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BUILDING OF THE YEAR

Designed by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and BIG, CapitaSpring was named 2023 Building of the Year by ArchDaily in the Office category.

read URBANITA’

Check out Carlo Ratti’s latest book, with essays to narrate the forefront of urban innovation in 14 different cities.

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People

CARLO RATTI

Founding Partner / Chairman

An architect and engineer by training, Carlo teaches at MIT, where he directs the Senseable City Lab, and is a founding partner of the international design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati. He graduated from the Politecnico di Torino and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, later earning his MPhil and PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK.

In the last decade, Carlo has given talks around the world on the theme of Smart Cities, while his work has been exhibited in international venues including the Venice Biennale, New York’s MoMA, London’s Science Museum and Barcelona’s Design Museum. Two of his projects – the Digital Water Pavilion and the Copenhagen Wheel – were hailed by Time Magazine as “Best Inventions of the Year.” He has been included in Blueprint Magazine’s “25 People who will Change the World of Design” and in Wired Magazine’s “Smart List: 50 people who will change the world.” He was curator for the Future Food District at Expo Milano 2015, and is currently serving as co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Council on the Future of Cities and Urbanization.

DANIELA AGUGLIA

Administration & Accounting

Daniela was born in Turin. She studied Administration Finance and Control and in 2022 obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration and Control from the University of Turin. Her thesis was focused on the organization management and control model introduced by Legislative Decree 231/2001. During her studies, she held various jobs in different sectors and followed her passion for volleyball.

Daniela joined CRA’s Finance team in July 2022.

Carolina Anselmino

Chief of Staff

Carolina holds a double Master’s in Sustainable Architecture from the Politecnico di Torino and Politecnico di Milano, and a Master’s in Strategic Design of Space from the IE School of Architecture and Design. She has studied and worked in the USA, Spain, Lebanon and France, gaining experience in several fields.

Traveling the world, she realised how culture, physical space, and everyday life impact one another. She strongly believes in the power of urban planning – leveraging data and technology – to provide a more sustainable and equitable future.

She loves large family gatherings, dancing, and cooking.

Michael Baick

Consulting Junior Writer

Michael Baick grew up in Western Massachusetts. He earned his bachelor's degree from Harvard College, where he majored in History and Literature and minored in Economics. In school, Michael worked for the presidential campaign of Pete Buttigieg, the office of Chicopee City Councilor Joel McAuliffe, and taught English Language Arts at Breakthrough Greater Boston.

After graduating, Michael served as Deputy Campaign Manager of State Senator Eric Lesser’s campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. Michael has collaborated with CRA since 2020, and assists in research, writing, and editing for books, scholarly articles, opinion essays, and other English-language communications.

 

Jess Beaumont

Communications and Editorial Production

Originally from London, Jess read English Literature at the University of Cambridge before going on to take a masters degree in Contemporary Literature, Culture and Theory from King’s College London, graduating in January 2023. Her masters dissertation examined the role of non-traditional narrative form in the Anthropocene.

Jess is a writer and editor with a particular interest in the spatial environment and narrative form, and has published work in academic, journalistic and commercial contexts. She has been part of CRA Think since March 2023 where she assists with writing and editing for books, essays and other international communications.

DANIELE BELLERI

Partner-in-Charge/Head of Communications & Curatorial Projects

Daniele Belleri is a Partner at CRA in charge of all communications, editorial, and curatorial initiatives of the office. He joined CRA in 2016, and since then, he has been running complex, cross-disciplinary projects including the Urban Vision for Manifesta 14 Prishtina (2021-22) and the 8th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture in Shenzhen (2018-20).

He led communication campaigns for some of CRA’s most popular design works, including Hot Heart Helsinki, The Greenary, CapitaSpring Singapore, MEET Arts Center Milano, Feel the Peel, Agnelli Foundation HQ, and the multimillion-dollar crowdfunding for the startup Scribit.

He has been a spokesperson for the office at conferences and events from Dusseldorf to Tokyo to Yekaterinburg, and edited books with Yale University Press (US), Hatje Cantz (DE), and Einaudi (IT).

With a background in contemporary history, urban studies, and political science, Daniele started his career as a Milan-based journalist contributing to Wired magazine, Corriere della Sera, Domus, and Reuters. Later on, he was a researcher at Moscow’s Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture, and Design, and ran a London-based service design agency advising cultural institutions across Europe and Asia. A passionate urbanite, he has lived and worked in Milan, Rome, Turin, Helsinki, London, Moscow, Beijing, and Shenzhen.

MARIKA BONOMO

Head of Accounting

From Turin, Marika currently manages the activities of the Group's administrative and accounting team, as well as setting up and coordinating the procedures of CRA's various start-ups in their birth and growth phases. She graduated in Administration, Finance and Marketing for International Relations from the Quintino Sella AAlto Institute and is currently studying Business Administration at the University of Turin.

