Giovanna Borasi (born 1971 in Milan, Italy) is Director of the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since 2020.[1][2] She first joined the CCA as Curator for Contemporary Architecture in 2005. Borasi was educated in architecture, and has worked as a writer and editor in addition to her curatorial activities.[3]
Giovanna Borasi’s exhibitions and related books explore contemporary issues and reflect her interest in alternative ways of practicing architecture. Exhibitions curated and co-curated by Borasi at the Canadian Centre for Architecture specifically address how environmental, political and social issues are influencing today’s built environment:
Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture (2011, with Mirko Zardini)[4]
Journeys: How Travelling Fruit, Ideas and Buildings Rearrange our Environment (2010)[5]
Other Space Odysseys: Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, Alessandro Poli (2010, with Mirko Zardini)[6]
Actions: What You Can Do With the City (2008, with Mirko Zardini)[7]
Some Ideas on Living in London and Tokyo by Stephen Taylor and Ryue Nishizawa (2008)[8]
1973: Sorry, Out of Gas (2007, with Mirko Zardini)[9]
Environment: Approaches for Tomorrow - Gilles Clément and Philippe Rahm (2006)[10]
Borasi’s exhibitions are recognized internationally: "Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture" was also presented at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh[11] and was named the best exhibition of 2012 by Design Observer.[12] "Actions: What You Can Do With the City" was also presented at the Graham Foundation, Chicago,[13] and in an abbreviated form at the International Architecture Biennial in São Paulo, Brazil.[14]
Prior to her appointment at the CCA, Borasi co-curated an exhibition about asphalt with Mirko Zardini for a 2003 exhibition at the Triennale di Milano:
Asfalto: Il carattere della città, Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy (2003).[15]
Borasi initiated her career as editor and writer for Lotus International (1998-2005),[16] and served as assistant editor for the book series Quaderni di Lotus (1999). She was member of the editorial staff of the graphic design magazine Lettera (2000), a supplement to the magazine Abitare. She was Deputy Editor in Chief for Abitare (2011-2013).[17]
Borasi, Giovanna. "Studio ALBORI", The State of the Art of Architecture, Grima, Joseph, et al., eds. Zürich: Lars Müller Publishers, 2015. ISBN9783037784754
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. The Other Architect. Leipzig: Spector Books, Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2015. ISBN9783959050401
Borasi, Giovanna and Daria Der Kaloustian, eds. CCA on Paper. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2013. ISBN9781927071045
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2012. ISBN9781927071014
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. Journeys: How Travelling Fruit, Ideas and Buildings Rearrange our Environment. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2011. ISBN9788492861545
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Other Space Odysseys: Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, Alessandro Poli. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2010. ISBN9780920785881
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Actions: What You Can Do With the City. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2009. ISBN9780920785829
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. Some Ideas on Living in London and Tokyo: Stephen Taylor, Ryue Nishizawa. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2008. ISBN9783037781500
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Sorry, Out of Gas: Architecture’s Response to the 1973 Oil Crisis. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2008. ISBN9780920785782
