Research: Trablous: between collage and startification, a design strategy
CURRICULAR PROFILE
Born in Rome in 1958, he lives in Udine. He has worked abroad for many years, combining his activity as a university professor at various Lebanese universities with those of a designer, consultant, design manager and manager of engineering companies and important architectural firms.
In 1986, after the classical studies, he graduated in architecture at the IUAV – Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia with a thesis of architectural and urban composition on the terminal area of Piazzale Roma and the Santa Lucia station in Venice.
In 1990 he obtained a master’s degree at the USC - University of Southern California in Los Angeles with a program in Urban Design directed by prof. Panos Koulermos with a thesis on a fringe area of the Californian city.
From 1986 to 1988 he began his first teaching experience as an architectural and urban design assistant on the course held by prof. Koulermos.
In 1989, after qualifying to practice as an architect, he began his professional activity as a partner in the architecture and urban planning studio of his father Gianugo Polesello.
From 1889 to 1997 he was assistant of prof. Carlo Aymonino in the Architectural Design 2 course in the fourth year with which he participates in some publications relating to the courses carried out.
In 1994 he was invited to participate as a tutor in the seminar "La città del teatro" organized in Parma by the Milan Polytechnic and directed by prof. Carlo Quintelli, during which he coordinates a group of students developing a project on an urban scale for the former prison of San Francesco in Parma.
From 1995 to 1997 he was Tutor in the three-years’ workshop "The architecture of polycentrism" within the European TEMPUS-PHARE program in collaboration with the Ph.D. program of IUAV-Venice, Polytechnic-Krakow (Poland), Fachhochschule-Cottbus (Germany), Universidad de Sevilla and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain). During the workshop, theoretical and design sessions were held in the various locations of the hosting universities.
In 1998 he was invited for the spring semester as Visiting Assistant Professor by the Lebanese American University in Lebanon and which a long teaching collaboration was established, where he teaches Design Studio VIII, Theory of the City, and he’s member of the thesis jury.
From 2000 to 2005 he was Assistant Professor at the IUAV in the Building Production Program directed by prof. Vittorio Manfron teaching Architectural Design and being thesis supervisor and member of the thesis jury.
In 2005 he received a new invitation for an academic year (2005-2006) by the Lebanese American University this time as Visiting Associate Professor for the qualifications and experience gained. During these two years he teaches Design Studio VI, Design Studio VII, Final Year Project-Thesis / Research Design I and II. He is member of the thesis jury, coordinator of the Design Studio VII courses and actively participates in the activities of the faculty.
In 2015 he was invited for the third time by the Lebanese American University as Visiting Associate Professor with a two-year contract. He teaches Building Technology I and II, Design Studio III, Design Studio VII, Design Studio VIII, Design Studio X, Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I and II, he is coordinator of the courses of Design Studio VII and member of the thesis jury.
From 2017 to 2019 he was Visiting Associate Professor at AZM University of Tripoli in Lebanon actively participating in the academic activity and teaching Contemporary Architectural Theory, Basic Design, Architectural Design 1, Architectural Design 2, Architectural Design 3, Technical Drawing, Urban and City Planning, Basic Design, Architectural Communication.
From 2019 to 2022 he has a contract as Full Time Professor at Phoenicia University in Southern Lebanon interrupted due to the dramatic Lebanese economic crisis. He teaches Design Studio VII (Public Architecture and Urban Design I), Introduction to history and theory of urban and landscape design, Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I and II, Design Studio VI (Environmental Architecture II), Theories of Conservation and Reconstruction he is a member of thesis jury and participates in the activities of the faculty.
In 2019 he won the competition for admission to the XXXV cycle of Ph.D. in Architecture at the Sapienza University in Roma, and it will be completed in 2023 with the discussion of the thesis "Tripoli in Lebanon: between collage and stratification, a design strategy". The research focuses on the relationship between urban morphology and building typology, between the building type and fabric as generative "structures" of the architectural and urban form, the transitory outcome of a process articulated over time. With reference to Muratori and Rowe on the relationship between ancient and modern, between interaction with public and private, between full and empty, the research aims to investigate the urban transformations and related stratifications historically contaminated by the various settlement periods of the city in the Northern Lebanon. This research continues the personal interest in urban morphology and its process as the theoretical base of a compositional system whose principle is the "reconnection", not only formal but also typological, between ancient and modern in a key to dialogue between the parts of the city.
