Habitat Unit

Senior Researcher

Dr. Vittoria Capresi

vittoria.capresi@tu-berlin.de

Room A 409
T + 49  30  314  22588
F + 49 – 30 – 314 – 21907

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Vittoria Capresi has been senior researcher at the Habitat Unit since October 2016, as a Principal Investigator of the International European Project MODSCAPES – Modern Reinvention of the Rural Landscapes, a fully granted HERA project (Humanity in the European Research Area).

For the MODSCAPES project she will research on three case studies, the new settlements built under Mussolini in colonial Libya and in the Pontine Plane in Italy, and the changes in the rural landscapes during the GDR in the South-Oderbruch (Brandenburg), Germany.

Vittoria Capresi's research focuses on the role of fascist political architecture and on relating the physical environment with the narratives of the inhabitants, exploring the intersection between planned architecture and lived spaces.

Vittoria started in Cairo her research on how to combine oral history methods with the historical analysis of the built heritage: in 2011 she was appointed as Associate Professor in History of Architecture at the German University – GUC, at the newly established faculty of Architecture, where she developed the curriculum for the history of architecture curse. She focused in fostering a reality-based way of teaching, establishing hands-on seminars, design-build studios, and international workshops, to relate the students with the challenges and potentials of their city.

To support this approach, in 2011 she co-funded "baladilab", initiating a series of participatory projects in Downtown Cairo, involving the local community and architecture students to map, collect, survey and share the architecture of that area. The results are in the book: Downtown Cairo, Architecture and Stories (Jovis 2005) and were exhibited at the Biennale di Venezia in 2016, Egyptian Pavilion.

From 2002 until 2011 she was researching and teaching at the Vienna University of Technology, department Baugeschichte / Bauforschung, where she completed in 2007 her doctoral dissertation. Her Ph.D. focuses on an historical analysis and current urban and political role of the new settlements built in colonial Libya under the fascist regime, and was published in 2010: The built Utopia. The Italian Rural Centres founded in colonial Libya (1934-1940), Bologna: Bonomia University Press.

Vittoria studied architecture at the University in Florence and at the Technical University in Berlin, her Diplom was about the analysis and reuse of the Garbaty former cigarettes factory in Pankow, Berlin.

Education+

2006 – 2013
Doctorate of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.), TU Wien
(Thesis) The Architecture of the newly funded Italian rural centers built in Libya, Italian colony, during the Fascist time, 1934-1940 / L’architettura dei centri rurali di fondazione costruiti in Libia – colonia italiana – durante il fascismo, 1934-1940. (Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Marina Döring-Williams, Prof. Dr. Giuliano Gresleri).

1995 – 2001
Diploma in Architecture (Dipl.-Ing), Università degli Studi di Firenze, Studies in Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin (Erasmus) and University of Florence. (Thesis) Fritz Höger e la fabbrica Garbaty a Berlino. Tutela e recupero del Patrimonio Storico Architettonico. (Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Ezio Godoli, Prof. Dr. Franco Bevilacqua).

Employment History+

Since 2016
Research Associate
Habitat Unit, TU Berlin

Since 2015
Freelance
Montag Stiftung Jugend und Gesellschaft, Bonn

2014 – 2015
Free collaboration (Lehrauftrag)
Vienna University of Technology, Institute „Baugeschichte und Bauforschung“

2011 – 2014
Associate Professor in History of Architecture
German University in Cairo - GUC, Faculty of Architecture

2010 – 2012
Teaching assignment at the Summer School in Conservation of Historical, Monumental and Archaeological Sites, University of Tor Vergata, Rome

2010
Sabbatical semester in Cairo (Egypt) for research and teaching assignments at the Cairo University and American University in Cairo - AUC, Faculty of Architecture

2008 – 2011
Assistant Professor (research and teaching)
Vienna University of Technology, Institute Baugeschichte und Bauforschung

2008
Teaching assignment, class: History of Modern Architecture, class: Building Survey
University of Florence, Faculty of Architecture

2004 – 2008
University Assistant, research and teaching
Vienna University of Technology, Institute Baugeschicnte und Bauforschung

2001 – 2004
Student Assistant 
Vienna University of Technology, Institute Baukunst, Bauaufnahme und Architekturtheorie

Research Projects+
2016 – 2019
HERA - Humanity in the European Research Area

2016 – 2017
The German legacies in Cairo. Architecture and Urban Surroundings / Deutsche Bau + Kultur in Kairo.
baladilab, supported by the German Embassy in Cairo.

2013 – 2015
Downtown Cairo. Architecture and Stories.
German University in Cairo - GUC / baladilab, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service – DAAD and supported by the Goethe-Institut Kairo.

