People old
CARLO RATTI
Founding Partner / Chairman
An architect and engineer by training, Professor Carlo Ratti teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and at the Politecnico di Milano. He is a founding partner of the architecture and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati (Torino, New York City, and London) and the director of the Senseable City Lab. Carlo graduated from the Politecnico di Torino and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, and later carried out his MPhil and PhD work at the University of Cambridge, UK - completing his PhD thesis as a Fulbright Scholar at MIT.
One of the top ten most-cited scholars in urban planning, Carlo co-authored over 750 publications, including the recent Atlas of the Senseable City (Yale University Press, with Antoine Picon). A presenter at TED, he regularly publishes opinion essays in international media, including The New York Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, Project Syndicate, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, and El Pais. He serves as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.
His curatorial experience spans projects in different countries. He has been a program director at the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow, a curator of the BMW Guggenheim Pavilion in Berlin, and a curator of the Future Food District pavilion at Expo 2015 Milan. He was the chief curator of the 8th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in Shenzhen (UABB) in 2019, a co-curator of the second Porto Design Biennale in 2021, and the Creative Mediator responsible for the award-winning Urban Vision at the European Nomadic Biennale Manifesta 14 Prishtina in 2022. He is the appointed curator of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (2025).
Carlo’s work has been exhibited at venues including New York City’s MoMA The Museum of Modern Art, La Biennale di Venezia (International Architecture Exhibitions), the Design Museum in Barcelona, the Science Museum in London, MAXXI in Rome. Three of his projects – the Digital Water Pavilion, the Copenhagen Wheel, and Scribit – have been included by TIME Magazine in the list of the ‘Best Inventions of the Year’. Fast Company magazine hailed him as one of the “Most Influential Designers in America,” and Blueprint Magazine listed him as one of its “People Who Will Change the World of Design.” Bloomberg dubbed him the “Sensory City Philosopher.”
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.
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.
LUCA BUSSOLINO
Partner-in-Charge/ 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.
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.
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.
MYKOLA MURASHKO
Senior Designer | Co-founder & CEO, Maestro Technologies
Myk is a Ukrainian-Luxembourgish designer. Trained as an architect at the University of Cambridge, his research background spans data analytics and building technology. He joined CRA in 2021, where he led the in-house digital fabrication team.
In 2023, he co-founded Maestro Technologies, a start-up focused on construction technology, alongside Carlo Ratti. Presently, Myk is a member of CRA’s design advisory board and services clients on design and build projects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 a few years in India, she moved back to Europe, joining Foster and Partners, where she designed hospitality, residential, and mixed use projects.
She has been exposed to the academic field of 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.
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.
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.
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
Junior Publications Editor
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.
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.
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.
ANDREA CAVAGGION
Architect
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.
MARCO CONTE
Product Design Manager
Holding a bachelor’s degree in Product Design and a master’s degree in Design Engineering, Marco is an interdisciplinary designer interested in technology and innovation, with an aptitude for problem-solving and design thinking. He thrives in a vast range of product, industrial, and visual design activities, from conceptualization to realization.
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.
CLAUDIA DORMAN ALONSO
Deputy/ Strategy + Innovation Associate
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.
Niculina Gascu
Architect Intern
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.
Fiorenza Giometti
Architect
Fiorenza studied Architecture at Politecnico di Milano and ABK Stuttgart. She worked at Skidmore Owings & Merrill in London, and Tundra ufficio di architettura in Ravenna. In 2023, she pursued a Master of Philosophy in Architecture and Urban Design at the Architectural Association in London.
Graduating with distinction, she developed a thesis about the secondary towns of coastal Italy, focusing on touristification and territorialization processes. In particular, she is interested in the spatial codification of abandoned megastructures to develop strategic intervention scenarios in the built environment.
MARTA GOBBO
Junior Communication 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.
RUI GUAN
Strategy + Innovation Associate
Rui received a B.arch with honors from Southeast University and a Post-professional master’s degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University in New York City. He was a Design Lead in CRA’s New York branch for four years since 2017 and has worked on many key projects of CRA, including Hot Heart, Jianmu Tower, Living Nature, Biotic etc.
He worked as a design manager in real estate company VANKE for two years since 2021. Rui returned to CRA in 2023 as a Project Manager and Strategy + Innovation Associate for the New York branch.
Günes Idil Altun
Architect Intern
Born in Istanbul, Gunes obtained her master’s degree in Landscape Architecture - Land Landscape Heritage program from Politecnico di Milano in 2023. Has a strong interest in enhancing social and physical resilience for both communities and non-human entities within cultural landscapes.
