Research

The Department of Architecture explores, investigates, and studies the fields of design, history, and the city in all their multifaceted dimensions. As a center of excellence, DiARC serves as a hub for education and advanced training in design methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and research practices. The Department’s philosophy is grounded in the integration of a broad spectrum of knowledge — from history to drawing, from technology to urban planning — embracing scientific, professional, and cultural dimensions.

Department of Excellence 2023-2027

The Department of Architecture (DIARC) at the University of Naples Federico II has been selected among the 180 Departments of Excellence at the national level for the five-year period 2023–2027. This prestigious recognition, established by national legislation, is awarded to departments that stand out for the excellence of their scientific research, the quality of their strategic planning, and their capacity for development.

The selection was based on the evaluation of the Standardized Indicator of Departmental Performance (ISPD) and the approval of a comprehensive and innovative development project, aimed at strengthening the Department’s facilities, expertise, and academic activities.

Thanks to this recognition, DIARC will receive significant five-year funding to support the recruitment of new staff, incentivize existing personnel, expand and upgrade research infrastructures, and promote high-level scientific and educational activities.

DIARC’s research engages with contemporary issues and needs, addressing a variety of scales and thematic areas related both to new architectural design and to the knowledge and transformation of existing structures. The Department conducts a broad spectrum of basic and applied research, often adopting interdisciplinary approaches. Through international collaborations, research activities extend across multiple fields, including architectural, urban, and landscape design; architectural and urban history; conservation and restoration; urban planning and territorial management; architectural survey and representation; environmental and technological design; building physics; industrial and interior design; and exhibition design. These areas of research also intersect with complementary disciplines such as appraisal and valuation methods, legal frameworks, mathematical analysis, and digital data processing.
DIARC’s research is also closely connected with the activities of several Interdepartmental Research Centers:
- CIRICE – Center for the Iconography of the European City
- BAP – Center for Architectural and Environmental Heritage and Urban Design
- Alberto Calza Bini Center
- LUPT – Laboratory for Urban and Regional Planning “Raffaele D’Ambrosio”
- CITTAM – Center for the Study of Traditional Techniques in the Mediterranean Area
- Urban/Eco – Center for Research on Sustainable Urban Development

European Programs and Projects

REPAiR – Resource Management in Peri-urban Areas: Going Beyond Urban Metabolism
(Funding Body: EU, Horizon 2020-WASTE-2015)
Scientific Coordinator: Michelangelo Russo
ISAAC – Integrated e-Services for Advanced Access to Heritage in Cultural Tourist Destinations
(FP6-IST-2006-035130)
Scientific Coordinator: Luigi Fusco Girard
Contribution Agreement: Study of Seismic Threat and Physical Vulnerability of Greater Santo Domingo
(FED Funds – EU)
(Scientific Coordinator: Marina Rigillo)
(2013–2016)
CO-LAND – Inclusive Coastal Landscapes: Activating Green and Blue Infrastructure for Sustainable Development of the Urban-Land Interface
(Erasmus+, KA203, 2017-1-RO01-KA203-037161)
(Scientific Coordinator: Antonio Acierno)
(2017–2019)
ALA – Architecture, Landscape and Archaeology
(EMJMD 599095-EPP-1-2018-1-IT-EPPKA1-JMD-MOB)
Scientific Coordinator: Pasquale Miano
(2018–2024)

PRIN

From Urbanized Countryside to the “Expanding City”: Compositional Rules of Territorial Architecture in Small Towns
(PRIN 2009)
Scientific Coordinator: Francesco Rispoli
Archaeological Landscapes, Regions, and Metropolitan Cities. Contemporary Urban Design Strategies for Protection and Transformation
(PRIN 2009)
Scientific Coordinator: Pasquale Miano
Architecture, Market, Democracy: How Is the Venustas of Architecture Evaluated?
(PRIN 2009)
Scientific Coordinator: Roberta Amirante
New Strategies for the Knowledge, Enhancement, and Accessibility of the Archaeological Heritage of the Phlegraean Area
(PRIN 2009)
Scientific Coordinator: Antonella di Luggo
Territorial Transformations and Housing Patterns: Territorial Dynamics Between Deregulation, Resilience, and Differentiation. Renewed Analyses and Policy Guidelines
(PRIN 2010)
Scientific Coordinator: Giovanni Laino
RE-CYCLE. New Life Cycles for Architecture and Infrastructure of the City and Landscape
(PRIN 2010)
Scientific Coordinator: Carlo Gasparrini
Landscape Protection Between Conservation and Transformation. Economy and Beauty for Sustainable Development
(PRIN 2010)
Scientific Coordinator: Luigi Fusco Girard
The City as Care and the Care of the City
(PRIN 2015)
Scientific Coordinator: Pasquale Miano
Adaptive Design and Technological Innovation for the Resilient Regeneration of Urban Districts Under Climate Change Conditions
(PRIN 2015)
Scientific Coordinator: Mario R. Losasso
Metropolitan Cities: Economic-Territorial Strategies, Financial Constraints, and Circular Regeneration
(PRIN 2015)
Scientific Coordinator: Luigi Fusco Girard