Before joining CRA, she gained experience in administration and accounting in a real estate agency and a consulting firm.

She then spent a year abroad between Africa and the United States for work experience with local cooperatives, investing in getting to know different people and cultures.She returned to Italy in 2018 and soon joined CRA, finding both the international environment she encountered during her travels and an inspiring place to develop her professional knowledge.

CHIARA BORGHI

Project Manager

Chiara graduated with honors in Architecture for Sustainability at Politecnico di Torino, with a project on urban security and social sustainability. She graduated in Trieste (Italy) and Madrid (Spain), while she studied CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) in Copenhagen. She joined CRA in November 2015. Among her projects with CRA, Chiara was team leader in crafting a new vision for the waterfront of Lugano, Switzerland.

She was part of the group that worked on a masterplan for the Milan Innovation District (MIND), a million-square-meter project in Milan 2015 Expo site.

In 2022 Chiara was the project manager for the masterplan for the candidature of Rome to Expo 2030, a 150 ha development aimed at promoting a new sustainable, social, inclusive and universal Expo.

MARTINA BUONO

Front Office

Martina was born in Turin in 1995. She studied English and Spanish (with a hint of economics) at the University of Turin where she obtained a three-year degree in Languages and Culture for Tourism. In July 2020 she received a Master's Degree in International Communication for Tourism. With a strong passion for art, languages and travel, she joined the CRA team as Office Manager in March 2021.

Since then, she’s been using her knowledge in different cultures and languages to manage the CRA office with an international team of designers, keeping up to date with the necessities of the studio and the office community to ensure all activities run smoothly.

EMANUELE CARLO BUSSI

BIM Coordinator

Emanuele earned his Masters in Architecture Construction and City from the Politecnico di Torino (2020) with a thesis on BIM methodology focused on Cost and Facility Management (FM). Since 2021 he has been a research fellow in the Department of Structural Building and Geothecnical Engineering at the DrawingTOthefuture Lab.

In addition, he has been involved in different activities and research projects, working on BIM for FM for the Regione Piemonte Tower and on Digital Twins for Energy Assessment for the multinational automotive company Stellantis. He has published papers, presenting them at the 2022 3D Modeling & BIM National Conference and the EDULEARN22 International Conference. He joined CRA in October 2022 as BIM Coordinator.

LUCA BUSSOLINO

Head of Strategy & Innovation

Luca is a trained architect and licensed engineer. He completed his Master in Architecture in September 2018, obtaining a double master degree with honors at Politecnico di Torino and Politecnico di Milano. Luca joined CRA in December 2018. Since late 2019 he is part of the Strategy and Innovation team, working between CRA’s headquarter in Turin and the New York branch office.

In 2022 he became Head of Strategy and Innovation for the firm, managing the team in charge of developing future projects and the long-term strategy of CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati. During his studies, he spent one year in Paris, at ENSA La Villette, and a semester at TU Delft, in The Netherlands. He holds a post-degree Diploma in Innovation Management from the highly selective Alta Scuola Politecnica which led him to deal with themes ranging from design thinking to industry 4.0. In June 2019, he completed his second humanitarian project in Cambodia, managing the process from needs evaluation to fundraising and building construction of a multi-family house in Sihanoukville.

ANDREA CASSI

Partner-in-Charge

Andrea graduated in Architecture from the Politecnico di Torino with a thesis on the role of digital technologies in the contemporary city, developed at the Senseable City Lab at MIT. In 2008, his work with Weekend In A Morning, “The tree sap, the divers and the silence,” was exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale. In 2010, with Weekend In a Morning, he won the international competition “Rome City Vision.”

He writes periodically for the architecture magazine “City Vision Mag” and is a teaching assistant for the Architecture Design workshop at the Politecnico di Torino and Politecnico di Milano. He has been collaborating with CRA since 2009.

ANDREA CAVAGGION

Architect Intern

Andrea completed his bachelor's at the IUAV University in Venice in 2018, and his Master's in Architectural Design and Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology in June 2021. He finished his master’s with a thesis focused on decentralized, technology-oriented communities. His work, entitled A_topia – Living in the Cloud, was a finalist in the Archiprix competition and earned the distinction of the Best Dutch Graduation Project.

He carried out an internship at OODA Architects in Porto and later on worked at the same studio as a Junior Architect. He joined the CRA Family on September 2022, and is currently focusing on innovative construction techniques and computational modeling.

SARA CHILLÈ

Administration & Accounting

Sara was born in Venaria Reale in 1998. She obtained a diploma in Accounting with a specialization in International Relations for Marketing. She also received an EsaBac, a double Italian-French diploma. Sara is currently studying at the University of Turin, majoring in Economics and Statistics. She joined CRA's finance team in May 2021.