Her graduation thesis, focused on establishing long-term landscape resilience for the Venice Lagoon in the context of sea level rise, was completed with full marks. As a research intern at the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies at Polimi, she contributed to a project aimed at developing design strategies dedicated to reforming single-family housing settlements in the Emilian Apennines.
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.
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
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.
Claudia Losini
Office Manager
Originally from Piacenza, Claudia studied Cultural Heritage with a focus on film and new media and moved to Turin, where she worked first as a copywriter in an advertising agency, and later as an office/project manager in two of the most internationally renowned animation and motion graphic studios.
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.
Sandra Marin Sancho
Talent Acquisition Manager
A linguistics graduate with a passion for sociology and sociolinguistics, Sandra currently serves as the Talent Acquisition Manager for the group. With a strong commitment to cultivating inclusive and safe workplaces, she actively engages in recruiting and HR practices, aspiring to eliminate biases and create a more equitable work environment for everyone to thrive.
Sandra’s passion lies in fostering a safe workplace that values diversity and ensures equal opportunities.Talent Acquisition Manager
NICOLETTE MARZOVILLA
Senior 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
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.
GINEVRA NAZZARI
Deputy/ Senior Architect, Maestro Technologies
Ginevra is an architect and computational designer who holds a master's degree with honors in Building Technology from Delft University of Technology. Her master's thesis research was published and presented at the "International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction 2020 (ISARC 2020)."
Transitioning from her academic research to her professional career, she has gained experience working in various architectural firms in the Netherlands. Her focus has been on optimizing designs through the application of digital techniques and adeptly managing materials, construction systems, and program requirements.
CAMILLA NICOLINI
Strategy + Innovation Associate
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.
MARIE PÉTRAULT
Architect
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.
Francesco Rabuffetti
Architect
Francesco achieved his Barchelor’s degree in Architecture in 2019 and his Master’s degree in Building Architecture in 2021, both from Politecnico di Milano, whith a Master’s degree thesis focused on the restoration of the archaeological heritage of Castello Sforzesco in Milan.
Since he was a student, he started collaborating with several offices in Milan, ranging from international competitions and concept design to construction development detailing for residential buildings, sport buildings and schools. He joined CRA in January 2024
GABRIELE SACCHI
Deputy/ Architect
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
Deputy/ 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.
Rodolfo Siccardi
Senior Architect
Rodolfo completed with honors his M.Sc in Architecture in Genoa in tandem with his diploma at the Conservatory of Music in the class of violin. His thesis proposed a solar tracker-based façade system for enhancing daylight comfort and energy efficiency in high-rise buildings.
Post-training in Genoa, he relocated to Amsterdam, honing his skills in architectural detailing and engineering. Progressing to a Senior Architect and site coordinator, he successfully completed numerous projects across the Netherlands. Rodolfo perceives architectural design akin to a musical composition, where each detail contributes to the harmony of the whole, embodying the concept of architecture as “frozen music”.
Sonia Simone
Architect
With several years of hands-on international experience, Sonia has honed her expertise in Architecture and Urban Design. Having graduated from ETH Zürich with a MAS in Urban and Territorial Design, she specialized in design solutions that can address social and environmental challenges spanning both urban and rural landscapes.
Her experience in Architecture and Urban Design allowed her to transition between urban design projects and architectural design proposals seamlessly, granting her a skillset that aims to explore the intersection of the two disciplines.
INA SEFGJINI
Deputy/ 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.
EREN SEZER
Intern Architect
Eren Sezer, born in 1998 in Istanbul, pursued a Master’s degree in Building Architecture at Politecnico di Milano. His master’s thesis focused on the New European Library of Milano, incorporating automated cellular facades and organic interior design, showcasing a thoughtful approach to modern architectural challenges and his interest in technological detailing and innovative construction methods.
Beyond academics, Eren engages in various hobbies and competitions. His design, the “Food Tower,” earned a spot on the SKYHIVE 2022 shortlist, and he designed the Hungarian Pavilion for the 2023 Scout Jamboree in South Korea. Alongside his architectural pursuits, Eren is an avid chess player, having been part of Scacchi Polimi, and a Latin dancer.
Agata Signorello
Intern
Agata is currently pursuing her graduation in Design and Communication at Polytechnic of Turin. She joined CRA in August 2023 as a product designer intern through the internship program of her university. She is interested in computational design and intends to pursue it in her future studies.
GIULIA TOLU
Deputy/ 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.
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 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.
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.