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Marianna Marchesi  PhD, FHEA, ARB, MSc, MArch

Dr Marianna Marchesi

(she/her)

PhD, FHEA, ARB, MSc, MArch

Lecturer and Researcher

Welsh School of Architecture

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

I am a Lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture (Cardiff University, UK) in the interdisciplinary area of sustainability and circular economy in the built environment. I am interested in the development of socio-technical innovation and support for systemic changes through design. My interdisciplinary background is complemented by relevant work experiences in the intersection between academic research and real-world applications. My approach integrates transdisciplinary research and real-world applications to support the transition to circular and net-zero cities and the built environment.

Publication

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • Marchesi, M., Tweed, C. and Gerber, D. 2019. Circular design for affordable, human-centred and zero-waste urban housing. Presented at: 19th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP 2019), Barcelona, Spain, 15-18 October 2019 Presented at Segalas, J. and Lazzarini, B. eds.Proceedings of the 19th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production Circular Europe for Sustainability: Design, Production and Consumption. Book of abstracts. ERSCP 2019, Barcelona pp. 204.

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

  • Erlacher, P. and Marchesi, M. 2014. Improving the energy efficiency of existing building envelope. In: Riso, V. ed. Modern Building Reuse: Documentation, Maintenance, Recovery and Renewal.. Universidade do Minho.: Escola de Arquitectura, pp. 121-137.
  • Marchesi, M. and Paradisi, I. 2014. The role of the customer in building design: a literature review. Presented at: 3rd International Workshop on Design in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, 22-23 Aug 2014 Presented at Jensen, L. B. and Thompson, M. K. eds.Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Design in Civil and Environmental Engineering. pp. 129-136.
  • Marchesi, M., Fernandez, J., Matt, D. and Kim, S. 2014. Axiomatic design approach for the conceptual design of sustainable buildings. Presented at: The 8th International Conference on Axiomatic Design, Lisbon, Portugal, 24-26 Sept 2014 Presented at Mourao, A. and Gonclaves-Coelho, A. eds.Proceedings of the Eigth International Conference on Axiomatic Design (ICAD 2014). Monte de Caparica, Portugal:

2013

Artefacts

Articles

Book sections

Conferences

Monographs

Research

I am strongly interested in implementing socio-technical innovation and supporting tools for a circular economy and sustainability through interdisciplinary research and co-production. I am keen to develop innovation to enable systemic changes towards sustainability through a circular economy, new partnerships between citizens, companies, and governments, innovative processes and user involvement.

My approach to the circular economy has progressively expanded from products to complex systems and from insular to systemic innovation. While I consider the technical aspects of circularity and sustainability, I recognise the crucial role of users, communities, and more in general of stakeholders and dynamics in socio-technical systems. This holistic vision sees circularity as a societal transformation which integrates technological, social, organisational and institutional considerations of circularity to address systemic changes towards sustainability.

My research interests are supported by a relevant interdisciplinary background in design for sustainability and a circular economy combined with research expertise in design research, co-design and game and relevant experience in the fields. My research outputs in terms of funding grants, inventions, and publications show my strong potential, aspiration and determination to contribute to research in this area.

Teaching

Since 2019 I hold a position as a Lecturer in the interdisciplinary area of design for sustainability and the circular economy through innovative online, on-campus and blended teaching and learning activities. I co-lead the module of Architectural Technology in Year 1 and I lead Urban-Architectural Design studios in Year 3 of the UGT Bachelor in Architectural Studies and the PGT Master of Architectural Design. I supervise postgraduate and PhD students in implementing their research projects and dissertations in the fields of sustainability and a circular economy. I am also contributing to the curricula redesign of Architectural Technology in the UGT Bachelor of Architectural Studies to integrate architectural tectonics and fundamentals of a circular economy in the built environment.

