Associate Professor (L. 240)
Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST)
Profile
Research interests
Biography
Bianca Maria Rinaldi is an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Politecnico di Torino. Her research focuses on the relationship between history and contemporary landscape architecture, the cultural and ecological roles of urban natures, landscape architecture and transnational histories with a focus on the Global South and former colonies’ strategies of self-affirmation. She was a Fellow in Garden and Landscape Studies at Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection (2012-2013) and was awarded an Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Research by the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation (2017-2019). Her book The Chinese Garden-Garden Types for Contemporary Landscape Architecture (Birkhäuser 2011) was awarded a J.B. Jackson Prize for 2012 by the Foundation for Landscape Studies. Before joining Politecnico di Torino, she has held teaching and research positions at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Graz University of Technology and University of Camerino. She also had visiting positions at the Leibniz University of Hanover (2017-2019) and at the National University of Singapore (2010-2015). Since 2012, she has been as a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Garden Art and Landscape Architecture of the Leibniz University of Hanover and, since 2023, of the Advisory Board of the Landscape History Chapter within the Society of Architectural Historians. Since 2021, she was a member of the international editorial board of “Topscape Paysage“ and a member of the editorial board of “JoLA-Journal of Landscape Architecture“ after serving as a member of the editorial team (2010-2021). She served as Nominator for the Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize. In 2023, she was a consultant for the PNRR project for the redevelopment of Parco del Valentino in Torino. Since 2024, she is a member of the Executive Committee of ECLAS-the European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools.
Scientific branch
(Area 0008 - Civil engineering and architecture)
Skills
ERC sectors
SDG
Awards and Honors
- The John Brinckerhoff Jackson Book Prize conferred by Foundation for Landscape Studies, New York City, United States (2012)
Fellowships
- Advisory Board member - Landscape History Chapter, Society of Architectural Historians, Stati Uniti (2023-)
- Fellow - Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn, Germania (2016-2019)
Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (conferita per 18 mesi suddivisi in 3 periodi in un arco temporale dal 2017 al 2019) - Fellow - Dumbarton Oaks Research Library & Collection, Harvard University, Washington D.C., Stati Uniti (2012-2013)
Fellowship in Garden and Landscape Studies (conferita per il Fall Term) - Advisory Board member - Centre for Garden Art and Landscape Architecture, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germania (2012-)
Editorial boards
- TOPSCAPE PAYSAGE (2024-), Scientific Committee member
- JOURNAL OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE (2021-), Scientific Committee member
- TOPSCAPE PAYSAGE (2020-2023), Other editorial activities
- JOURNAL OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE (2010-2021), Editorial board member
Conferences
- Biotopia, Program chair
- Landscape Design for Biodiversity, Program chair
- Urban Landscapes in High-Density Cities, Politecnico di Torino (1/1/2018-2/2/2018), Program chair
Other research or teaching roles outside Politecnico
- Visiting Researcher, presso Leibniz Universität Hannover (1/3/2019-31/8/2019)
- Visiting Researcher, presso Leibniz Universität Hannover (1/3/2018-31/8/2018)
- Visiting Researcher, presso Leibniz Universität Hannover (1/3/2017-31/8/2017)
Non-commercial collaboration agreements
- ECLAS - EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF LANDSCAPE, (periodo sconosciuto) - Responsabile Scientifico
Enti Partecipati
Teaching
Collegi of the PhD programmes
- URBAN AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 2023/2024 (39. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO - PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO /ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, 2023/2024 (39. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO - URBAN AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 2022/2023 (38. 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 - BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI, 2018/2019 (34. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO
Collegi of the degree programmes
- Collegio di Pianificazione e Progettazione. Componente
Teachings
PhD
- Nature in città: il futuro del passat. A.A. 2024/25, PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO / ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE. Main teacher
- Paesaggi resilienti tra storia e progetto. A.A. 2022/23, BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI. Teaching assistant
- Il progetto di architettura del paesaggio nel ventesimo secolo: dalla modernità alla postmodernità. A.A. 2020/21, BENI ARCHITETTONICI E PAESAGGISTICI. Main teacher
Master of Science
- Progettare con le Nature-Based Solutions (Atelier) (modulo di Progetto dello spazio aperto). A.A. 2024/25, PIANIFICAZIONE URBANISTICA E TERRITORIALE. Titolare del corso
- Strumenti e metodi dell'architettura del paesaggio. A.A. 2024/25, ARCHITETTURA DEL PAESAGGIO. Titolare del corso
- Progettare con le Nature-Based Solutions (Atelier) (modulo di Progetto dello spazio aperto). A.A. 2023/24, PIANIFICAZIONE URBANISTICA E TERRITORIALE. Titolare del corso
- Strumenti e metodi dell'architettura del paesaggio. A.A. 2023/24, ARCHITETTURA DEL PAESAGGIO. Titolare del corso
- Il progetto di rigenerazione: luoghi, paesaggi, patrimoni (modulo di Architettura del paesaggio). A.A. 2022/23, ARCHITETTURA PER LA SOSTENIBILITA'. Titolare del corso
- Fondamenti per il progetto di architettura del paesaggio. A.A. 2021/22, PROGETTAZIONE DELLE AREE VERDI E DEL PAESAGGIO. Titolare del corso
- Fondamenti per il progetto di architettura del paesaggio. A.A. 2020/21, PROGETTAZIONE DELLE AREE VERDI E DEL PAESAGGIO. Titolare del corso
- Architecture and urban space (modulo di Built environment tectonics). A.A. 2020/21, ARCHITETTURA COSTRUZIONE CITTA'. Titolare del corso
Research
Research projects
Projects funded by commercial contracts
- Lettera di intenti a collaborare per la realizzazione della Summer School dal titolo "Il Paesaggio: 100 anni di strategie di tutela e valorizzazione" presso la Reggia della Venaria Reale del 29/08 al 02/09/2022, (2022-) - Responsabile Scientifico
Memoranda of Understanding
Supervised PhD students
- Manuela Ronci. Programme in Urban And Regional Development (35th cycle, 2019-2023)
Thesis: Designing coexistence. European strategies to plan and design biodiverse urban landscapes.