IRATXE DE DIOS

Architect

Iratxe finished her master at Architecture at Polythenic University of Madrid in July 2020. Short after, she worked as an intern at 7478 in Rotterdam where was involved in projects of different scales and field of architecture, from designing furniture to interior design to masterplan.

She worked as a scientific illustrator involving in the image for the Poster Presentation “Biosignatures of cold seep carbonates to help understand the carbon cycle within the ocean worlds” for the 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2021, the most important planetary science congress, sponsored by NASA.

GARY DI SILVIO

Head of 3D Visualization Team

Gary completed his Master's in Digital Architecture at the University of Venice IUAV, where he graduated in 2012. He works at the intersection between architectural representation and new digital tools to investigate it. Gary is also interested in parametric modeling and rapid prototyping. He joined CRA in 2013 as a CG Artist and is now the Head of 3D Visualization.

Over the years he has been overseeing the whole creative representation of international projects at different scales while strengthening CRA’s visual identity and recognizable language.

ERZË DINARAMA

Senior Architect

Erzë is an interdisciplinary designer and researcher working at the intersection of architecture, landscape urbanism, and computational design. She has practiced in Italy, Kosovo, Germany, and Austria, and has also been involved in teaching activities at the Polytechnic University of Milan, Turin, Piacenza, and at the School of Design in Milan. She has exhibited at Pecci Museum in Prato and at the Landscape Festival Prague, and has been published at the ACADIA conference.

Erzë holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture at The University of Prishtina, and Masters Degree in Architecture with Distinction at The Polytechnic University of Milan. Additionally, she holds a Professional Certificate Degree in Advanced Architecture at The University of Berkeley, California, with a Distinction in Design, and has done exchange programs at the University of Bologna and Czech Technical University. Among studios she has been involved in are Studio Olafur Eliasson, and Elisa Cattaneo landscape architecture. During her collaboration with Elisa Cattaneo, among other projects, she was also landscape architecture Project Leader for the Budapest Southgate competition in collaboration with Studio Eisenman Architects. Additionally, she has been an invited critic at Rice University, Pratt Institute, and IAAC – Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia.

CLAUDIA DORMAN ALONSO

Strategy & Innovation

Claudia was born in London in 1996. She obtained her Master’s in Architecture Construction and City, with honors, from the Politecnico di Torino in July 2022. Her master's thesis focused on investigating the tangible and intangible values most significant to a building's character, developing a framework for the rehabilitation of modern heritage. Whilst completing her thesis she carried out an internship in Permasteelisa Spa as a technical designer.

Before joining CRA, her previous experience includes working in a few different firms in London, both as a Part 1 Architect and as an Interior Designer. She also worked as a freelance digital artist for a number of years. Claudia is a member of the Spanish National Committee for the European Youth Parliament, which helped to cultivate her interest in civic education, political debate and intercultural understanding. She joined CRA in November 2022 where she is part of the Strategy and Innovation team.

NIKA DZHIOEVA

Public Affairs Manager

Nika holds Master's degrees in International Affairs from the Russian State University and Cultural Management & Economics for the Humanities from the University of Bologna. After graduation, she worked in Communications and Public Affairs in cultural institutions and the media both in Russia and in Italy, contributed to the launch of Uber Eats in Italy, and, more recently, moved to Turin to work with the European Training Foundation’s Policy Team.

Nika joined CRA in April 2019 to oversee public affairs with our speaking engagement clients as part of CRA Think.

MARTA GOBBO

Junior Communications Specialist

Marta works in the Communications team at CRA. Together with her colleagues, she is in charge of internal and external communication. This includes responding to requests from journalists, writing articles for newspapers and responding to interviews, but also organizing internal events and providing support in all communications and activities for the team. Marta is also the social media manager and in charge of managing the firm's website.

She studied Communication Theory and Technology, a multidisciplinary program that uses the teaching and scientific resources of the Psychology and Computer Science departments of the University of Milan-Bicocca. Her dissertation is on the use of digital communication as a marketing tool for luxury brands. After working and studying in Padua, Milan, and Portsmouth, she moved to Turin and joined CRA in late 2021.

Niculina Gascu

Intern Architect

Niculina was born in the Republic of Moldova. She earned a Master degree in Architecture at the Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iasi. Her final thesis was focused on the relationship between the hand sketching and the architectural design process and how it is influencing the development of contemporary architecture.

During her studies she did one year of Erasmus at ISCTE in Lisbon, Portugal and another semester at UNIFE in Ferrara, Italy. She is passionate about sustainability and technological innovation in architecture.

MOHAMED YASSER HARISS

Architect, CRA-Make

Mohamed Yasser graduated from Politecnico di Torino in 2021. During his studies, he developed an interest in innovative tools and methodologies for architectural design that led him to write a master’s thesis on Computational and Generative Design. He participated in two Erasmus programs, one at the ÉAVT University of Paris and the other at the SEU University of Nanjing where he worked on several urban regeneration projects.