In 1988, after returning from the United States, he began his professional activity as a collaborator and later as an associate of Studio Polesello Architetti until 2000 with which they developed projects in Italy and abroad, participating in numerous architecture and urban design competitions between including the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the former Innocenti area in Lambrate for the XIX Triennale, and others published in national and international architecture magazines.
Between 2005 and 2008, during his stay in Lebanon, he collaborates with some architectural firms in Beirut and especially as a senior urban designer he develops and coordinates a series of projects in the Middle East and North Africa for Khatib and Alami Engineering including a project of morphological/functional transformation of the port of Aqaba in Jordan, a master plan for a tourist village in Iraq, a mosque in Algeria, a master plan for a residential/commercial area in Saudi Arabia, the urban transformation of a former quarry in Morocco.
In 2008 he has a consultancy contract as a design manager for a hotel in Baku with Rizzani De Eccher Construction Company.
From 2009 to 2012 he worked first in Equatorial Guinea and in Nigeria then as a technical director and as general manager of some construction companies.
From 2012 to 2013 he was in Kazakhstan as director of the branch of ARCHEST Engineering and as general manager of IKAES Engineering. The working relationship was interrupted due to the death of the Kazakh partner.
From 1988 to today, albeit in alternating phases, he has never stopped working as an architect.
His activity is not limited to academic and professional activities but he also actively participates in organizations dealing with urban planning and architecture such as one of the partner's founders in 2020 of PlaceMaking – MENA which deals with the dissemination of the urban theories of Jane Jacobs and William H. Whyte of which, Senior Advisor of Architecture Sans Frontier – Lebanon, an NGO which intends to facilitate fair and sustainable development processes through actions in the field of socially responsive design, and finally he is Senior Advisor of City Space Architecture, a non-profit organization based in Bologna , with the aim of studying, creating, disseminating and sharing the culture of public space with an interdisciplinary approach involving art and architecture.
ACADEMIC ACTIVITY
2021-2023
Activity interrupted due to the dramatic economic situation of Lebanon
2019-2021
Associate Professor | Phoenicia University – Lebanon
Courses: Design Studio VII (Public Architecture and Urban Design I), Introduction to history and theory of urban and landscape design, Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I e II, Design Studio VI (Environmental Architecture II), Theories of Conservation and Reconstruction,
Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I e II
▪ Architecture to Remain, to Resist Abbass Ramadan
▪ Complex in Housing Hussein Daher
▪ Future Museum Carla Kmeiha
▪ Adaptive Reuse of Abandoned Buildings Houda Tabaja
▪ Theatrical Architecture: Spatial Action Rather than Static Form Jaafar Ghrabi
▪ From Collection to Connection: Re-imagining the Public Library in the Digital Era Jana El Hage Ali
▪ Biomimetic and Biophilic Architecture as New Approach for Health-Care Facilities Tala Yazbek
▪ Resewed the Silk Road: from Ruins to Place Yara Kotaish
▪ Palmyra Cultural Center: A New Centrality Zeina Kriko
▪ Places of Be-longing: Integration of Jal El-Baherin the Urban Realm Amina Darwish
▪ Sport as a Catalyst of Social Integration Mohammad Dakdouk
▪ Sites within Sights: Mar Michael Rana Khachab
▪ Housing for all Hassan Zalzali
▪ Agriculture of Tobacco in South Lebanon: to Erase or Retrace? Karen Abdallah
▪ Social Housing Nour Saleh
▪ Neuro-Architecture in Depth investigation into the impact of the environment on human perception, action, and interaction Reem Hashem
2017-2019
Visiting Associate Professor | AZM University – Lebanon
Courses: Contemporary Architectural Theory, Basic Design, Architectural Design 1, Architectural Design 2, Architectural Design 3, Technical Drawing, Urban and City Planning, Basic Design, Architectural Communication
2015-2017
Visiting Associate Professor | Lebanese American University – Lebanon
Courses: Building Technology I and II, Design Studio III, Design Studio VII, Design Studio VIII, Design Studio X,
Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I and II
▪ Hamra of Beirut: a New Civic Center Clotilde Lefebure
▪ Monumentality of Tripoli Dalia Chouchair
▪ An Art and Craft Center in Armenia Street of Beirut Lama Houhou
▪ Junieh’s Monument: Sculpture by the Sea Desiree Abboud
▪ Rachaya Al Wadi the Monumental Village Eliane Azkoul
▪ Saida: The Gate Farouk Zouia
▪ Bourj El Barajneh Palestinian Camp Nahia Jizzini
▪ Tyre a New Centrality Sarah Al Shaer
2005-2006
Visiting Associate Professor | Lebanese American University – Lebanon
Courses: Design Studio VI, Design Studio VII, Final Year Project - Thesis/Research Design I and II
2000-2005
Partime Professor | IUAV – Dipartimento di Produzione dell’Edilizia
Courses: Architectural Design, Final Year Project - Thesis/Research
Spring Semester 1998
Visiting Assistant Professor | Lebanese American University – Lebanon
Courses: Design Studio VIII, Theory of the City
1995-1997
Tutor - workshop of architecture and urban design “Architecture of Polycentrism” - European Program TEMPUS-PHARE in collaboration with PhD programs of IUAV Venezia, Polytechnic of Cracovia (Poland), Las Palmas Universidad de Gran Canaria (Spain), Sevilla University (Spain) and Fachhochschule of Cottbus (Germany)
Design research: Cottbus – Requalification of the Soviet barracks, Las Palmas – The city port, Sevilla – The area of the Feria, Cracovia – Kazimierz district
1996
Tutor - Workshop of architecture and urban design “The city of theatre” organized in Parma by Polytechnic of Milano.