Programmi FARO

Innovation and Sustainability in Building Redevelopment Interventions. Best Practices for Retrofit and Maintenance
(Funding Body: Compagnia di San Paolo and Center for Science and Technology, FARO Program)
(2009)
Scientific Coordinators: Raffaele Landolfo (general coordination), Mario R. Losasso, Maria Rita Pinto
Accessible Pompeii. Guidelines for an Inclusive Use of the Archaeological Site
(Funding Body: Compagnia di San Paolo and Center for Science and Technology, FARO Program)
(2010)
Scientific Coordinator: Renata Picone
Resilient Urban Open Spaces for Rainwater Management under Climate Change Conditions
(Funding Body: Compagnia di San Paolo and Center for Science and Technology, FARO Program)
(2010)
Scientific Coordinator: Maria Federica Palestino
MAED – Physical and Virtual Materials Library for Architecture and Design
(Funding Body: Compagnia di San Paolo and Center for Science and Technology, FARO Program)
(2011)
Scientific Coordinator: Riccardo Florio
Cilento Labscape. An Integrated Model for the Development of a Living Lab in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park
(Funding Body: Compagnia di San Paolo and Center for Science and Technology, FARO Program)
(2012)
Scientific Coordinator: Maria Cerreta

PON

SNECS – Social Network of Historic Center Entities
(Funding Body: MIUR – PON – Databenc S.c.a.r.l.)
Scientific Coordinator for DiARC: Mario R. Losasso
Scientific Contact: Massimiliano Campi
METRICS – Methodologies and Technologies for the Management and Redevelopment of Historic Centers and Heritage Buildings
(Funding Body: MIUR – PON – STRESS S.c.a.r.l.)
Scientific Coordinator for DiARC: Renato Capozzi
METROPOLIS – Integrated and Sustainable Methodologies and Technologies for the Adaptation and Safety of Urban Systems
(Funding Body: MIUR – PON – STRESS S.c.a.r.l.)
Scientific Coordinator for DiARC: Valeria D’Ambrosio
SMARTCASE – Innovative Multifunctional Solutions for Optimizing Primary Energy Consumption and Indoor Environmental Quality in Building Systems
(Funding Body: MIUR – PON – STRESS S.c.a.r.l.)
Scientific Coordinator for DiARC: Alessandro Claudi de Saint Mihiel
Governance and Technical Assistance 2007–2013: Comparative Study on the Adaptation of Detention Facilities to New Treatment-Oriented Requirements
(Partnership: DiARC – Ministry of Justice)
Scientific Coordinator: Maria Rosaria Santangelo
(2015–2016)

POR

PRO-SIT – Designing for Sustainability: Qualification and Certification in the Building Sector
(Partners: DiARC – STRESS S.c.a.r.l. – Campania)
(Scientific coordinator for DiARC: Prof. Arch. Marina Rigillo)
(2018–2021)
Planner – Platform for the Management of Natural Risks in Urbanized Areas
(Partners: DiARC – STRESS S.c.a.r.l. – Campania)
(Scientific coordinator for DiARC: Prof. Arch. Valeria D’Ambrosio)
(2018–2020)

Urban Regeneration: From Abandoned Cities to Smart Landscapes. Reconstructing Cultural and Identity Heritage in Italy and Argentina
(Funding body: C.U.I.A. – Italian Interuniversity Consortium for Argentina)
TECNARE – Implementation and Integration of Geothermal Air Conditioning Systems with Micro-Wind Technologies in Retrofit Projects in Urban and Landscape Areas
(Funding body: Italian Ministry for the Environment and the Protection of Land and Sea)

