Mario Cucinella

Mario Cucinella is an internationally renowned Italian architect, educator, and designer whose work explores the relationship between architecture, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and human well-being.

Born in Palermo in 1960, he graduated in Architecture from the University of Genoa in 1986. In 1992, he founded Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) in Paris, an international architecture and design practice that today has offices in Bologna and Milan, where he serves as Creative Director. The studio brings together architects, engineers, designers, researchers, and other professionals, developing projects across different scales and contexts with a strong focus on environmental and social sustainability.

Cucinella's architectural research is rooted in the belief that sustainability is not simply a technical requirement, but an opportunity to create a new form of beauty. His work integrates environmental and climatic strategies, innovative technologies, research, and careful attention to the cultural and social context of each project. MCA's approach seeks to create architecture that responds to the needs of people while reducing its environmental impact.

Education and research have always been central to his work. In 2015, he founded SOS – School of Sustainability, a school dedicated to young professionals and recent graduates, providing them with the knowledge and tools to address emerging environmental challenges through an open, holistic, research-driven, and human-centred approach. Cucinella has also taught at universities in Ferrara, Naples, Munich, and Nottingham.

His commitment to environmental and social issues has earned international recognition, including the International Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2016 and the Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Architects in 2017. In 2018, he was appointed curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, presenting Arcipelago Italia, an exhibition and research project dedicated to Italy's inner and marginal areas.

Among his recent recognitions, MCA received the Compasso d'Oro ADI in 2024 for the Museo d'Arte Fondazione Luigi Rovati in Milan. His work and ideas have also been explored through numerous publications, including Building Green Futures, Architecture of Education, The Future is a Journey to the Past, and Città foresta umana. L'empatia ci aiuta a progettare.

Through architecture, education, and research, Mario Cucinella continues to advocate for a vision of design that places people, the environment, and cultural context at the centre of the architectural process. His work reflects a belief that architecture can contribute not only to the quality of the built environment, but also to a more sustainable, inclusive, and conscious future.