Giovanna Potesta Headshot

Giovanna Potesta

Visiting Assistant Professor

RIT Dubai

Giovanna Potesta

Visiting Assistant Professor

RIT Dubai

Education

Laurea in Architettura, Ph.D., University of Florence (Italy)

Bio

Dr. Giovanna Potestà's areas of expertise are urban design and architecture, with a specific focus on spatial sustainability. Her research addresses the space transformation  of globalizing cities in the developed and developing country. She has practiced as a principal designer and as a team designer, participated in multiple international design competitions, and is an author of several publications and conference papers. Up to 2015, Dr. Potestà has taught at Kuwait University. Prior she served as adjunct professor Kent State University, California State University, and the University of Florence. She practiced as a designer in the firm Natalini Architects from 1995 to 1998 and then as an architecture and urban design consultant for Immobiliare Novoli SPA, from 1998 to 2009. She received her Ph.D. in Architecture and Urban Design and a Laurea in Architecture from the University of Florence. She also received a post-master diploma in Aesthetics from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Florence.


Personal Links

Select Scholarship

Book Chapter
Potesta, Giovanna. "Smart Cities and Place Making; The "Sense of Place" in the Implementation of Smart Cities in the Arabian Gulf." Smart Cities in the Gulf. Current State, Opportunities, and Challenges. Ed. Wael A. Samad and Elie Azar. Singapore, Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. 223-246. Print.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Making of Sustainable Cities." Summit on Science and Technology - Enablement for the Sustainable Development Goals. New York Academy of Science. New York City, NY. 29 Nov. 2016. Conference Presentation.
Potesta, Giovanna and Jules Chiavaroli. "A New Life for American Cities. Urban Strategies and Community Engagement." Scholarship of Engagement Symposium. University of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 20-21 Oct. 2016. Conference Presentation.
Potesta, Giovanna. "Looking for a New Downtown in American Cities:." Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Urban Space. Universita di Firenze. Florence, Italy. 27-28 Jun. 2016. Conference Presentation.
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Making of a New Neighborhood in Florence, Italy." Congress for the New Urbanism - New York Chapter. Community Design Center Rochester - AIA Rochester. Rochester, NY. 21-22 Apr. 2016. Lecture.
Shows/Exhibits/Installations
Weber, Bruce. "Bruce Weber, Secret Love". By Adolfo Natalini and Giovanna Potesta'. Sep. 2006. Palazzo Spini Feroni Ferragamo, Florence. Exhibit.
John, Elton. "Elton John: Metamorphosis". By Adolfo Natalini and Giovanna Potesta'. Sep. 2006. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Exhibit.
Varous, . Progetti Area ex FIAT Novoli. By Camillo Bodini and Giovanna Potesta'. Apr. 2003. Urban Center, Foundling Hospital, Piazza SS Annunziata, Florence, Italy. Exhibit.
Architects, Giovanna Potesta with Michelizzi. New Church Madonna delle Grazie in Lodi. Jan. 2010. CEI, Piazza di Porta San Giovanni 10, Rome. Exhibit.
External Scholarly Fellowships/National Review Committee
1/1/2000 - 5/30/2003
     University of Florence and Immobiliare Novoli SpA
     Amount: 60.000
2/15/2016 - 3/15/2016
     International Association of Traditional Environment, Berkeley, CA
     Amount: 0
11/11/2015 - 4/1/2016
     Rochester Chapter New Urbanism
     Amount: 0
1/23/2016 - 5/10/2016
     Rochester Community Design Center
     Amount: 0
1/20/2015 - 3/20/2015
     University of Florence, Italy
     Amount: 0
11/1/2014 - 11/1/2015
     Kuwait University
     Amount: 15.000
5/1/2012 - 5/1/2013
     Kuwait University
     Amount: 10.000
Full Length Book
Giovannini, Paolo and Giovanna Potesta'. San Donato a Novoli: da area industriale a centralita' urbana. 1 ed. Florence, Italy: Polistampa, 2004. Print.
Invited Article/Publication
Potestí , Giovanna. "I Viaggi del Signor N Architetto." Firenze Architettura. (2004). Print.
Potesta, Giovanna. "Giuseppe Poggi e la nascita della Cittí  Borghese." Il Nuovo Corriere di Firenze. (2011). Print.
Published Conference Proceedings
Potesta, Giovanna. "Making Successful Urban Places: An A Posteriori Critique of the Area Ex- Fiat in Florence." Proceedings of the Future of Places, 06/28-07/01, Stockholm. Ed. Sustasis Foundation, Portland, OR. Portland, OR: Sustasis, Web.
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Traditional Urban Fabric of Florence: a Comparison between different Conservation Philosophies." Proceedings of the Conference on Architectural Conservation. Ed. Municipality of Dubai. Dubai, EAU, Arabian Emirates: Municiplaity of Dubai, 2012. Print.
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Collective Space of Commerce in Kuwait between Identity and Globalization." Proceedings of the Constructed Environment. Ed. University of Champaign, IL. Lisbon, Portugal: n.p., 2013. Web.
Potesta', Giovanna. "The Design of Commercial Spaces in the Northern Arab Peninsula." Proceedings of the ASCE Conference. Ed. ASCE. Fort Worth, Texas: ASCE, 2012. Web.
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Deconstruction of a City." Proceedings of the Sguardi sulle Citta' in Trasformazione. Ed. University of Bologna. Imola, Italy: La Mandragora, 2011. Print.
Potesta, Giovanna and Mohammad K Al-Jassar. "Constructed Environment." Proceedings of the Venice, Palazzo Querini Stampalia, November 2010. Ed. University of Champaign, IL. Venice, Italy: n.p., 2010. Web.
Journal Paper
Potesta, Giovanna. "The Collective Space of Commerce between Identity and Globalization in Kuwait." International Journal of Architecture and Design 25. 2 (2014): 1116-1126. Print.
Potesta, Giovanna and Mohammad Khalid Al-Jassar. "Occidentalism, a Middle Eastern approach on a European Theme of Urban Design." Constructed Environment Journal 1. 3 (2011): 141-148. Web.
National/International Competition Award Winner
Potestí , Giovanna. Kuwait University Research Sector. Excellency in Research. Kuwait, Kuwait, 2013.

Currently Teaching

ARCH-652
3 Credits
This course immerses students in the field of urban and regional planning by studying and actively engaging in the planning process through projects with community agencies.
ARCH-661
3 Credits
Students will study the interaction between industrial, environmental/ecological and social systems in the built environment by introduction of systems thinking and the multiple disciplines comprising sustainability.
WGST-449
3 Credits
This variable topic course examines one or more themes, figures, movements, critical questions or issues in the areas of women's and gender studies. The topic for the course is chosen by the instructor, announced in the course subtitle, and developed in the syllabus. Topics in WGST can be taken multiple times provided the topic(s) being studied has changed.

Website last updated: October 31, 2024