The faces of contemporary cities

A book launch seminar

05/03/2025, h. 17:30 – 19:00
Politecnico di Milano, Campus Leonardo, Edificio 16C, Aula 16.C.02

In the last fifty years, much public attention has focused on individual iconic buildings – such as the Sydney Opera House, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, or London’s Shard – as well as on skylines – like the waterfronts of New York, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. These buildings, along with their surrounding city fabric and urban life, give a recognizable face to their respective cities. However, the explanation of their creation and transformation over time typically remains cloaked under architectural and political narratives. In this seminar on the book The Faces of Contemporary Cities edited by Davide Ponzini, an interdisciplinary group of scholars explores the histories and geographies of the multinational firm that supported the design and construction of many of these iconic buildings and areas: the Permasteelisa Group. The discussion will argue about how the transnational availability and transfer of certain technologies cumulatively transform the faces of contemporary cities.

Relatori

Marco Antonio Minozzo Gabriel – Postdoctoral Researcher, IUAV, Massimiliano Fanzaga – Communication Manager, Permasteelisa Group, Davide Ponzini – Professor of Urban Planning, Paolo Scrivano – Associate Professor of History of Architecture

Discussants

Andrea Arcidiacono – Professor of Urban Planning, Andrea Campioli – Dean of the AUIC School, Gaia Caramellino –Associate Professor of History of Architecture, Gennaro Postiglione – Professor of Interior Design

Responsabili

Davide Ponzini, Paolo Scrivano, and Anita Martinelli

Photo credits: Michele Nastasi