Mario Cucinella was born in Palermo in 1960 and graduated in Architecture at the University of Genoa in 1986.

In 1992, in Paris, he founded MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects, an architecture and design firm that has now headquarters in Bologna and Milan, and of which he is also the creative director.

In 2015 he founded SOS – School of Sustainability, a school for young professionals and recent graduates that focuses on the application of sustainable architecture and design to give future decisions makers the tools necessary to tackle the environmental issues that are emerging globally with an open-minded, holistic, research-driven, and human-centered approach.

The importance of his work and continued commitment as an architect and educator on environmental and social issues have been recognized with the International Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2016) and with the Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Architects (2017).

In 2018 he was curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale with the exhibition “Arcipelago Italia”.

Mario Cucinella has taught at the universities of Ferrara, Naples, Munich, and Nottingham.

He is the author of many publications including:
Building Green Futures (2020, published by Forma), a volume that investigates, through a collection of the latest projects and most representative architecture of Mario Cucinella Architects, possible answers that architecture can provide to the global challenges of the future.
Architecture of Education (2021, published by Maggioli), an analysis of how the most important places in civil society will be able to evolve thanks to architecture and the dynamics it is able to generate, through a multi-voiced narrative alternating with design solutions developed by Mario Cucinella Architects.
The future is a journey to the past. Ten stories about architecture (2021, published by Quodlibet) In this book Mario Cucinella – together with Valentina Torrente and Laura Zevi – describes ten trips to cities and places that gave him valuable insights into environmental issues and the rational use of available energy.

‍

Operations Director at Mario Cucinella Architects, Andrea was born in Messina and graduated in Management, innovation, and services engineering at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa with the final dissertation “Decoding innovation in Design” and, previously, in Architectural engineering at Politecnico di Torino with a thesis named “Computational Urbanism. Data, tools, and methods for tomorrow city planning”.

Over the past thirteen years he has gained a multifaceted experience inside creative organizations of various kinds by working as manager and designer for international design firms where creativity, technology, and research are the main pillars for developing projects that aim to produce a positive impact on our society and on our planet.

Driven by this idea and an investigative mindset, Andrea has also developed some internationally rewarded entrepreneurial projects that allowed him to build a hybrid profile. The variety of his skills, spanning from spaces, services and organizations design to business strategy and execution, today allows him to lead the growth of the operational dynamics in complex creative organizations which develop highly innovative projects for first class clients all over the globe.

His eclectic experience doesn’t prevent him to nurture his great passion for sport and for traveling on his motorbike for thousands of kilometers per year.

‍

Vittoria Palamara works as Tender Coordinator at Mario Cucinella Architects.

A graduate in Architecture with top marks, she honed her skills working with leading architectural and engineering firms; she has solid experience in managing tenders for major public works. She is currently involved in the search for new business opportunities, coordination of tender procedures, management of consultants and contractualisation of orders.

Her education and work experience demonstrate a broad competence in business development in both public and private contexts.

Carlotta Reggiani works as Tender Coordinator at Mario Cucinella Architects.

She graduated in 2004 in Communication Sciences from the University of Bologna with a thesis on "Personal Identity Construction in Internet Relay Chat (IRC)".

With more than ten years of experience as a Tender Specialist for various Italian companies, she has demonstrably managed the drafting of administrative documentation for bids on national and international works and service contracts, taking full ownership and responsibility for the entire process. Since 2018, she has been part of the MCA Team in Business Development and Tender Coordination.

For many years, she volunteered her time with leading cultural organizations and associations, where she handled event organization, communication, help desk support, and database management.

Qianlan Shi works as Tender Specialist for the Asian Market at Mario Cucinella Architects.

She earned a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Hunan City University in China and subsequently a Master's degree in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in Italy.

After formative work experiences in architectural and interior design, she focused on project management and joined the MCA team in 2019, specializing in tender preparation and public relations within the Asian market.

Michele Olivieri works as Atelier Unit Director and Design Leader at Mario Cucinella Architects.

He is specialised in sustainable urban design and is an expert in integrated design, architecture, engineering, and landscape architecture.

From 2003 to 2004, he studied Urbanism and Industrial Design in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, at the Pontificia Università Cattolica del Paranà, and worked at the prestigious IPPUC Institute of Urban Planning and Research of Cutiriba, Brazil. He graduated in Architecture from the Faculty of Ferrara in 2005.

From 2006 to 2010, he carried out research for the University of Ferrara and Venice (IUAV), obtaining a PhD in Architectural Technology with the thesis "Vegetation on building façades for microclimate control".