Shortly after his studies he joined BIMON, a BIM Consulting company in Rome, for an internship as a BIM Designer. He joined CRA in January 2022, focusing on Digital Fabrication and Design for Manufacture.

Zeynep Kalaycioglu

Architect

Zeynep studied Architectural Design in Politecnico di Milano where she graduated in 2018. She pursued her academic career in the same institution, achieving her Masters Degree on Architecture and Urban Design in 2022. During her studies, she did her internship with Ensamble Studio in Madrid, Spain focusing on construction of prefabricated unit modeling in international contexts.

In 2022 she collaborated with Fabio Novembre on various design and architecture projects.

JELENA KRCO

Architect

Jelena was born in Sarajevo in 1991. She earned a Master's in Architecture and Urban Design from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Serbia in 2017. While working on her thesis, she developed an interest in art and architecture in post-conflict societies and has been involved in many research projects and workshops on this topic throughout the Balkan region.

Before joining CRA she worked for a couple of years as a freelance architect, participating in international professional exhibitions and competitions.
Jelena is a member of the Order of Architects of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She draws inspiration from the study of history, art history, new technologies, and sustainability. She believes that her role as an architect goes far beyond designing the building itself, but rather contributing to the larger fabric of the city and its inhabitants.

ALBA LEON ALVAREZ

Architect

Passionate about sustainability and social research, Alba has carried out workshops in Armenia and Mozambique, heritage research in Morocco, and an internship in a bureau in Rome. She joined CRA in April 2022. Harnessing her experience with public design processes, she is working on the definitive and executive phases for the reuse of a building complex that is being transformed into a large cultural centre.

She has an interest in learning innovative construction techniques, as well as using BIM and parametric modelling tools.

CHIARA LEONZIO

Project Manager

Chiara is a trained and licenced architect. She completed her master in architecture in 2011 and she got in 2016 her post-grad master at the Architectural Association London, attending the Design Research Laboratory. Her professional experience spans between different scales of design, from urban and architectural to interior and product design.

After some experience in Italy and UK she moved to Bangalore (India) where she worked as design manager and design head leading the design team for hospitality, mixed use and workplace projects.
After few years in India she moved back to Europe joining Foster and Partners, designing hospitality, residential and mixed use projects.
She has been exposed to the academic field teaching in Italy at Inarch and in India as part of workshops and panel reviews. Her research embraces the complex relation between machines, architecture and materials, with a focus on real-time feedback loop applied on projects that could reconfigure over time, learning and adapting to the site conditions. Chiara joined Carlo Ratti in 2023 with the role of Projects Manager.

VINCENT LEUNG

Group Publication Editor

Vincent was born and raised in Hong Kong, before spending the subsequent years in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Italy for his academic and professional pursuits. He currently manages various editorial and curatorial projects under the CRA Group. Vincent obtained a masters with distinction in the history of art at University College London, where he wrote his thesis on the artistic presentation of nightlife in Paris at the turn of 19th century.

Before joining CRA, Vincent was a freelance food and culture writer. He contributed articles to media outlets across the globe such as The Michelin Guide (digital edition), Eater and food history journal Eaten, and produced English content for an exhibition at Tai Kwun, a major cultural institution in Hong Kong. He became a part of CRA Think in July 2020.

Luca Antonio Lidonnici

Architect Intern

Luca was born in 1997 in Milan. He moved to Bogota for an international workshop and Valencia for his Erasmus at Universitat Politecnica UPV. He earned a degree in Architecture from the University of Pescara in 2022 with a focus on Project Conservation and Representation.

MONIKA LÖVE

COO/ Partner-in-Charge

Monika earned her Master’s in Research Architecture at the University of London Goldsmith College in 2011, having previously graduated in Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven and the Estonian Academy of Arts. Monika is interested in reading of contemporary political issues within a constructed, real or imaginary architecture. through all stages of design and construction projects in Estonia and London.

Monika joined CRA in 2012. She currently acts as a COO and Partner-in-Charge, leading research and planning projects in the urban environment. She has been involved in CRA projects such as CapitaSpring, the Italian Pavilion in EXPO Dubai and masterplans in the Middle East.

EUGENIA MACCHIA

Senior Architect

Eugenia Macchia holds a Master of Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano where she graduated with Honors in 2012. Later, she studied Interior Architecture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Class of 2016). She was awarded with the Design Council Award for her thesis. She has also received the New Artist Society Merit Scholarship, along with the Kurtich Foundation Travel Scholarship for research in Havana, Cuba.

Since then, Eugenia worked with MAS Studio/Iker Gil, SOM “Skidmore, Owings & Merrill” (Chicago, 2015-2017) and STUDIOS Architecture (Paris, 2018), among others. She has been a licensed architect in Italy since 2021.
Eugenia joined CRA in May 2022. Her work focuses on exquisite costumised design, attention to details in an overall plan and communication of the project through the use of the BIM softwares.