SIMMCITIES_NA Scenario Impact Modelling Methodology for a Climate change-Induced hazards Tool for Integrated End-users Strategic planning and design NAPOLI (Respons. scientifici: Mario R. Losasso, Sergio Russo Ermolli, Mattia Leone) (2017-2019)
iDome Invisible | Accessible. Masonry Domes of the 15th and 16th Centuries in Campania. Innovative Strategies for the Interpretation and the Multi-thematic Inclusive Fruition of Vulnerable Architectures (IDome) (Respons. scientifico: Valentina Russo) (2017-2019)
Pompeii between the archaeological site and the modern town. Knowledge, restoration and enhancement of the Insula Occidentalis (Resp. scientifico: Renata Picone)

MAED – Physical and Virtual Material Library for Architecture and Design
Location: Palazzo Latilla, via Tarsia 31
Scientific Coordinator: Riccardo Florio
Opening Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

MAED is a teaching, outreach, experimentation, and research laboratory focused on innovation and the application of materials and industrial products for Architecture and Design. It offers a virtual database and exhibition paths for the analysis and classification of data, materials, and products related to architecture and design. The facility includes workstations and a 3D printing center

TLAC – Laboratory of Lightweight Technologies for the Built Environment
Location: Complesso dello Spirito Santo, Room A504 (Staircase A, 5th floor)
Phone: +39 081 2538746
Scientific Coordinator: Sergio Pone

The laboratory focuses on the study and experimentation of lightweight technologies in both the construction and environmental fields. It promotes research, study, documentation, and training activities; organizes exhibitions, seminars, and workshops; and provides consulting services to public institutions, private individuals, and companies. The lab is equipped with workstations and advanced prototyping equipment.

MLABM_Lab_Monitoring Laboratory | Technologies for Monitoring the Built Environment
Location: Complesso dello Spirito Santo, Room B535 (Staircase B, 5th floor)
Phone: +39 081 2538839
Scientific Coordinator: Valeria D’Ambrosio

The laboratory supports teaching and scientific research related to the detection, archiving, and monitoring of architecture, environmental data, and the landscape. It is equipped with integrated tools for data processing and management, including drones, thermal cameras, environmental sensors, anemometers, and more.

LAC/CAL_Climate Action Lab
Scientific Coordinator: Maria Federica Palestino

LAC/CAL was born from an international network of researchers aiming to address the challenges of environmental transition by focusing on the situated dimension of climate change as a lever for experimenting with collaborative knowledge and design actions to counter its effects. From this perspective, LAC/CAL facilitates the meeting and integration of scientific, technical, humanistic, and contextual knowledge, promoting opportunities for dialogue among students, citizens, and institutions to create hybrid environments in which to experiment with diverse ways to mitigate the socio-ecological impacts of climate change.

TIR_Laboratory of Innovative Techniques and Technologies for Architectural Surveying and Representation
Location: Complesso dello Spirito Santo, Room E601 (Staircase E, 6th Floor)
Scientific Coordinator: Massimiliano Campi

The laboratory conducts applied research experimenting with innovative methods for data acquisition (image-based techniques, static and dynamic range-based techniques), processing, editing of point clouds, and systems for mapping and cataloging archaeological heritage and cultural assets. It focuses on 3D modeling methods, representation, and the identification of new communicative codes that, through the use of advanced Information and Communication Technologies, enable differentiated ways to access architecture. Additionally, the laboratory investigates methodologies for studying heritage evolution by integrating Artificial Intelligence algorithms and Extended Reality systems to build information systems, including BIM-oriented solutions.

LRRM_Laboratory of Reuse, Redevelopment, and Maintenance
Location: Palazzo Latilla, Via Tarsia 31, Naples, 3rd Floor
Scientific Coordinator: Maria Rita Pinto

The Laboratory promotes research and experimentation in the field of recovery and maintenance at both building and urban scales. It offers expertise in the development and implementation of procedures for the planning, design, and management of recovery and maintenance interventions in the built environment to ensure its quality over time.

The Laboratory is equipped with mobile devices for in-situ testing dedicated to diagnosing and monitoring vulnerability conditions and failures. A recent development is the mobile application MUST for collaborative maintenance of building and urban systems, created in collaboration with ETT and academic partners (https://mustsrl.com/).

Since 2000, the LRMM laboratory activities have been certified UNI EN ISO 9001: 2000 (Certificate issued by ITALCERT No. 317cSGQ02).

CEDIPAT_Departmental Center for Data Processing