Stefano Boeri

Stefano Boeri (1956-) is one of the most famous contemporary Italian architects. The work to which his name is inextricably linked is the Bosco Verticale (2009-14), one of the symbolic buildings of 21st century Milan, capable of positioning itself as a prototype of a “green skyscraper” that will be re-proposed in several other cities around the world for its ability to integrate the needs of a vertical development of the space typical of metropolises with those of a necessary attention to plant and animal biodiversity. This is, however, only the end point of a rich and multifaceted professional and intellectual career, which began with his studies at the Polytechnic in his native Milan and continued with a PhD in urban planning at the IUAV in Venice. His interest in urban planning led him to develop in-depth research over the years on the theme of ports and coastal cities, culminating in redevelopment projects for the port areas of important cities such as Marseille, Genoa, Thessaloniki and Naples. An almost inevitable outlet for his interest in urban planning is political activity, which has always seen Boeri very active in the ranks of the center-left and which culminated in the role of Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Milan from 2011 to 2013. Other faces of his intense public activity are the direction of important magazines such as Domus (from 2004 to 2007) and Abitare (from 2007 to 2010) or of leading cultural institutions such as the Milan Triennale (since 2018). His ties with the world of design began before his birth: his mother Cini Boeri was in fact one of the most important Italian designers of the twentieth century. Unlike her, Stefano has rarely tried his hand at product design, but in the Stefano Boeri Architetti studio there is a section dedicated to the theme that can boast collaborations with brands such as FontanaArte, Annibale Colombo or Marmo Arredo.