Other activities and projects related to research
Principal invesitgator for the research project "Hidden Waters: an Atlas of Urban Landscapes", funded by Interuniversity of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino. Project funded on a competitive basis. From 01/07/2023 to 30/06/2025
Principal invesitgator for the research project "Biodiversità urbana e progetto di paesaggio: esperienze italiane [Urban biodiversity and landscape architecture: Italian case studies ", funded by Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio (DIST), Politecnico di Torino. Project funded on a competitive basis. From 01/02/2019 to 31/01/2020
Principal invesitgator, together with Puay Yok Tan (National University of Singapore), for the joint research project "Socio-Ecological Assessment of Urban Landscapes: a Comparative Study", funded by Politecnico di Torino and Compagnia di San Paolo, within Politecnico di Torino''s internal funding program "Joint Project for the Internationalization of Research". Project funded on a competitive basis. From 05/08/2016 to 28/02/2018
Principal invesitgator, together with Yoshiro Ono (Kyoto institute of Technology), for the joint research project "Urban structure and open spaces: the role of landscape design in Twentieth-century Kyoto and Turin". Funded by Politecnico di Torino and Compagnia di San Paolo, within Politecnico di Torino''s internal funding program "Joint Research Project with Top Universities". Project funded on a competitive basis. From 02/10/2017 to 11/10/2021. The program revolved around the exchange of PhD candidates between Politecnico di Torino and Kyoto Institute of Technology and sponsored 1 PhD fellowship at Politecnico di Torino.
Research team member and work package leader for the multidisciplinary project “MNEMONIC: Digital Atlas of the Memory of the Present. Cultural and Natural Heritage in Italy Lockdown”. Principal investigator: Rosa Tamborrino. Project funded by Interuniversity of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino within the funding program “Bando per l’attribuzione di contributi per il co-finanziamento di attività di ricerca del Dipartimento". Partner: Polo del '900, Torino. Project funded on a competitive basis. From 01.07.2020 to 30.07.2022.
Publications
Publications by type
Selected publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
- Rinaldi, BIANCA MARIA; Tan, PUAY YOK, a cura di (2019)
Urban Landscapes in High-Density Cities: Parks, Streetscapes, Ecosystems. Basel, Birkhäuser, P. 296. ISBN: 978-3-0356-1713-9
Curatele - Rinaldi, BIANCA MARIA (2011)
The Chinese Garden. Garden Types for Contemporary Landscape Architecture. BASEL, Birkhäuser, P. 176. ISBN: 9783034602228
Libro - Rinaldi, Bianca Maria (2021)
The comfort of tradition: the Chinese garden in contemporary landscape architecture projects. In: Historical gardens, truth and fiction. Critical readings of historical models in the landscapes of the 20th and 21st centuries / Mosser, M.; Rojo J.T., Zanon, S., S.L., Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche / Antiga, pp. 62-84. ISBN: 978-88-8435-229-3
Contributo in Volume - Rinaldi, Bianca Maria (2019)
Urban Parks. In: The city after Chinese new towns. Spaces and imaginaries from contemporary urban china / Bonino M., Governa F., Repellino M.P., Sampieri A., Basel, Birkhäuser, pp. 166-175. ISBN: 978-3-0356-1765-8
Contributo in Volume - Rinaldi, Bianca Maria (2021)
“This is a natural space.” Ovvero, della natura urbana e l’iconicità dell’ordinario. In: Nature in città. Biodiversità e progetto di paesaggio in Italia / Gabbianelli, Alessandro; Rinaldi, Bianca Maria; Salizzoni, Emma, Bologna, Il Mulino, pp. 137-159. ISBN: 978-88-15-29353-4
Contributo in Volume