Design research: Urban and architectural requalification of Carcere di San Francesco in Parma
1989-1997
▪ Teaching Assistant of prof. Carlo Aymonino | IUAV – Venezia
Course: Architectural Design 2
1986-1988
▪ Teaching Assistant of prof. Panos Koulermos | University of Southern California – Los Angeles
Course: Design Studio VI
STUDIES
2023 Ph.D. candidate | Draco Sapienza – Roma (Italy)
Thesis: Tripoli in Lebanon - between collage and stratification, a design strategy
Advisor: prof. Attilio Petruccioli
1990 Master of Architecture | USC University of Southern California – Los Angeles (USA)
Thesis: Downtown Los Angeles – a City into a City
Advisor: prof. Panos Koulermos
1986 Bachelor’s in architecture | IUAV – Venezia (Italy)
Thesis: The terminals in Venezia – An urban requalification project
Advisor: prof. Angelo Villa
1979 Classical high school diploma | Istituti Filippin – Paderno del Grappa (Italy)
ASSOCIATIONS ACTIVITY
▪ PlaceMaking MENA | Co-Founder | www.placemakingmena-platform.com
▪ Architecture Sans Frontiere Lebanon | Senior Advisor | www.asf-liban.org
▪ City Space Architecture | Senior Advisor | www.cityspacearchitecture.org
CONFERENCES, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS AND JURIES
2019
▪ Speaker | The oranges of Niemeyer in Conference “Venice abroad” IUAV Venezia.
▪ Member of organizing committee | Culturally-led Regeneration of Tripoli’s Historic City – Design Workshop | AZM University Tripoli
2018
▪ Jury member | Summer Woodworking Design Workshop – Kaslik (Lebanon)
2016
▪ Jury member | AIA ME International Design Awards
▪ Lecture | A teaching philosophy – Beirut Arab University (Lebanon)
▪ Lecture | A teaching experience at Lebanese American University – School of Architecture at Trieste University
▪ Lecture | Venice School of Architecture – Order of Architects and Engineers Beirut (Lebanon)
▪ Jury member | “XVI Chadirji Prize” Annual Prize for the best thesis in the schools of architecture in Lebanon
2015
▪ Coordinator and panellist | Byblos Lab/Mobility for Sustainability – International Workshop at Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
▪ Speaker | Architecture/City a Theory at IUAV – Lebanese University School of Architecture Beirut
2005
▪ Lecture | Francesco Polesello recent projects – Order of Architects and Engineers Beirut (Lebanon)
1998
▪ Lecture | Francesco Polesello: a design theory – Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
1997
▪ Speaker | The requalification of former Soviet Barracks in Cottbus - International Conference at BTU Cottbus (Germany)
1996
▪ Speaker | Las Palmas City Port – International Urban Design Conference at ULPG Las Palmas (Spain)
1995
▪ Speaker | La Feria de Sevilla: Urban Design Proposal – International Conference at ETSA Sevilla (Spain)
▪ Speaker | Kazimierz an Urban District – International Urban Design Conference at Krakow University of Technology (Poland)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1988 –
▪ Architect Urban Designer
2012 – 2013
▪ Branch Director | Archest Engineering | Atyrau – Kazakistan.
