Professor Spina, Davide
Professor Spina, Davide
I am Assistant Professor at HKU, where I teach the history and theory of architecture. Prior to this, I taught history and theory, as well as architectural design, at ETH Zurich. My areas of expertise include real estate development, the history of technology in architecture, architecture and media, labour in construction, and methods in architectural research. I hold degrees from Roma Tre (Italy) and UCL / The Bartlett (UK).
My doctoral thesis at ETH Zurich (2021) examined the post-war activities of the Vatican-controlled real estate developer and contractor SGI. The thesis received three dissertation prizes—from ETH Zurich, Munich’s Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, and the Society of Architectural Historians—and will be published as a book with MIT Press in 2027. My work has been supported by several institutions worldwide, including the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Swiss Institutes in Rome and Milan, the Swiss National Science Fund, the JM Kaplan Fund, the Gill Family Foundation, and the Graham Foundation.
I regularly present my research at international conferences, including those of the Society of Architectural Historians and the European Architectural History Network. Since 2020, I have been co-organising DocTalks, an inter-institutional online platform for researchers in architectural history and theory. Some of my essays have appeared in Architectural History (2022), AA Files (2014, 2016, and 2017), Log (2022), and gta Papers (2020).
At present, I am working on architecture and television in 1980s Milan and on the role of real estate developers in Hong Kong’s urban expansion during the 1970s and 80s.
| Year | Awarding Institution | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Roma Tre University | BScArch | |
| University College London | MA | |
| ETH Zurich | PhD |
Davide is Assistant Professor at HKU, where he teaches the history and theory of architecture. Prior to this, he taught history and theory and architectural design at ETH Zurich. His areas of expertise are real estate development, the history of technology in architecture, architecture and media, labour in construction, and methods in architectural research. He holds degrees from Roma Tre (Italy) and UCL / The Bartlett (UK).
His doctoral thesis at ETH Zurich (2021) examined the post-war activities of the Vatican-controlled real estate developer and contractor SGI. The thesis won three dissertation prizes (from ETH, Munich’s Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, and the Society of Architectural Historians) and will come out as a book with MIT Press in Fall 2025.
Davide’s work has received funding from several institutions worldwide, including the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Swiss Institutes in Rome and Milan, the Swiss National Science Fund, the JM Kaplan Fund, the Gill Family Foundation, and the Graham Foundation.
He regularly presents his research at international conferences, including those of the Society of Architectural Historians and the European Architectural History Network. Since 2020, Davide has been co-organising DocTalks, an inter-institutional online platform for researchers in architectural history and theory. Some of his essays have appeared in Architectural History (2022), AA Files (2014, 2016, and 2017), Log (2022), and gta Papers (2020).
At present, Davide is working on architecture and television in 1980s Milan and on the role of private developers in Hong Kong’s urban expansion during the 1960s and 70s.
| Term Period | Position | Professional Societies |
|---|---|---|
| 04/2019-current | member | SAH |
| 06/2022-current | member | EAHN |
| Area of Expertise (EN) | Area of Expertise (ZH) |
|---|---|
| Real estate development | |
| History and theory of architecture | |
| Architecture and technology | |
| Architecture and media |
| Spoken Language(s) (EN) | Spoken Language(s) (ZH) |
|---|---|
| Italian | 意大利語 |
| French | 法語 |
| English | 英語 |
| Written Language(s) (EN) | Written Language(s) (ZH) |
|---|---|
| Italian | 意大利文 |
| French | 法文 |
| English | 英文 |
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