2013 – 2014
EDBKN - European DesignBuild Knowledge Network.
Habitat Unit in collaboration with CoCoon, TU Berlin, funded by the European Union

2013
Member of the project: Promised Lands: Inner colonisation in 20th century Mediterranean history, 
Organised by A. Fisher, Université libre de Bruxelles; S. Misiani, University of Teramo; C. Gomez Benito, Spanish Open University Madrid.

2010 – 2012
Member of the project: Les villes maghrébines en situation coloniale. Urbanisme, architecture, patrimoine. Con­tribution, par l’archive au renouveau historiographique.
Organised by Charlotte Jelidi. Financed by the Institut de Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporain, Tunis (Tunisia).

2010 – 2011
Austrian National Coordinator and Management Committee Member for the COST Action IS0904 'European Architecture beyond Europe: Sharing Research and Knowledge on Dissemination Processes, Historical Data and Material Legacy (1th-20th Centuries)'.

2009 – 2010
Austrian coordinator of the project Euromed IV Mutual Heritage, Vienna University of Technology, Institute Baugeschichte und Bauforschung, in cooperation with the University Francois Rabelais, Tours (F).

Teaching Activities+

SS 2016
Summer SChool: 'Play East! An international Summer School to improve the quality of outdoor spaces of public schools in Vilnius, Lithuania'. baladilab in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture of the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania).

2013 – 2015
Downtown Cairo (Egypt): Survey and historical analysis of buildings from the 19. und 20. Centuries. As follow-up of the Summer School 'A visible City: the tangible and intangible heritage of Downtown Cairo'.

SS 2014
Summer School: 'Learn-Move-Play-Ground. Improving Courtyards of public primary schools in Cairo III', German University in Cairo / baladilab in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Education. Funded as a QIP Quick-Impact-Project by UNHCR - Cairo.

SS 2013
Summer School: 'Learn-Move-Play-Ground II', German University in Cairo in cooperation with the University in Siegen and the Egyptian Ministry of Education. Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD, German-Arab transformation grant.

SS 2013
Summer School: 'A visible city. The tangible and intangible heritage of Downtown Cairo', German University in Cairo in cooperation with the University of Stuttgart. DAAD, German-Arab transformation grant. 

SS 2012
Summer School: 'Learn-Move-Play-Ground', German University in Cairo – GUC, in cooperation with TU Berlin. German-Arab transformation grant.

2011 – 2012
'Traditional Architectural Heritage recorded by means of Building Archaeology in Saudi Arabia – TRABASA”' Conception and implementation of a 4-weeks City Analysis and Building Survey project in the historical core of Jeddah. Vienna University of Technology in cooperation with the King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah.

2010 – 2011
'Baron Palace Heliopolis', conception and implementation of a City Analysis of Heliopo­lis and a Building Survey of the Baron-Palace, as part of the international Workshop with students of architecture from Cairo and Vienna. Vienna University of Technology in cooperation with the Cairo University, Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Archaeology, Assiut University, Faculty of Engineering and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Cairo.

2009
'City analysis of the surroundings of the Maiden Tower. Conception and implementation of the project “City Heritage and Building Analysis of Baku', with students from the Technical University of Baku. Vienna University of Technology, “Baugeschichte und Bauforschung”, in cooperation with the Technical University of Baku, Baku.

2005 – 2009
Tripoli, Benghazi and other cities (Libya): historical analysis, urban analysis and building survey of 28 new-built towns implemented during the Italian colonisation. Own research for the PhD.

2002 – 2004
'Building survey of the Theater of Ephesus', on-site management of the project. Vienna University of Technology in cooperation with the Austria Archaeological Institute-ÖAI.

Publications+

Books

with Pampe, B. (2015) Discovering Downtown Cairo. Architecture and Stories, Jovis, Berlin.

with Pampe, B. (2013) Learn-Move-Play-Ground, Jovis, Berlin.

(2010) L'utopia costruita. I centri rurali di fondazione in Libia (1934-1940) / The built Utopia. The Italian Centres founded in colonial Libya (1934-1940), Bonomia University Press, Bologna.

(2007) Kolonialismus: Architektur – Städtebau – Kultur, NWV, Wien 2007.

(2007) I centri rurali libici. L'architettura dei centri rurali di fondazione costruiti in Libia – colonia italiana – durante il fascismo (1934-1940), PhD, Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Baugeschichte und Bauforschung.

Book chapters

(2014) The piazza as the core of the Italian rural settlements in colonial Libya: a theatre for fascist power, the obvious answer to local town planning requirements, or just a place to meet? Proceedings of the international Conference: 20th Century New Towns. Archetypes and Uncertainties, Oporto (Portugal).

(2009) I centri rurali libici di fondazione, architettura e urbanistica (1934-1940), proceedings der Konferenz Città di fondazione. Politiche per la città e antropizzazione tra fascismi e democrazie, IUAV, Venice.

