Alberto Francini (Florence, 1969), is an architect and PHD. He graduated from University of Florence with Professor Alberto Breschi in Urban Project. He wrote his PHD thesis on the shape of the city entitled MILANO IN THEORY with supervisor of Professor Cesare Macchi Cassia at Milan Polytechnic.
He collaborated with architect Giuliano Fiorenzoli in New York (1995) and with architect Massimiliano Fuksas in Rome (1997-99).
In 1999 he co-founded the architecture and urban planning firm METROGRAMMA, fulfilled the role of designer and project manager in the fields of architecture and urban planning.
In 2017 he began his personal activity and founded ALBERTO FRANCINI Architecture & Urban planning with headquarters in Milan and a branch office in Doha, Qatar.
He avails himself of many consultants and collaborators.
Many of his works and as Metrogramma owner have distinguished themselves and have become topics of international interest. Among the many planning projects, the urban densification scenarios for the growth of the city of Bolzano: Habitat BZ 2001 (Italian Gold Medal for Architecture) and the Territorial Government Plan of Milan city (PGT2011) currently in force; as regards architecture, the Domus Malles residences (INARCH 2010 Award), the third prize project at the international Competition the new Head Quarter of the Lombardy Region (2003) and the latest project near Milan, Scalo Milano City Style (2016), a contemporary shopping center oriented towards the world of design, food, and fashion, deserve a special mention.
Many are the projects abroad carried out by architect Alberto Francini such as the VVIP Buildings and the bridge claddings on the Qetaifan Islands of Lusail City in Qatar as well as a tourist resort dedicated to the world of skiing, called "Sunny Valley", in the Urals, Russia.
Alberto Francini together with the Qatar Green Building Council and a multidisciplinary team of sociologists and engineers is carrying forward the idea and the project of a sustainable city, The Green Desert Shadow Project, without CO2 emissions and in which natural ventilation, biophilia and biodiversity contribute to reinterpreting the Qatari Heritage through a contemporary and futuristic eye.
In 2019 he won an urban project for the development of a Russian district in Ekaterinburg, RC Brusnizin Masterplan in Berezovsky, still ongoing (The Plan Award 2020, Honorable Mention). He is currently carrying out for Earthna, a non-profit policy research and advocacy center, established by Qatar Foundation, a research of a sustainable high density building prototype completely independent from the planet's resources on hot arid sites.
Since 2005 Alberto Francini teaches Architecture Studio at Kent State University in Florence.
He has been professor at South Ural University in Chelyabinsk RU from 2009 to 2015 and adjunct professor at Università degli Studi di Ferrara from 2007 to 2012. He was teaching assistant of Professor Cesare Macchi Cassia at Milan Polytechnic from 2000 to 2007.
Alberto Francini was responsible of several academic design activities both in Italy and abroad, among the others he thought in Columbia University in New York (USA), UIC, Chicago (USA), Strelka (Moscow), University of Mendrisio (CH), Detroit Mercy (USA), QUT Queensland University of Technologies (AUS),Qatar Green Building Council (QA), University of Milan, Rome, Ascoli, Pescara, Lucca, Genoa, Venice, Trieste, Florence, Syracuse University in Florence, Cornell University (USA), Domus Academy in Milan.
Alberto Francini has presented his works at many international architecture exhibitions such as Architettura in digitale, Comunità Resilienti, Biennale di Venezia in 2021; the 12th International Architecture Biennale, People Meet in Architecture in 2010; the 11th International Architecture Biennale, Out There in 2008.
Alberto Francini has been the curator with his office Metrogramma of the international Architecture Biennale “Barbara Cappochin” in 2010.
Many are his publications, books like ‘SuperInfrastructures. High-density productive settlements’ in 2003; ‘4city. Densification scenarios in Bolzano’ in 2001 and articles in international magazine such as Domus (Italy), Abitare (Italy), Metropolis (USA), The Plan (Italy) and The Plan Journal (USA).