NICOLETTE MARZOVILLA

Architect

Nicolette obtained her master’s degree in architecture in 2016 with the thesis "Urban regeneration for the Queens - NY," which she wrote in collaboration with the Parsons School of Design. She believes that architecture means exploration and an innovative attitude, fueled by passion, dedication and curiosity about research and new technologies.

Nicolette joined CRA in 2022, ready to bring the most of her enthusiasm and her technical and management knowledge from her previous six years of architectural experience in Italy and abroad. She is currently working on a restoration project for a large building in Italy, where she is excited by the challenge of balancing new and existing elements.

PASQUALE MILIERI

Architect/ 3D Artist

Pasquale graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Construction Techniques from “La Sapienza” University of Rome. In 2016, he obtained a master’s degree cum laude in “Architecture construction and city” from the Politecnico di Torino, with a master’s thesis about the reconversion of an industrial building into residential care home for people who are not self-sufficient.

His thesis was nominated among the best theses in Architecture for the year 2016 by the Young Talent Architecture Award (YTAA). In 2017, he was awarded the third prize for the international ideas competition: “L’Unione industriale si veste di nuovo, Torino.” Since 2011, Pasquale has been developing a deep interest in architectural visualization, experimenting with new approaches and different techniques with various 3D software and a variety of rendering engines. He joined CRA as 3D Artist in 2018.

Maximo Molinelli

Junior Product Designer

Maximo graduated as Industrial Designer in 2020 from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina with a thesis project on an exoskeleton that assists in working with heavy tools. Curious about other disciplines of design, he studied UX/UI Design and collaborated with architectural studios, winning a second place in a national competition.

From the beginning of his professional career he started experimenting with 3D Printing and since then it became a fundamental tool for his creations. Empathy and testing are essential in his design process.

FRANCESCA PAOLA MONTELLA

Architect

Francesca is passionate about sustainability and the relationship between cities, architecture, humans, and nature. She holds an master's degree with honors from the University of Naples Federico II. Her thesis discussed the adaptive reuse of the former Smuts Barrack in Berlin, Spandau, in collaboration with the Berliner Hochschule für Technik.

She continued her education with a postgraduate Master’s in circular architecture from the University of Camerino, where she focused her research on life cycle assessment for early design stages.
She gained professional experience at boutique studios in Berlin and Rome, at the interdisciplinary firm ATIproject, and as a freelance professional. She supports the Green Building movement and is certified as a LEED Green Associate and a WELL Accredited Professional.
She joined CRA in November 2022.

CHIARA MORANDINI

Project Manager

Chiara earned a degree in in Construction Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino. She won a MURST two-year professional training scholarship on restoration, acoustics, lighting, architecture and design and construction management, mainly held at Borini Costruzioni, Politecnico di Torino and CNR ICITE. Chiara worked as Plans Coordinator for many building sites of the Borini Costruzioni spa.

After being a founding partner of CRA in 2003, she was Project Leader at Mediapolis Engineering, where she coordinated major projects such as shopping malls, residential buildings, schools and nursing homes. Chiara is now back at the studio as Project Manager.

MYKOLA MURASHKO

CTO of CRA MAKE

Mykola is an architect with a research background in construction technology. He holds the E.S. Prior prize from the University of Cambridge for his understanding of material and construction. His goal is to translate academic research into a disruptive, high growth business with a strong sustainability impact.

CAMILLA NICOLINI

Strategy & Innovation

After graduating with a degree in architecture from the University of Roma Tre in 2019, Camilla obtained a Master's in Architecture for the Sustainable Project at Politecnico di Torino in 2021. She was also enrolled in the Alta Scuola Politecnica, an international honor program run by the Politecnico di Torino and the Politecnico di Milano,

Significant experiences during her studies include an Erasmus at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, an internship at the Lazio Region’s urban planning office, and an internship at the G*AA architecture studio in Turin. As an architect, Camilla is interested in topics concerning sustainable development and research on multifunctional spaces that foster encounters, relationships and, therefore, generation of new ideas.

Giulia Paoletti

HR Specialist

Giulia was born in 1997 in Viterbo. She moved to Turin in 2017 where she received her bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2021. She is currently completing her Master's in Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Turin with a thesis on health care workers in Saluzzo hospital during the Covid pandemic. At CRA, she takes care of the HR for the whole group.

MARIE PÉTRAULT

Architect Intern

Marie graduated in 2021 from La Cambre Horta Faculty of Architecture in Brussels with a master’s thesis that describing new reflections and tools from the work of Ooze architects questioning the architectural paradigm in the context of climate change. She did a one-year Erasmus at Bilgi University in Istanbul, where she became fascinated with the relationships between culture and nature.

She studied a watershed and the wonderful system of water and its urban management at all scales in order to raise awareness, reduce pollution, prevent flooding, and connect people to the water. She has participated in workshops in Shanghai, Detroit, and Targu Mures. Marie joined CRA in March 2022.

