Paolo Russo

Background

About Paolo Russo

Paolo Russo (1984) joined Stefano Boeri Architetti (SBA) in 2017 and has served as the project leader for numerous projects across Europe, Albania, and Saudi Arabia. His work is recognized as a benchmark for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Since 2023, Paolo has taken on the role of Director at SBA, focusing on complex projects, sustainable architecture, and nature-based solutions. He has been invited as a guest lecturer at prominent universities and institutions in Europe and the USA, including the Danish Architecture Centre, Share Architects in Bucharest, the Florence Institute of Design, Forum Holzbau, Rotterdam Academy of Architecture, and the AIA (American Institute of Architects). His notable projects include Wonderwoods, a multifunctional tower in Utrecht city center, which won the Best Mixed-Use Project in Europe at the European Property Awards and the MIPIM ‘Future Project of the Year’ award in 2019. Other key projects are Trudo Tower in Eindhoven, nominated for the Best Building of the Year by BNA (the trade association of Dutch architectural firms), and a winner of the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Award 2022 and the Energy Globe Award Netherlands; and Dervish Hima Tower in Tirana. Currently, he is leading the “Pirelli 39 Botanica Tower,” a project in Milan’s city center, which resulted from an international competition won in collaboration with the New York firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, as well as “La Forêt Blanche,” a multifunctional building in Paris. During his professional practice at One Works from 2013 to 2016, he gained extensive experience in infrastructure projects, including the Pisa Airport Masterplan, the Venice Passenger Airport Terminal, and the extension of Monfalcone Port (Gorizia), handling everything from concept design to construction documentation. He has participated in several international design competitions, including Europan 2013 (with a shortlisted project, Marly En Place, Fribourg, CH), a competition held by the Municipality of Milan (Foro Civico, Milan 2016, where he was selected for the second phase and received an honorable mention), and one organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region (Copernico School Campus, Ferrara 2017, where he won third prize). He also took part in various urban design workshops in England (with Oxford Brookes University) and Belgium (at the Xth International Urban Design & Landscape Urbanism event with Leiedal and K.U. Leuven). From 2011 to 2018, he served as a teaching assistant at the Urban Design Studio under Professor M. Secchi at Politecnico di Milano