Book contributions

(2012) Architectural transfer, Italian Colonial architecture in Libya: 'Libyan Rationalism' and the concept of 'Mediterraneity', 1926-1942, in: Demissie, Fassil (ed.), Colonial Architecture and Urbanism in Africa. Intertwined and Contested Histories, Ashgate, London, pp.33-66.

(2012) Eredità e permanenze del colonialism italiano in Libia. Continuità negli interventi urbani / architettura / simbolo, in: Capresi, V., Jelidi, C. (eds.) Formes territoriales, urbaines et architecturales au Maghreb aux XIX-XXIe siècle. Permanences au ruptures?, IRMC, Tunis, pp.207-219.

(2012) L'attenzione di Vienna verso i Primitivi toscani. Oskar Strnad, Oskar Wlach, Josef Frank: dallo studio delle incrostazioni marmoree al 'moderno moderato', in: Canali, F., Galati, V. (eds.), Firenze, Primitivismo e Italinità. Problemi dello "Stile Nazionale" tra Italia e Oltremare (1861-1961), Società degli Studi Fiorentini, Florence, pp.281-289.

(2012) Il 'Razionalismo libico': l'architettura risponde alla necessità di essere 'Coloniale', 'Italiana', 'Moderna', 'Fascista' e 'Monumentale', in: Canali, F., Galati, V. (eds.), Firenze, Primitivismo e Italinità. Problemi dello "Stile Nazionale" tra Italia e Oltremare (1861-1961), Società degli Studi Fiorentini, Florence, pp.287-295.

(2010) La participation austro-hongroise et les projets de Rudolf Dick et de Ferdinand Martin, in: Godoli, E., Volait, M. (eds.), Concours pour le musée des Antiquités égyptiennes du Caire 1895, Picard, CNRS, DIPSAC, INHA, Paris 2010, pp.189-202.

(2010) Luce sugli anni '20, in: Arbib, J., L'ombra e la luce. Note su Umberto Di Segni, Architetto, Il Laboratorio, Nola, pp.5-9.

(2009) About the work of Georg Drivas, in: George Drivas (un-documented), Catalogue of the exibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athen, 12.6.-6.09-2009, pp.20-29.

Articles

(2008) Strategie di rivalorizzazione del territorio: verso una città visibile. Portoferraio, in: Locus, 10, 2008, pp.5-13.

(2008) Feiersinger, Martin, Detours, in: Konstruktiv, Zeitschrift der Bundeskammer der Architekten und Ingenieurkonsulenten, p.46.

(2007) The New Face of Tripoli (Libya) in the Thirties, in: Architectura. Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Baukunst, Band 37, vol1, I/2007, Berlin 2007, pp.95-116.

Conferences+

Conference Proceedings

(2014) The piazza as the core of the Italian rural settlements in colonial Libya: a theatre for fascist power, the obvious answer to local town planning requirements, or just a place to meet?, International Conference: 20th Century New Towns. Archetypes and Uncertainties, Oporto (Portugal).

with Jelidi, C. (2012) Formes territoriales, urbaines et architecturales au Maghreb aux XIX-XXIe siècle. Permanences au ruptures?, Maghreb et sciences sociales. De la colonie à l'Etat-nation, Institut de Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporain - IRMC, Tunis.

(2011) Continuité et rupture. Les centres ruraux d'origine fasciste en Libye pendant la période colonial et aujourd'hui, in: Godoli, E., Finzi, S., Giacomelli, M., Saadaoui, A. (eds.), Proceedings of the conference Architectures et architects Italiens au Maghreb, Polistampa, Florence, pp.174-185.

(2009) I centri rurali libici di fondazione, architettura e urbanistica (1934-1940), Città di fondazione. Politiche per la città e antropizzazione tra fascismi e democrazie, IUAV, Venice 2009.

(2007) Mario Romano and Alfredo Longarini, little-known planners of several newly- founded towns in Libya, The Presence of Italian Architects in Mediterranean Countries, Alexandria, Maschietto, Florence, pp.66-77.

Conference panel chairs

with Barbara Pampe (2015) Workshop: Greeks and Others in the Centre: the London Launch of Discovering Downtown Cairo, baladilab. Booklaunch: Lecture and panel discussion: Heterogeneities in Downtown Cairo
London, Hellenic Centre, 29.

with Barbara Pampe (2015) Studientag: The tangible & intangible Heritage of Downtown Cairo. Who is Downtown? baladilab, Guided Tour, Booklaunch: Roundtable and Lecture: Discovering Downtown Cairo, Cairo, Goethe Institute, 

(2015) International Workshop: Cairo: Let's talk about Heritage! Lecture: baladilab in Downtown Cairo. Wien, Institut für Baugeschichte und Bauforschung.