 

Xavier Pons Cussò

Product Designer

Xavier Pons grew up in Menorca and moved to Barcelona at the age of 18 to study a double degree in Industrial Design Engineering & Product Design at ELISAVA. During his studies, he had the opportunity to do an Erasmus at UMPRUM in Prague, focusing on Applied Arts. He is passionate about finding solutions that combine design, art, and technology to enhance user experiences through objects.

EMANUELE ROSSETTI

Group CEO

Emanuele Rossetti (born 1969 in Turin, Italy) is an Italian engineer, educated at Politecnico di Torino and City of London Polytechnic. He holds a PhD in applied mechanics and has taught robot’s mechanics at Politecnico di Torino. A seasoned executive with experience and interest in high growth businesses, Rossetti has a strong track record in developing, structuring, and executing big projects in public organizations

(head of Overlay department for the Torino Organizing Committee for the XX Winter Olympic Games, from bidding process in 2001 to closing ceremony in 2006) as well as in private companies (CEO of Nussli Italia, from the foundation of the company in 2007 to securing and managing large construction projects for the Universal Expo Milano in 2015). Since 2016, Rossetti has been CEO of Makr Shakr, the maker of the world’s first robotic bar. Since 2019, he has been CEO of the CRA group (owner of Makr Shakr) leveraging his creativity and innovation capabilities. His skills at designing and managing complex processes and relationships, and his ability to recruit and manage high-performing teams, are supporting the growth and the differentiation of the group.

GABRIELE SACCHI

Architect Intern

Gabriele was born in Treviglio in 1997. He completed his bacherlors at Politecnico di Milano where he also obtained a Master's in Architecture and Urban Design with honors in 2022. He developed his thesis in Toronto with the title: “Downtown to Waterfront through Intermodality; How the hyperloop system can revitalize the public realm in Toronto,” with a research program at the Toronto Metropolitan University.

He is interested in mobility, technology, and innovation, studying how architecture and urban design can bring sustainability to every part of the city.
During his studies, he had an internship in an architecture studio and the technical office of his town municipality. Today, he is a teaching assistant at Politecnico di Milano in its architectural design studio.
He joined CRA in November 2022.

Hamilton Santià

Senior Communication Officer

Hamilton is a communication specialist who has worked for politicians, media outlets, newspapers, publishing houses and corporate executives. His works concern social media strategy, ghost-writing, spin-doctoring and project management. Born and raised in Turin, he has a PhD in Film Studies with a thesis on the concept of “indie” as a culture, a style and a consumption mechanism.

He has lived and worked in Turin, Milan, Rome, London and Brussels. He is a contributing writer for cultural magazines such as Esquire and Rolling Stone, a radio host and a musician. Hamilton joined CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati in 2023.

MARCO SANTINI

Architect

Marco (Rome, 1994) holds a bachelor degree in Environmental Architecture and a master's degree in Architectural Design both from Politecnico di Milano where he graduated with the master thesis 'From Camp to City: a project for Zaatari.' After an internship at PowerHouse Company, Marco worked at Kengo Kuma and Associates in Tokyo for three years. He joined CRA in January 2023.

JAMES SCHRADER

Project Manager

James Schrader is the director of CRA’s operations in the Americas. He has led many projects at CRA, including the Hot Heart, a prizewinning entry to the Helsinki Energy Challenge, and Biotic, a one-million square foot master plan in Brasilia. He holds degrees from Princeton and Yale, and is a registered architect in New York.

INA SEFGJINI

Senior Architect

Ina graduated with full marks and a Master's in “Architecture, Construction and City” from Politecnico di Torino in July 2018. Her master’s thesis, “Enhancing the Rural,” aimed to reinforce the existing Chinese rural fabric through a new urban design proposal to generate social and economic benefits for future inhabitants.

After collaborating with CRA in 2015, she joint EFFEKT in Copenhagen as Junior Architect where she worked on several urban projects in Denmark. She rejoined CRA in 2018 and has been working on different scale projects as the Italian pavillion at EXPO 2020, VITAE, and VIBRAM Connection Lab.

FRANCESCO STROCCHIO

Partner-in-Charge

Francesco has studied and worked in Turin, Madrid, Bruxelles, Boston, Dubai and Mumbai. He is experienced in creating multidisciplinary works in innovative, dynamic and challenging environments. From 2010 to 2015, he worked in Turin with the firm MARC, helping to design mainly private residential buildings.

Since 2015, he has been part of Turin’s design team at CRA as Senior Architect & Project Manager, mainly focusing on design of public buildings such as the New Headquarters of the Fondazione Agnelli in Turin, the Greenery and the new Mutti Canteen and the Italian Pavilion for Expo Dubai 2020, following them from the concept design to the construction phase. He is always eager to challenge himself in new working experiences, to improve his knowledge, and to grow up personally and professionally.