My teaching approach focuses on active learning and inquiry-based learning to engage and support students in building analytical, design and critical thinking, independent learning and collaborative skills through a process of enquiry owned by them. This approach supports knowledge retention because students acquire knowledge by experiencing a real problem of their interest. Moreover, they learn to take on leading roles, direct change, ask questions, solve problems and develop new knowledge. My teaching is informed by and evolves through research. Linking research and teaching contributes to enabling students to experience inquiry-based learning, providing them with innovative content for depth learning, and promoting active learning.

In July 2022, I was awarded the Advance HE Fellowship, which recognises my practice, impact and leadership in teaching and learning within higher education contexts.

Biography

I held a Master of Architecture with the highest honours at the University of Ferrara (Italy), and a Master of Science in design for energy efficiency and sustainability of the built environment at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) with an award-winning thesis on the energy renovation of residential building blocks. I obtained a PhD in Sustainable Energy and Technologies within the area of design research at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) in collaboration with MIT (US) where I spent a year of study and research. My dissertation transferred an engineering design approach (Axiomatic Design) to the design of flexible and adaptable modular building systems. The study achieved remarkable results published in a Springer book edited by the Axiomatic Design’s creator, MIT Prof. Nam Pyo Suh.

I worked for a decade as a Registered Architect acquiring experience in the areas of urban-architectural design, technology and construction. Then, I collaborated with the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) from 2010 to 2012 as a Research Assistant and contributed to the development of innovations for energy efficiency in collaboration with the building industry. Then, from 2016 to 2018, I returned to work in the industry as a practitioner and successfully developed a proposal for the high-competitive H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship involving Cardiff University (UK) as a Host Institution and Arup Foresight London (UK) as a Research Partner.

In 2018, I joined the Welsh School of Architecture to implement the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship CircuBED on the contribution of citizens and urban communities in the circular economy through changes in production and consumption practices. The project developed two key exploitable results, a taxonomy of 7 circular citizens and a card game called “Circular Families” for knowledge transfer. I recently implemented the CircuPLAY project funded by the Research Wales Innovation Fund on the engagement of urban communities in the circular economy through gamification and co-creation. The project developed a set of 4 playful workshops combined with digital and analogic tools. I am currently contributing to the COST Action CA21103 CircularB (Implementation of Circular Economy in the Built Environment) while boosting the impact of research through the Horizon Results Booster.

Since 2019 I hold a position as a Lecturer on sustainability and the circular economy at the Welsh School of Architecture where I have designed and delivered undergraduate and postgraduate modules in urban-architectural design and architectural technology and supervised postgraduate and PhD students through inquiry-based learning and active learning. Before my lectureship position, I contributed as a Module Leader to the continuous professional development of architects and engineers and I collaborated as a Teaching Assistant in rural planning and urban design at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) and in urban-architectural design at IUAV University (Italy).

 

Honours and awards

10.2023-ongoing

AHRC Green Transition Ecosystems: Transforming Housing and Homes for Future Generations; ownership: Prof P. Walker, Mr G. Newman, Ms M. Mean, Mr R. Broad, Miss S. King O'Neill, Mrs R. Jackson, Ms C. Hale, Dr A. Shea, Dr S. Allen, Dr W. Hawkins, Dr R. Grover, Prof M. Lewis, Dr C. Demski, Dr E. Toumpanaki, Prof J. Patterson, Dr S. Coombs, Dr C. Whitman, Mr E. Perisoglou, Dr C. Butler, Prof G. Giannachi, Prof P. Cox, Dr M. Marchesi

Full economic cost: £ 3,999,551.01; duration: 2 years

07.2023-ongoing

COST Action CA21166 - Social Sciences and Humanities for Transformation and Climate Resilience (SHiFT) – contribution to WG2

03.2023-ongoing

Horizon Results Booster –indirect funds to boost the project CircuBED 793021; ownership: 100%

12.2022-ongoing

COST Action CA21103 - Implementation of Circular Economy in the Built Environment (CircularB) – contributions to WG1 and WG4

