Sofia Nannini

Sofia Nannini's picture

Fixed-term assistant professor
Department of Architecture and Design (DAD)

Profile

Keywords

Architectural history and theory
Construction history
Environmental history of architecture
History of technology
Storia del design

Biography

I have been working as an assistant professor in architectural history at the Politecnico di Torino since 2023. I am interested in North American and European architectural history, with a perspective that merges both construction and environmental histories. My PhD dissertation focused on the history of concrete in Iceland and I am author of "Icelandic Farmhouses: Identity, Landscape and Construction (1790-1945)" (Firenze University Press, 2023) and of "The Icelandic Concrete Saga: Architecture and Construction (1847–1958)" (JOVIS Verlag, 2024). Since 2022, I have been working on the research project “Animal Farm: An Architectural History of Intensive Animal Farming (1570–1992)”, which was recently awarded with an ERC Starting grant (2025). My work has also been supported by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (2023) and by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (2024). On these topics, I’ve recently published the CCA Single "Is there a known optimum gate size for the dual control of cattle and sheep?" (Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2025) and I am also part of the curatorial team of the exhibition “Convivium: Food Systems at the Limit” at the Architekturmuseum der TUM (Munich, 2026). I am a member of the editorial boards of "Architectural Histories" (EAHN) and of "Studi e ricerche di storia dell’architettura" (AISTARCH).

Scientific branch

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

Research topics

  • Architectural and construction histories in Iceland and Northern Europe, 1800s-1900s
  • Architectural History of Intensive Animal Farming
  • Architecture in Italy during the Fascist regime

Skills

ERC sectors

SH8_5 - History of art and of architecture

SDG

Goal 4: Quality education
Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
Goal 13: Climate action

Open badges

Fellowships

Editorial boards

  • STUDI E RICERCHE DI STORIA DELL'ARCHITETTURA (2024-), Editorial board member
  • ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIES (2023-), Editorial board member
  • HISTORIES OF POSTWAR ARCHITECTURE (2017-2021), Editorial board member
  • IN BO (2015-2024), Editorial board member

Teaching

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

Other activities and projects related to teaching

I'll be happy to discuss proposals for BA/MA dissertations on:

• histories of architecture and construction (1800s-1900s)

• history of industrial design

• historical and contemporary exchanges between architecture and non-human actors, specifically on animal farming

Office hours: by appointment, please send me an email .

Research

Centres

Supervised PhD students

  • Eugenio Lux. Programme in Architettura. Storia E Progetto (40th cycle, 2024-in progress)
    Research subject: Architecture and politics in Social Democratic Sweden of folkhemmet (1932-1976)
    History of Architecture
    History of Architecture

Publications

Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris