“Interiors to architecture, architecture to landscape, architecture or landscape to urban fabric, my work finds its foundation in the intersection of different disciplines, creating a bridge which binds them.”

Irene Curulli is an Assistant Professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Her teaching and research interests have been fostered by years of teaching and mentoring at the Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria (Italy), Cornell University (USA) and the University of Oregon (USA). Irene’s subject expertise lies at the intersection of architecture and landscape architecture, focusing on transformation of urban wastelands and post-industrial sites towards the implementation of a sustainable city. In particular, she is actively engaged in researches related to the sustainable regeneration of industrial areas along waterways. In 2007, she organized the International Conference ‘Urban Wastelands’ around this topic at the TU/e. At TU/e, she also developed a two-year research program into the transformation of abandoned industrial waterfronts, funded by the 'Excellentiefonds' at TU/e and from the Provincie-Noord Brabant (The Netherlands). Two books (see list publications) result from this research. Moreover, this research folded in a 2011 European Commission-funded project named E.L.I.R. (European Laboratory of Industrial Reuse) of which she was scientific coordinator. The project involved 7 European Universities.

 (weblink: http://industrialwaterways.weebly.com)

Irene Curulli received her degree in architecture from UNIRC, Universita' degli Studi di Reggio Calabria, Faculty of Architecture, Italy where she received the First Class Honours and Distinction (110/110 and cum laude). After her post-graduate Master in Architecture from The Berlage Institute Amsterdam, she received her PhD in 1996. In 2000 she won a fellowship from Cornell University, USA where she taught and also researched the subject of wastelands and was awarded a jury position at Harvard University and at University of Pennsylvania. In 2012 she was visiting assistant professor at the university of Oregon, USA where she taught several design studio courses and research on five abandoned industrial  sites along the Willamette River.   

Irene Curulli runs Amsterdam based office Terrafirma. The strength of her projects lies in the inextricable weave between landscape and architecture and the specificity of the contexts represents the raw material for the design. Irene Curulli’s experience includes projects with Gigantes Zenghelis Architects, de Architekten Cie and with Inside Outside in several designs by OMA. She has also published numerous articles on Dutch architecture in ‘Space & Society’ magazine.

(weblink: www.terrafirma.nl )

Affiliated with

2015-present: Member of the research group INTEGRO

2014-present: Member of ICOMOS, The Netherlands

2014-present: Member of TICCIH

2016: Expert reviewer for Change Over Time, International Journal on Conservation and The Built Environment, USA

2015: Expert reviewer for Journal of Architecture and Urban Design, Taylor & Francis, UK

2013: Expert reviewer for ICOMOS-UNESCO, Dossier for The Grand Canal of China, nomination proposal for the Inscription to the World Heritage List 2014

Member of Editorial Review Board

2010-present: of Journal of Sustainable Design Cultural Heritage, Emerald, UK

2015- present: (Journal) SPACE & FORM, Poland        

Member of Scientific committee

2014- present: (Books series), Cities, Design & Sustainability Altralinea International