Patrizia MELLO

Patrizia Mello, after obtaining a classical high school diploma, graduated with a thesis in History and Theory of Design (1993, Univ. of Florence), obtained a PhD in Architectural Technology (2000 Univ. of Florence) and is qualified to practice as an architect (2002). She was a fixed-term researcher (SSD ICAR/18) from 2012 to 2015 at DIDA (Univ. of Florence). At the University of Florence she was also a research fellow in 2012, 2007/8 and 2001/2.

She was a contract professor of Theories and Techniques of Architectural Design at the University of Florence (academic year 2000/01). She was a contract professor of Contemporary Art History at the School of Architecture and Design of the University of Camerino (2001-2005) and for the degree course in Industrial Design at the University of Florence (2003-2005). For the University of Camerino she also held the course of Theory and History of Design under contract (academic year 2005/06). At the University of Florence she held the course of Design Criticism under contract in the academic year 2011/12. She was a contract professor of Contemporary Architecture History (academic year 2019/20) and Contemporary Architecture II (2020-2023) at the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

During her research position, she taught courses in History of Contemporary Architecture (History of Architecture III – 8CFU) and for supplementary teaching a seminar on the radical avant-gardes of Florence (6 CFU); she collaborated with the Museo del Novecento in Florence and with the Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art in Prato with seminars, lessons and coordination of topics related to the history of contemporary architecture; she was a member of the doctoral college - curriculum in History of Architecture and the City.

She has taught lessons for several masters (Syracuse University in Florence; Kent State University in Florence; La Sapienza; Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio; University of Florence; Polytechnic of Milan, University of Bologna).

Her areas of research concern the history, theory and criticism of contemporary architecture and design, in relation to the events that have outlined its character from the end of the 19th century to the present day.

The results of her research activity have been published in books, numerous essays in collective texts and various articles (8 monographs, 1 edited, 69 articles in scientific journals of area 08, 21 articles in scientific journals of class A of area 08, 22 essays in volumes).

She has participated as a speaker in numerous international conferences; she has conceived and curated several study days and has conducted research for several public and private bodies. She is a corresponding member of the Accademia degli Euteleti of San Miniato. She collaborates with the Giornale dell’Architettura and is a member of the editorial board of the magazine MD Journal. From 1995 to 2001 she directed the magazine IDEA.

In 2015, during her position as researcher, she obtained the national scientific qualification in the competitive sector 08/E2 – Restoration and History of Architecture (associates group). In 2020 he obtained a new national scientific qualification in the competitive sector 08/E2 – Restoration and History of Architecture (associates group).

Among his publications, we particularly recall: Twentieth Century Architecture and Modernity. Our Past, Our Present, Los Angeles: ORO Editions, 2022; Firenze e le avanguardie Radicali. Un seminario di ricerca, Firenze: DIDA press, 2017; Neoavanguardie e controcultura a Firenze. Il movimento Radical e i protagonisti di un cambiamento storico internazionale, Firenze: Angelo Pontecorboli, 2017; Design Contemporaneo. Mutazioni oggetti ambienti architetture, Milano: Mondadori Electa, 2008; Ito Digitale. Nuovi media, nuovo reale, Roma: Edilstampa, 2008; Metamorfosi dello spazio. Annotazioni sul divenire metropolitano, Torino: Bollati Boringhieri, 2002; L’ospedale ridefinito. Soluzioni e ipotesi a confronto. Aart International – Aalto – Colboc – CSPE – Fainsilber – Groupe 6 – Ito – Koolhaas – Le Corbusier – Nouvel – Reichen & Robert – Sottsass – Petre-Souchet – Riboulet – Vasconi – Zublena, Firenze: Alinea Editrice, 2000; Progetti in movimento. Philippe Starck, Firenze: Festina Lente, 1997.