07.2022

Erasmus+ staff mobility - Combined Teaching and Training Application at CESI Graduate School of Engineering (FR); grant amount:  €1,300 (EUR) for 5 activity days and 2 travel days (£1,172.70); ownership: 100%

04.2022

New European Bauhaus – International Festival contribution; ownership: 100%

09.2021

Research, Innovation & Engagement Grant - CircuPLAY; by Research Wales Innovation Fund; Award value: £ 8,500; duration: 12 months; % Ownership: 100%

03.2020

Global Challenges Research Fund, Facilitator Grant - Synergetic Settlements; awarded by Research Wales Innovation Fund; Award value: £ 6,940; duration: 6 months; % Ownership: 33,3%

01.06.2018

H2020-msca Individual Fellowship-2017 - CircuBED; EU’s H2020 Research and Innovation Programme - Grant Agreement n. 793021 - Award value: € 195,454.80 - duration: 2 years; % Ownership: 100%

15.05.2017

SCoRE Cymru Grant from the Welsh European Funding Office (UK) to support the participation of Wales-based organisations in the European Union’s H2020 programme - Award value: £ 1000; % Ownership: 100%

01.10.2012

3° award in a team with “MED in Italy” at the Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 (a competition between university teams with companies to design, build and operate a full-scale, entirely functional solar-powered-house) by Solar Decathlon Europe

01.12.2011

PhD Fellowship from MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research) to attend a PhD programme - Award value: € 51,000; duration: 3 years; % Ownership: 100%

10.12.2010

Best Master Thesis 2010 Award provided by Naturalia BAU S.r.l. (building company, Bolzano, Italy) - Award value: € 1,000

2004

2° award at the Short-Listed Architectural Competition for the Helvetia Insurance headquarters renovation in Milan (Italy) in a team with Cendron Studio

2004

2° award at the International Architectural Competition for the "Campus dei Licei" in Schio (Italy) in a team with Cendron Studio

2003

2° award at the National Architectural Competition for the requalification of Corso Mazzini and open spaces in Gambettola (Italy) in a team with Dall'ara, E.

Professional memberships

06.07.2022

Advance HE Fellowship qualification

10.2019-current

Architects Registration Board (ARB), London, UK - registration n. 094542K

02.2004-05.2018

Architects Registration Board, Chartered Institute of Architects in Padua, Italy

 

Academic positions

02.09.2019 - current

Lecturer in Design for Sustainability and a Circular Economy (Research & Teaching)

Welsh School of Architecture (Cardiff University, UK)

01.06.2018 - 28.02.2021

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow

 

H2020 MSCA Individual fellowship 2017 – CircuBED – CIRCUlar Built Environment Design; Grant Agreement n. 793021

Welsh School of Architecture (Cardiff University); Supervisor: Prof. C. Tweed

09.01.2012 - 26.04.2016

 

Doctoral Researcher

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) - Faculty of Science & Technology

Supervisor: Prof. Dominik T. Matt (FUB, Science & Technology)

01.02.2013 - 31.12.2013

Doctoral Visiting Researcher 

 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT (Cambridge, US)

Supervisors: Prof. Sang-Gook Kim (Dept. Mechanical Engineering) and Prof. John Fernandez (Dept. Architecture)

Research and training on Design Research and the Axiomatic Design approach

15.07.2010 - 30.09.2012

Research Assistant

 

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) – Faculty of Science & Technology.

Supervisors: Prof. Cristina Benedetti and Prof. Marco Baratieri

 

Teaching Assistant

26.09.2011 - 30.09.2012

Rural planning and architecture” module – Bachelor in Rural Planning and Design; module leader: Prof. Benedetti C.

Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy)

04.10.2004 - 12.01.2007

Urban-Architectural Design” module – Bachelor of Architecture; module leader: Cendron A.

