Giovanna Borasi

Giovanna Borasi is Director of the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since 2020. She first joined the CCA as Curator for Contemporary Architecture in 2005. Borasi was educated in architecture, and has worked as a writer and editor in addition to her curatorial activities.

Curatorial work

Giovanna Borasi’s exhibitions and related books explore contemporary issues and reflect her interest in alternative ways of practicing architecture. Exhibitions curated and co-curated by Borasi at the Canadian Centre for Architecture specifically address how environmental, political and social issues are influencing today’s built environment:

Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture
Journeys: How Travelling Fruit, Ideas and Buildings Rearrange our Environment
Other Space Odysseys: Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, Alessandro Poli
Actions: What You Can Do With the City
Some Ideas on Living in London and Tokyo by Stephen Taylor and Ryue Nishizawa
1973: Sorry, Out of Gas
Environment: Approaches for Tomorrow - Gilles Clément and Philippe Rahm

Borasi’s exhibitions are recognized internationally: "Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture" was also presented at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh and was named the best exhibition of 2012 by Design Observer. "Actions: What You Can Do With the City" was also presented at the Graham Foundation, Chicago, and in an abbreviated form at the International Architecture Biennial in São Paulo, Brazil.
Prior to her appointment at the CCA, Borasi co-curated an exhibition about asphalt with Mirko Zardini for a 2003 exhibition at the Triennale di Milano:

Asfalto: Il carattere della città, Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Editorial work

Borasi initiated her career as editor and writer for Lotus International, and served as assistant editor for the book series Quaderni di Lotus. She was member of the editorial staff of the graphic design magazine Lettera, a supplement to the magazine Abitare. She was Deputy Editor in Chief for Abitare.

Selected bibliography

Borasi, Giovanna. "Studio ALBORI", The State of the Art of Architecture, Grima, Joseph, et al., eds. Zürich: Lars Müller Publishers, 2015.
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. The Other Architect. Leipzig: Spector Books, Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2015.
Borasi, Giovanna and Daria Der Kaloustian, eds. CCA on Paper. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2013.
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2012.
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. Journeys: How Travelling Fruit, Ideas and Buildings Rearrange our Environment. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2011.
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Other Space Odysseys: Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, Alessandro Poli. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2010.
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Actions: What You Can Do With the City. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2009.
Borasi, Giovanna, ed. Some Ideas on Living in London and Tokyo: Stephen Taylor, Ryue Nishizawa. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2008.
Borasi, Giovanna and Mirko Zardini, eds. Sorry, Out of Gas: Architecture’s Response to the 1973 Oil Crisis. Montreal: Canadian Centre for Architecture, 2008.