Architecture as a tool for cultural empathy

CYCLE: Italian Architecture in Africa for a new cultural alliance
SPEAKER: Mario Cucinella
DATE: Thursday, November 19, 6:00 PM

The presentation by architect Mario Cucinella will recount the philosophy and key values that drive the "creative empathy" design approach of the firm MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects. He will demonstrate how this human-centered approach—deeply respectful of the social and cultural contexts it inhabits and attentive to environmental issues, has been realized through various design experiences across Africa.
In alignment with the themes of this event, the talk will explore the idea of utilizing architecture as a tool for connection and empathy between cultures. Through the narration of a series of projects, such as the new University Hospital in Algiers, ONE Airport Square in Ghana, and the Cintus Social Housing in Cairo, Cucinella will reveal how this approach takes shape, transforming architecture into a bridge that unites and enriches diverse social and cultural realities.

Mario Cucinella graduated in Architecture from the University of Genoa in 1986. In 1992, in Paris, he founded MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects, where he currently serves as Creative Director, with offices now based in Bologna and Milan. In 2015, he founded SOS - School of Sustainability, a postgraduate program focused on sustainability issues.
The significance of his work and his ongoing commitment, as both an architect and educator, to environmental and social themes has been recognized with the International Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2016) and the Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Architects (2017).
In 2018, he served as the curator of the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale with the exhibition Arcipelago Italia. On June 20, 2024, MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects was awarded the ADI Compasso d'Oro Prize for the "Luigi Rovati Foundation Art Museum" project. He is the author of many publications, most recently: Città foresta umana. L'empatia ci aiuta a progettare (Einaudi, 2024), Il futuro è un viaggio nel passato. Dieci storie di architettura (Quodlibet, 2021), Architettura dell’educazione (Maggioli, 2021), and Building Green Futures (Forma, 2020).