IUAV University, Venezia (Italy)

Speaking engagements

12 – 14.07.2023

Marchesi, M. Workshop “Play the circular citizens and discover the circular economy

Pezzica, C., Bleil de Souza, C., Marchesi, M. Workshop “Axiomatic Design in Architecture

AAE Conference “Productive-Disruptive: spaces of exploration in-between architectural pedagogy and practice”, Cardiff University

13 – 16.10.2022

Marchesi, M. Workshop: Play Circular Families and Discover the Circular Citizens. RSD11, October 13-16, University of Brighton (UK)

29-30.06.2022

Marchesi, M. Workshop: Towards thriving cities: play and discover. Learning and Teaching Conference 2022, Cardiff University (UK)

24 - 25.06.2021

Marchesi, M. Social innovation for a circular economy in urban communities. Presented at: Sustainable Earth 2021 Conference. Oral virtual presentation

27.04.2021

Marchesi, M. Social innovation for a circular economy in cities. Presented at: Climate Change & Circular Economy Workshop. Invited speaker

21 - 25.06.2021

Marchesi, M. Social innovation for a circular economy. Presented at: Wales Tech Week 2021. Invited speaker

02 - 04.11.2020

Marchesi, M. Applying circular economy principles to urban housing. Presented at: Beyond 2020 Conference. Oral virtual presentation

15 - 18.10.2019

Marchesi, M. Circular design for affordable, human-centred and zero-waste urban housing. Presented at: 19th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP 2019), Barcelona, Spain. Oral in-person presentation

24 - 25.02.2019

Marchesi, M. Promoting sustainability in social housing through the circular economy and social innovation. Presented at: MCAA General Assembly & Annual Conference, Vienna (Austria). Oral in-person presentation

16 - 18.09.2015

Marchesi, M. Addressing the adaptive customization of timber prefabricated housing through Axiomatic Design. Presented at: The 9th International Conference on Axiomatic Design, Confindustria & University of Firenze (Italy). Oral presentation

24 - 26.09.2014

Marchesi, M. Axiomatic Design Approach for the Conceptual Design of Sustainable Buildings. Presented at: The 8th International Conference on Axiomatic Design, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon (Portugal). Oral in-person presentation

21 - 23.08.2014

Marchesi, M. The Role of the Customer in Building Design: A Literature Review. The 3rd International Workshop on Design in Civil & Environmental Engineering and PhD Course on Design Methodology, DTU, Lyngby (Denmark). Oral in-person presentation

27 - 28.06.2013

Marchesi, M. Application of the Axiomatic Design Approach to the Design of Architectural Systems: A Literature Review. Presented at: The 7th International Conference on Axiomatic Design and Tutorial, WPI (USA). Oral presentation

28 - 29.06.2013

Marchesi, M. Conceptual Design of a Housing Project Based on Axiomatic Design. Presented at: The 2nd International Workshop on Design in Civil & Environmental Engineering, WPI, Worcester (USA). Oral in-person presentation

Committees and reviewing

10.2022 - now

Evaluation Expert of MSCA-PF proposals for the European Commission

06.2018 - now

Reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals: Buildings and Cities; Sustainable Cities and Society; Journal of Cleaner Production; Sustainability; Applied Science; Automation in Construction

06. 2021

Reviewer for the international book editor Routledge

Supervisions

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:

  • Design for Sustainability and a Circular Economy
  • Circular Building Design
  • Circular Economy
  • Socio-Technical Innovation for a Circular Economy
  • Resource Efficiency and Circularity
  • Regenerative Design
  • Sustainable Design
  • Urban Sustainability
  • Game Research for Sustainability
  • Design Research
  • Co-Design and Co-Production

Current supervision

Seyda Yildirim

Seyda Yildirim

Research student

Mahdis Yousefjamali

Mahdis Yousefjamali

Research student

Nadine Al-Bqour

Nadine Al-Bqour

Research student

Contact Details

Email MarchesiM@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 70923
Campuses Bute Building, Room Room 1.26B, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB

Specialisms

  • Sustainable design
  • circular economy
  • design research
  • game research
  • co-design

External profiles