Giovanni Attili obtained his master’s degree in environmental engineering (summa cum laude) and his PhD from the University of Rome, La Sapienza, in 2003. He has been a researcher in the same Department as well as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Community&Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia.
Currently he works as a researcher in the Faculty of Engineering (La Sapienza, Rome) where he teaches “Analysis of Urban and Regional Systems”. He is recipient of the “G.Ferraro” award for the best Urban Planning PhD thesis in Italy in 2005 as well as the award from Italy’s National Institute of Urban Planning (INU), given for his research paper: “The Pigneto: Gentrification processes and new residential dynamics. His research interests are connected with the representation of the city: a concept which requires an interdisciplinary approach to the city itself (intersecting urban planning, visual anthropology and cinema). His attention is focused on the use of “images” and multimedia as catalyst of social interaction in urban planning processes.
Other research interests include immigration, citizenship right, coexistence of different cultures and ethnic groups; practices of resistance, forms of social interaction and uses of public spaces; participatory planning, democracy, and information and communication technologies; stories and storytelling in planning theory and practice
Giovanni has made three documentaries: “Il Pigneto”, chosen for screening at Mediterranean Film Festival (2004); “Where strangers become neighbours” (with L. Sandercock), which received an Honorable Mention at the Berkeley Video and Film Festival (Oct 2006) and a Special Mention at the International Federation of Housing and Planning film competition (Geneva Sept 2006); “Finding Our Way” (with L. Sandercock) which is now distributed by Moving Images.
He is co-author with Leonie Sandercock of the books: “Where strangers become neighbours: the integration of immigrants in Vancouver, Canada” (2009), “Multimedia Explorations In Urban Policy And Planning: Beyond The Flatlands” (2010).