference.wordpress.com/committees/. In (1/1/2016-4/6/2016), Program chair
  • EAHN Third International Meeting 19/06/2014 - 23/06/2014 https://eahn.org/conferences/past-conferences/ (1/1/2014-23/6/2014), Program chair
  • La valorizzazione del patrimonio alpino. Storia, progetto, gestione (31/1/2001-2/2/2002), Participation to the organizing committee
  • Tra guerra e pace. Società, cultura e architettura nel secondo dopoguerra (5/6/1997-7/6/1997), Participation to the organizing committee

Other research or teaching roles outside Politecnico

  • Visiting Professor, presso Kyoto Institute of Technology
  • Visiting Professor, presso Nanjing University (5/3/2018-20/7/2018)
  • Visiting Researcher, presso Yale University (1/5/2016-30/6/2016)
  • Visiting Professor, presso Columbia University
  • Visiting Researcher, presso New York University (29/3/2016-30/4/2016)
  • Visiting Professor, presso Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
  • Visiting Researcher, presso Centre Canadien d’Architecture (4/4/2013-31/5/2013)
  • Visiting Professor, presso Columbia University
  • Visiting Professor, presso Cornell University
  • Visiting Professor, presso Columbia University
  • Visiting Professor, presso Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
  • Visiting Researcher, presso Getty Research Institute (1/8/1999-31/8/1999)
  • Visiting Professor, presso University College London
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Other titles

  • Tutor della tesi di Dottorato in Storia dell'Architettura e dell' Urbanistica, C. XIX: Elena Formia, Un architetto mediatore, Mario Labò e il cantiere dei libri, Dottorato in Storia dell’architettura e dell’urbanistica. (2003-2006)
  • Tutor della tesi di Dottorato in Storia dell'Architettura e dell' Urbanistica, C. XX: Stefano Poli, Ignazio Gardella (1803-1867): origini di una genealogia di ingegneri e architetti. (2004-2007)
  • Tutor della tesi di dottorato di Andrea Canclini, La testualizzazione dell'architettura. Strutturalismo e architettura negli Stati Uniti (1967-1988), Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto, c. XXIX, 2017. (2013-2017)
  • Tutor della tesi di dottorato di Fabio Marino, Roma-New York, andata e ritorno, Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto, c. XXX, 2019 (2016-2019)
  • Tutor della tesi di dottorato di Andrea Ronzino, Unpacking Robin Hood Gardens: The troubled history of a British public housing project 1963/1972, Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto, c. XXXII, 2021 (2016-2019)
  • Co-Tutor della tesi di dottorato di Andrea Bentivegna, Committenza, impresa e costruzione della città: Pio e Marcello Piacentini nella Roma post-unitaria e fascista, Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto c. XXXVI, 2024 (2021-)
  • Co-Tutor della tesi di dottorato di Hongye Wu, Inventing Future People-Centered Cities. The Study on Morphological Parametric Approach in Architecture and Urban Design, Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto c. XXXVI. (2023-)
  • Co-tutor della tesi di dottorato di Elena Giaccone, The Common Man of the Street. A conceptual history 1947-1975, Dottorato in Architettura. Storia e progetto c. XXXVI. (2022-)
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Research networks

Non-commercial collaboration agreements

Teaching

Collegi of the PhD programmes

  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2021/2022 (38. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2020/2021 (37. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2019/2020 (36. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2018/2019 (35. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2017/2018 (34. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2016/2017 (33. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2015/2016 (32. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2014/2015 (31. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2013/2014 (30. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • ARCHITETTURA. STORIA E PROGETTO, 2012/2013 (29. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2011/2012 (28. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2010/2011 (27. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2009/2010 (26. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2008/2009 (25. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2007/2008 (24. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2006/2007 (23. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2005/2006 (22. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2004/2005 (21. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2003/2004 (20. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA E DELL'URBANISTICA, 2002/2003 (19. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
MostraNascondi collegi passati

Collegi of the degree programmes

Teachings

PhD

MostraNascondi A.A. passati

Master of Science

MostraNascondi A.A. passati

Bachelor of Science

MostraNascondi A.A. passati

Research

Research fields

Centres

Supervised PhD students

  • Hongye Wu. Programme in Architettura. Storia E Progetto (38th cycle, 2022-in progress)
  • Andrea Luigi Bentivegna. Programme in Architettura. Storia E Progetto (36th cycle, 2020-in progress)
    Thesis: Pio Piacentini Architetto
  • Elena Giaccone. Programme in Architettura. Storia E Progetto (36th cycle, 2020-in progress)
    Thesis: The Common Man of the Street. A conceptual history, 1947-1975.

Other activities and projects related to research

Publications

Publications by type

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