Role: Coordination, Public Relations, and Management
▪ General Manager | Italian Kazakh Architecture & Engineering Services | Atyrau – Kazakistan
Role: Business start-up, order acquisition
2011 – 2012
▪ General Manager | Cubic Contractors Ltd | Nigeria
Role: Coordination and relaunch of the company, project management for the project of a new residential village in Abuja and a residential complex in Lagos
2010 – 2011
▪ Technical Director | Eloba Construccion | Equatorial Guinea
Role: Design and site construction coordinator
2009 – 2010
▪ Technical Director | General Work | Equatorial Guinea
Role: Design and site construction coordinator
2008 – 2009
▪ Design Manager Consultant | Rizzani de Eccher | Udine - Italy
Role: Design coordination and management for a luxury hotel in Baku - Azerbaijan
2006 – 2008
▪ Senior Urban Designer | Khatib & Alami Engineering | Beirut – Lebanon
Role: Design leader
2005 - 2008
▪ Urban design consultant | El Ashkar Architect & Associates | Beirut – Lebanon
Role: Design proposals
▪ Urban design consultant | Maha NasrallahaArchitects | Beirut – Lebanon
Role: Design proposals
1989 - 2000
▪ Partner | Studio Polesello Architetti | Udine - Italy
1986 - 1988
▪ Junior architect | Panos Koulermos architect | Los Angeles – USA
DESIGN ACTIVITY
▪ Architecture | Renovation and restoration of the historic complex of Villa Cigolotti | Montereale Valcellina - Italy
▪ Architecture | Local Craft Showroom - Lebanon
▪ Architecture | Pedestrian pier in Bibione Beach - Italy
▪ Architecture | Restructuring of the former Piave barracks for a new Museum of the Resistance | Palmanova – Italy
▪ Architecture | Magistrates Court Building | Tarcento - Italy
▪ Architecture | Indoor pool | Motta di Livenza – Italy
▪ Architecture | Air Algeria headquarter | Algiers – Algeria
▪ Architecture | Architectural and functional redevelopment of the former prison of San Francesco as a new cultural and theatrical centre | Parma - Italy
▪ Architecture project invited by Maja Foundation | Orphanage villa for The Children’s Village in Oswiecim – International Collaboration Project | Poland | Awarded by Polish Architects Society | Published
▪ Landscape | Outdoor areas and gardens of four hotels | Aqaba - Jordan
▪ Urban design | Redevelopment of the Piazzale Zenith area | Bibione - Italy
▪ Urban design | Detailed Plan of the Historic Centre | Castions di Strada - Italy
▪ Urban design | Detailed Plan of an industrial area | Motta di Livenza - Italy
▪ Urban design | Redevelopment of Liberty and Market Squares | Tarcento - Italy
▪ Urban design | Detailed Plan of the seashore | Bibione - Italy
▪ Urban design | Master Plan for the redevelopment of the commercial port area | Aqaba -Jordan
▪ Urban design | Master Plan for a new tourist resort village | Aqaba - Jordan
▪ Urban design | Master Plan for a new mixed-use area | Mecca – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
▪ Urban design | New tourist resort village | Safeen Mountain - Kurdistan
▪ Urban design | New residential area |Casablanca - Morocco
▪ Urban design | Master Plan for a new tourist resort village | Telal el Demashq – Syria
▪ Urban design | Redevelopment project and functional transformation of the area of the former Kazimierz gasometer | Krakow - Poland
▪ Urban design | Redevelopment project of the commercial port area | Las Palmas - Spain
▪ Urban design | Redevelopment project of the former Soviet Army barracks | Cottbus - Germany
▪ Urban design | New urban proposal for the area of the Feria of Sevilla | Spain
▪ Urban planning | Town Master Plan | Cervignano - Italy
▪ Urban planning | Town Master Plan | San Giorgio di Nogaro - Italy
▪ Urban planning | Town Master Plan | Portogruaro - Italy
▪ Urban planning | Town Master Plan | Martignacco - Italy
DESIGN COMPETITIONS
▪ Project invited - Triennale XIX Milano | Suburbs project – East Milan - ex Innocenti area in Lambrate - Italy | Published
▪ Design competition for the urban system Piazza Duca d'Aosta, Via Vittor Pisani, Piazza della Repubblica in Milan - Italy | Published
▪ Design competition for the new Alexandrina Library | Egypt
▪ Design competition for the new square | Povoletto – Italy | First Prize
▪ Design competition for the new square | Campeglio - Italy