GIULIA TOLU

Senior Architect

Giulia completed her M.Sc in Architecture hallway between Genova and Seoul with a thesis based on the topic “Collective Cities” of the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism in 2019, with a focus on urban requalification starting from the redevelopment of the existing architecture. Since the graduation she moved to Berlin, where she worked from competitions to the executive design phases, focusing on BIM modeling.

She thinks that the most beautiful thing about making architecture is its interaction with its users and the city and the choices that design forces you to make on a daily basis to improve it.

GIZEM VERAL

Architect

Gizem is currently continuing her postgraduate studies at Politecnico di Torino, majoring in Architecture for Sustainability Design with a thesis on Digital Twins and Virtual Reality for people with autism spectrum disorder. She joined CRA in 2021, and she is responsible for coordinating the process of generating and managing BIM-based digital models.

ANDREEA VISAN

Strategy & Innovation

Andreea graduated with a Master’s degree in Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences from the Technical University in Delft in 2019, where she cultivated her interest in public building, sustainable urban planning and biophilic architecture. Her academic research focused on the urban future of European cities. During her graduation she investigated the role Big Tech companies can play in the urban environment to support large cities in the energy transition.

This materialized in a smart hybrid building and mobility hub – an automated food storage and distribution center, together with a market hall, housing and a train station. In addition, she was engaged in the Manifesta 12 exhibition in Palermo where she researched the relationship between privatized green spaces and the city. After graduating, she she worked for 3 years as a design architect in Vienna, improving her planning skills through a wide range of projects such as large-scale urban developments, high rises, and timber structures.

As part of the Strategy and Innovation team at CRA, Andreea works together with project managers and clients to develop new architectural solutions with positive environmental and social impact and expand the company’s horizon.

Zoe Zhai

Designer

With strong passion in the design filed, Zoe decided to join and purse the deep understanding of architecture in CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati. Having worked at Buro Ole Scheeren (Beijing, China), and Ballinger (Philly, US) for the last three years, she had the opportunity to participate in four prominent national and international architectural projects, ranging from a Maryland University engineer school to Tecent headquarters.

With 6 years of academic life, Zoe got M.S. in advanced architecture design from Columbia University. Architecture is a long journey, and the remaining part of her journey is gonna be bursting with passion within this talented group.

SARA ZAMPIERON

Construction Project Manager, CRA-Make

Sara graduated from the Politecnico di Torino with a thesis on Industrial Design. She has worked across Europe in exhibitions and internal fit-outs. She has worked for several Italian and international interior design studios. Most recently she moved to London specializing in high-end residential fit-out construction, working for Northacre Real Estate and the Balfour Betty Group.

She likes to work on-site and is renowned for rapidly delivering pragmatic solutions to complex challenges and establishing harmonious and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. A traveller at heart, she hopes to be diligent, resilient and pro-active with a rigorous, collaborative and personable approach to her work.

She joined CRA in 2022.

ANDRE ZANOLLA

Architect

Andre is a full-time creative focused on designing impactful architecture and low-cost modular structures. He studied architecture and urbanism at the University of Sao Paulo and worked with BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group in Copenhagen and Andrade Morettin AA in Sao Paulo. He currently leads a multidisciplinary research group focused on reimagining spaces through architecture, Democratic Architects, based in Sao Paulo and operational worldwide.

During the 2020 pandemic, he was responsible for developing mass healthcare infrastructure to actively combat covid-19 in Brazil. He has also presented his works in the 2018 Biennale di Venezia and the 2020 Tbilisi Biennial, and was awarded First Prize at EXPO UIA 2020 in Rio de Janeiro for social housing, and also Honourable Mention at the 58th Institute of Brazilian Architects Annual Prize.

FILIPPO ZANOTTO

Group CFO

Filippo was born in Turin where he graduated in Industrial Engineering and Management in July 2015. He has been the Group CFO since 2019, overseeing the financial activities for CRA and its affiliated start-ups. As a student, he worked for sport and entertainment associations, dealing with events and cultural activities organization and he was operative within BasicNet logistics department.

He joined the Makr Shakr team in 2015 and was involved in events and business development for the first couple of years, successfully bringing the robotic bar across Europe, US and Asia. In 2017, he became CFO of Makr Shakr during an intense scale up phase of the startup.

GIANLUCA ZIMBARDI

Architect/ 3D Artist

Gianluca holds a degree in Architecture for Sustainable Projects from the Politecnico di Torino, with a thesis regarding the Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition (with publication as meritorious argument). During his time at university, he joined a series of participatory planning workshops, including “Designing public spaces of interaction” and “Redevelopment of the area Ex-Macello in Moncalieri.”

