Francesco Dal Co is an Italian historian and critic of architecture, born on 29 December 1945 in Venice, known as one of Italy’s most prominent scholars of modern and contemporary architecture.
Who he is
- He studied architecture at the University Iuav of Venice, where he graduated in 1970 and later became professor and director of the Department of History of Architecture.
- He has taught internationally, including as Professor of History of Architecture at the Yale School of Architecture and at the Accademia di Architettura of the Università della Svizzera Italiana in Mendrisio.
Roles and positions
- Dal Co has been editor or director of the influential architecture magazine Casabella since the mid-1990s, shaping critical debate on architecture in Italy and abroad.
- He served as director of the Architectural Section of the Venice Biennale between 1988 and 1991 and later curated national and Vatican pavilions, consolidating his role as a key curator in major international exhibitions.
Publications and contributions
- He has authored and edited many important books on architecture, including works on modern architecture, Italian architecture in the twentieth century, and monographs on architects such as Carlo Scarpa, Tadao Ando, Frank Gehry, and Luis Barragán.
- His publications often combine historical research with critical interpretation, making him a central reference for the study of modern and contemporary architecture.
Current standing
- Dal Co is described as one of Italy’s most renowned architectural historians, continuing to be associated with IUAV in Venice and with editorial work for publishers such as Electa.
- He has held research and honorary roles at institutions like the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, and the National Academy of San Luca, underscoring his international recognition.
