Regular biography
Paola Viganò is a Full Professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the CE department. Her research focuses on urbanism, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches to urban streams and large rivers. She teaches courses such as 'Hidden Rivers' and 'RHONEscape,' which explore ecological, hydrological, and spatial relationships in riverscapes. Viganò also leads studios that question the role of highways in urban environments. She is a member of several academic and professional organizations and has received awards including the Schelling Award for Architectural Theory and the Ultima Architectuur Prize.
Scholar-generated biography
Paola Vigano is a Professor of urban design and urban theory at EPFL Lausanne, specializing in architecture, urbanism, and landscape. Her research explores the intersection of urban form, ecological rationality, and the transformation of waterscapes, particularly in the context of climate change. Vigano's work emphasizes the role of urban projects as knowledge producers, focusing on the development of new modernity through territorial strategies. She investigates the concept of the 'horizontal metropolis,' advocating for a radical rethinking of urban structures that integrate ecological and social dimensions. Her publications include studies on the 'poreous city,' the 'biopolitical garden,' and the reimagining of urban territories through sustainable design.