He has been a teaching assistant for the Architecture Design workshop at the Politecnico di Torino, and together with Professor Roberto Apostolo co-organized the “Metamorphosis art / architecture” international design workshop for students at the Castello di Rivoli Contemporary Art Museum. He is passionate about the world of architectural visualization at large: renders, graphics and animation. He joined CRA in September 2016.

Externals

WALTER NICOLINO

Walter graduated from the Politecnico di Torino with an urban design project that was awarded the Archiprix 2003’s Honourable Mention – World’s Best Graduation Projects.

Often invited as a lecturer by various universities and cultural institutions, Walter is currently serving as adjunct professor at the University of Ferrara’s Department of Architecture, where he is coordinating, together with Gabriele Lelli and Gianluca Cristoforetti, the multidisciplinary research group Next City Lab. Walter practices in Turin in the fields of architecture and urban planning, and he is a board member of OII+, a cultural association promoting architecture through events, publications, lectures and workshops. After having contributed to the founding of the studio and playing an active role until 2014, Walter Nicolino now acts as an external consultant to CRA.

Past

Xingxin He

Erika Bettega

Niccolò Centrone

Paolo Martini

Ben Hansen

Ariela Osuna

Barbara Romanin Jacur

Pietro Franceschini

Francesca Marino

Valentina Macchioni

Melanie Erspamer

Alan Huang

Jacopo Reale

Greta Stefanova

Veronica Lim

Samuel Colle Dominguez Maldonado

Alessandro Squatrito

Aunie Frisch

Rossana Schiraldi

Eric Dell’Orco

Giulia Maccagli

Selina Kanner

Federico Riches

Melanie Imfeld

Esther Brejaart

Peter Geelmuyden Magnus

Edoardo Bosio

Alessandro Tassinari

Paolo de Biase

Oliver Kazimir

Andrea Giordano

Andrea Pedrina

Mattia Benatti

Maxime Desmond

Sammy Zarka

Michele Versaci

Lorenzo Risitano

Chiara de Grandi

Andrea Riva

Eugenio Bini

Pietro Spagnolo

Andrea Fasolo Rao

Matteo Silverio

Maria Elena Spagnolo

Silvia Zini

Marta Scelto

Alfredo Marinucci

Levent Ozruh

Mariachiara Mondini

Caterina Falleni

Benedetta Maggi

Gianluca Santosuosso

Giorgia Rossi

Emanuele Protti

Damiano Gui

Dario Guazzo

Fabrizio Zanette

Charlotte Baumert

Muge Yuruten

Saverio Panata

Niccolò Suraci

Carlotta Sillano

Jacqueline Castañeda

Filippo Ferraris

Andrea Brena

Alberto Bottero

Sofia Cornejo Reindl

Andrea Galanti

Andrea Galli

Pietro Leoni

Giovanni de Niederhäusern

Marco Maria Pedrazzo

Jennifer Young

Halley Wuertz

Coen Smets

Gricelys Roasrio

Otto Ng

Sayjel Patel

Sara Massa

Martine Grange

Ben Gamse

Kristina Drapic

Michele Bonino

Daniele Baiotto

Fabio Vignolo

Riccardo Sirtori

Ben Piper

Dario Parigi

Beatrice Nassi

Andrea Lo Papa

Gabriella Giungato

Justin Gallagher

Claudio Bonicco

Eric Baczuk

Rana Yang

Maia Tuur

Jens Seidel

Rene Perez Ignacio

Francesca Omodeo

Justin Lee

Newsha Ghaeli

Anna Chiara Frisa

Federica Cerruti

Leonardo Amerigo Bonnani

Ian Ardouin-Fumat

Brian Yang

Eva Stiperski

Julia Schlotter

Paolo Porporato

Stefano Oletto

Claudia Michelazzo

Matteo Lai

Claudio Genenzani

Luigi Farrauto

Filipa Carvalho

Matteo Basta

Andre Almeida

Livia Breccia

Luis Masejo

Jenny Colasberna

Davide Ventura

Francesco Lato

Roberta Chiummarulo

Marco Caprani

Anna Morani

Lunia Borsa

Luca Giacolini

Irem Ceri

Alessandro Peretti Griva

Rui Guan

Francesco Pastore

Emma Greer

Maurizio Fimiani

Juan Carlos Romero

Federica Busani

Aurora Maggio

Chenyu Xu

Giulia Lodetti

Nicola Scaramuzza

Carlo Turati

Gabriele Pettinau

Serena Giardina

Stephanie Kyuyoung Lee

Paulina Toscano

Anna Spaggiari

Ashwin Preetham Arroju

Antonio Atripaldi

Valentina Grasso

Giovanni Trogu

Mario Daudo

Alberto Benetti

Lorenzo Anghinoni

Stela Karabina

Marika Tomasi

Sinéad Nicholson

Matteo Zerbi

Irina Bogdan

Bartol Oremovic

Sangeun Lee

Sara Porporato

Alessandra Scaglia

Fulvia Cioni

Marco Guarany

Davide Bernardis