Invited Lectures+

(2015) The "Downtown Cairo" Projects. Methods and tools of Analysis. International Workshop: Journal de la Medina, Tunis.

with Pampe B. (2015) Learn-Move-Play-Ground in Cairo. MICOS - Micro Intervenciones Escolares, Madrid.

(2014) The piazza as the core of the Italian rural settlements in colonial Libya: a theatre for fascist power, the obvious answer to local town planning requirements, or just a place to meet? 20th Century New Towns. Archetypes and Uncertainties, Architecture Department of the Escola Superior Artística do Porto, Oporto.

(2014) Enjoy your heritage! Preserving the Past – Constructing the Future. Cultural Heritage and Social Development in the Arab World, German Academic Exchange Service, Amman.

(2013) The Italian rural settlements in Libya (1934-39). The solution to a problem or just a propaganda feat?
Promised Lands. Internal colonisation in 20th century Mediterranean History, Rome-Sabaudia, October 7-10.

with Pampe B. (2013) Communicating Architecture, Qahwa and Kalam lecture series, American University Cairo AUC, Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department.

with Pampe B. (2013) Dealing with heritage. Master Program: Cultural Heritage Management, French University Cairo.

with Pampe B.  (2012) Learn-Move-Play-Ground: overcoming cultural & social clichés. International Symposium: DesignBuild Studio: New Ways in Architectural Education. Symposium for Cross-Cultural, Practice-Oriented Projects in Teaching and Research, Berlin.

(2012) Take a coffee with your heritage! Bottom up approach to communicate heritage: a project in Downtown Cairo. Regional Euro-Mediterranean Conference La ville, patrimoine vivant. Mise en valeur sociale, économique et patrimoniale de l'architecture traditionnelle des villes méditerranéennes, Euromed Montada. Salé, Morocco.

(2012)  Dust and other challenges. Symposium Dust, organised by the Townhouse Gallery, Rawabet Theatre, Cairo.

(2012) Les interventions Italiennes (urbaine et architecturales) dans les centres mineurs en Libye. Une comparaison. Les villes maghrébines à l'époque coloniale : urbanisme, architecture, patrimoine (XIXetXXe siècles). Contribution, par l'archive, au renouveau de l'historiographie, Research Institut on the contemporary Maghreb (IRMC), Tunisia.

(2011) The Baron Palace in Heliopolis. An Educational Workshop: Applying Building Archaeology on a Modern Building International Conference Building archaeology in Egypt: history and methods in a diachronic perspective, German Archaeological Institute, Cairo.

(2011)  Raiders of the (more or less) lost archives. Methodologies for archive research and different utilisation of documents: some case studies. International Summer School in Conservation of Historical, Monumental and Archaeological Sites, University of Tor Vergata, Rom.

(2011) A new town planning model for Libya: the colonial Italian rural centres, 1934-1940
Italian Cultural Center, Tel Aviv.

(2011) Il Razionalismo Libico: Reminiscenze e influssi nell'architettura coloniale. Italia d'oltremare: problemi dello stile nazionale, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze and Società di Studi Fiorentini.

(2009) Panels organisation: L'urbanisme et l'architecture en situation coloniale considérés au miroir du processus de développement du territoire - 1/2: Les formes territoriales, urbaines et architecturales en Afrique du Nord aux XIX-XXIe siècles. Permanences ou ruptures? Lecture: Continuity on the Territorial Patterns. The Influences of the Colonial Newly Founded Centres on the Libyan Post-War Territorial Development 1943 – 2009. WOCMES World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies, Barcelona.

(2009) The newly founded Libyan rural centres – architecture and urban design (1934-1940 / 2009).
IPHS International Conference Urban transformation: controversies, contrasts and challenges, Istanbul.

(2009) Les interventions italiennes (urbaines et architecturales) dans les centres mineurs en Libye. Une comparaison.
Institut de Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporain (IRMC). Les villes maghrébines en situation coloniale: urbanisme, architecture, patrimoine (XIX-XX Siècles). Contribution au renouveau de l'historiographie, Tunis, April16-17

(2009) The container and its political symbolism. The process of post-colonialism use of Italian fascist architecture in Libya. Istituto Storico Austriaco, Roma.

Grants, Awards and Fellowships+

2010
Marietta Blau Mobilitätsstipendium
Vienna University of Technology, for the participation to the IPHS international conference, Istanbul (Turkey)

2010
COST Short Term Scientific Mission
Transfer of European models by "non European" actors, awarded to undertake research in Rome, for the Project: Libyan town planning and architecture before the Italian colonial time

2008
Theodor Körner Fonds Preis
for the Project The architecture of the new Italian colonial town in Libya. The Libyan rationalism. 1924-1940

Professional and Academic Affiliations+

Docomomo Egypt
(co-founder)

Docomomo International

Koldewey Gesellschaft für Bauforschung

Società Studi Fiorentin