▪ Design competition for the urban system Garibaldi-Repubblica | Milano – Italy. Published
▪ Design competition - The mosaic as an architectural language | Spilimbergo – Italy | Awarded project | Published
▪ Urban design competition - A development scheme for the Warsaw City Core | Polonia | Published
▪ Design competiton - Prize Tercas Architecture VIII/1992 | Montesilvano – Italy | Second Prize | Published
▪ The Spreebogen International Urban Design Competition | Berlin - Germany
▪ San Francisco Embarcadero Waterfront International Urban Design Competition | USA
▪ Design competition for the reuse and restoration of the former furnace | Asolo – Italy | Awarded project
▪ Europan 3 – International Design Competition - At home in the city: to urbanize the residential districts in Dem Bosch | Netherland
▪ Spreeinsel International Competition for Urban Design Ideas | Berlin - Germany
▪ Design competition for a Concert Hall on the Waterfront in Copenhagen | Denmark
▪ Design competition of the Art Museum of Estonia | Tallin – Estonia | Published
▪ Design competition for the new square | Ceresetto - Italy
▪ The reconstruction of the Souks of Beirut: An International Ideas Competition | Lebanon
▪ Invitation to tender for the design of a residential building | San Donato Milanese - Italy
▪ Cowgatehead international competition for a New Library | Edinburgh - Scotland
▪ Competition for the design of the new Science and Technology Park | Mestre - Italy
▪ Greenport Urban Design Competition | USA
▪ Project invited - VI International Biennale of Architecture Krakow 1996 | Poland | First Prize | Published
▪ Design competition for a new residential district | Bergamo - Italy
▪ Urban design competition for the redevelopment of the Centocelle Park | Roma - Italy
▪ Design competition for the extension of the cemetery on the island of San Michele | Venezia - Italy
▪ Design competition for the Fusina Terminal | Venezia - Italy
▪ Project invited - VII International Biennale of Architecture Krakow 1996 | Poland | Awarded Project | Published
▪ Design competition for the redevelopment of Piazza Cittadella and underground parking | Verona - Italy
▪ Design competition in two phases for the extension project of the Palace of Justice | Siena – Italy | Project admitted to the second phase
▪ Urban design competition for the redevelopment of Via Bafile | Jesolo - Italy
▪ Project invited - VIII International Biennale of Architecture Krakow 1996 | Poland
▪ Design competition for the New Port Authority | Ravenna - Italy
▪ Design competition for a new square | San Giorgio di Nogaro - Italy
▪ Design competition for the refurbishment of the promenade | Lignano Sabbiadoro - Italy
▪ Urban design competition for a Master Plan of exPerfosfati/Piazza Castello area | Portogruaro – Italy | Awarded Project
▪ Design competition for a new school complex | Casalserugo - Italy
▪ Design competition for the Grand Mosque | Algiers - Algeria
AWARDS
▪ AWARDED PROJECT | VII International Biennale of Architecture Krakow 1996 | Poland
▪ AWARDED PROJECT | Urban design competition for a Master Plan of the exPerfosfati/Piazza Castello area | Portogruaro – Italy
▪ AWARDED PROJECT | Design competition - The mosaic as an architectural language | Spilimbergo – Italy
▪ AWARDED PROJECT | Design competition for the reuse and restoration of the former furnace | Asolo – Italy
▪ AWARDED PROJECT | Orphanage villa for The Children’s Village in Oswiecim – International Collaboration Project | Poland
▪ SECOND PRIZE| Design competition - Tercas Prize Architecture VIII/1992 | Montesilvano – Italy
▪ FIRST PRIZE | Design competition for the new square | Povoletto – Italy
▪ FIRST PRIZE | VI International Biennale of Architecture Krakow 1996 | Poland
EXHIBITIONS
▪ Design project | Gianugo Polesello: Projects 1960-1992 | Italy
▪ Participation | Triennale XIX Milano | Suburbs project – East Milan - ex Innocenti area in Lambrate
▪ Participation | Prize Tercas Architecture VIII | The Market Area in Montesilvano | Italy
▪ Participation | VI International Biennale of Architecture Krakow | The Market Square | Poland
▪ Participation | VII International Biennale of Architecture Krakow | The Visla River Urban Banks | Poland