He has been collaborating with Mario Cucinella Architects since 2008, taking part in large-scale urban regeneration projects and hospital.

Nicola Tommaso Bettini works as Design Leader at Mario Cucinella Architects.

Born in Bologna, he studied at the FAF - Faculty of Architecture Ferrara and later on at the Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark. He graduated in 2000, and between 1996 and 2006 he collaborated with several international studios in Italy, Denmark and Portugal.

In 2007, he started his own studio based in Bologna, where he carried out both public and private projects obtaining prestigious awards in international competitions. Moreover, between 2009 and 2011 he tutored the Technical Architecture course at the Faculty of Engineering in Bologna.

Donato Labella is Design Leader at Mario Cucinella Architects.

He graduated in Architecture from the University of Rome La Sapienza in 2012 and then moved to Tokyo, Japan, where he worked for a major international studio on retail and workspace projects. He returned to Rome in 2015, where he worked with a large international studio as Design Leader, carrying out several projects from concept to construction.

In 2018 he joined Mario Cucinella Architects, where he specialises on three-dimensional and parametric modelling for interior design management and the application of innovative construction technologies. Furthermore, he oversees projects through all phases, from concept design to construction delivery.

He is an expert in integrated architectural design of complex projects and interior design. He possesses strong skills in artistic management and supervision of projects, technical understanding of materials and construction solutions, and activity coordination. These skills were further honed through his postgraduate Master's degree in "Project Management in Construction Works with BIM" at the Politecnico di Milano.

Giulio Desiderio is Project Director at Mario Cucinella Architects.

Following his graduation from the University Institute of Architecture in Venice in 1994, he joined the Superintendency of Artistic and Historical Heritage of Modena and Reggio-Emilia in 1995.

He then moved to Germany, where he worked with internationally renowned studios and successfully took part in several competitions for the design and construction of complex works. Back in Italy, from 2000 to 2015 he worked as technical manager at an international engineering company, where he lead multidisciplinary teams and developed skills in the management and control of public processes.

Between 2014 and 2016, he served on the Culture Commission of the Ferrara Order of Architects. He was also a member of the Architectural and Landscape Quality Commission of Cento; he continues to hold this position in Finale Emilia. His projects have been published in numerous magazines and won prestigious international awards. During his career he received awards on innovation and urban regeneration, and co-authored scientific publications on the theory and technique of hospital design and specialised care centres.

He has been part of the MCA team since 2015, where he is in charge of coordination and design of complex works. He worked as an Operations Manager and currently as Senior Project Director, overseeing the planning and control of the overall design production. He is an expert in hospital research and design, having supervised more than 10 high-complexity hospitals in Italy for MCA.

Cristina Gambioli is Project Director at Mario Cucinella Architects.

Born in Barcelona (Spain), she studied between Italy and Germany, earning a double degree in Architecture and Building Engineering from UNIVPM Ancona and participating in cultural exchange programs at TU Darmstadt and Skk University in Seoul. She approached urban planning and participatory design strategies by leading a pilot project and through an experience as a teaching assistant at the HafenCity University in Hamburg.

She honed her expertise in designing mid-rise buildings and towers while working for prestigious international architectural firms in Munich and Hamburg. During this time, she developed a strong skillset in façade design, BIM methodologies, project scheduling, and construction documentation.

Since 2019, she has been part of the MCA team, where she coordinates the entire project lifecycle from concept to completion for both residential and hospitality buildings and ultra-luxury villas.

Cristina manages complex international projects, offering collaborative solutions to meet the client's objectives and requirements in terms of proposed design, timing and budget.

She enjoys exploring the underwater world as a scuba enthusiast.

Marco is an architect and works as Design Manager and Architects Coordinator at Mario Cucinella Architects in Milan (IT). He has extensive experience in complex buildings and urban projects, with special focus on sustainable design strategies.

He graduated in Sustainable Architecture at IUAV University of Venice (IT).

From 2010 to 2020 he worked as Architect and Project Leader in architecture and urban design firms in The Netherlands. He led projects in Europe, China and South-Eastern Asia, developing flexible and site-specific strategies to match local culture, diverse values and specific opportunities for sustainable design. Projects often required research work and the development of specific communication tools.

In 2022 he joined Mario Cucinella Architects. He has been working on projects in the metropolitan area of Milan and abroad which required switching between building and urban scale. His work involves the coordination of interdisciplinary teams of consultants in order to develop the most suitable design strategies.

As Architects Coordinator of Milan office, he takes part to events, gives lectures and presentations about Mario Cucinella Architects work and values.