Francesco Garofalo: Usually Unnoticed
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Cornell in Rome Spring 2025 Lecture Series
Abstract
Francesco Garofalo will reflect on the key principles that have shaped the work of his office, Openfabric, as well as his research trajectories. Central themes include the role of multilayered observation as a tool to uncover hidden conditions and a deep interest in what is often overlooked or unnoticed, fostering active participation and creating spaces of desire.
Landscape architecture emerges as a powerful instrument for raising awareness, fostering action, and driving change in an increasingly urbanized world where equality and climate change demand urgent attention.
A multi-scalar approach—spanning both space and time—comes to life through a diverse body of work, ranging from small-scale furniture design to large-scale regional strategies.
Bio
Francesco Garofalo is a landscape architect, founder of Openfabric, Design Critic at Harvard GSD, and Visiting Professor at Politecnico di Milano.
Since founding Openfabric, Francesco has led numerous award-winning projects worldwide, including notable public spaces such as Into the Wild (The Hague), Gridgrounds (Amsterdam), Into the Forest (Mantua), and the 24-hectare Reggia di Rivalta Park (Reggio Emilia). He has also contributed to large-scale research projects with significant spatial impact, such as Migrating Mediterranean, A20 Ring Road, and Urban Policies vs Pandemic.
Francesco frequently lectures and teaches internationally at renowned institutions, including Cornell AAP (New York), MIT (Cambridge, MA), Cornell University (Ithaca, NY), Hong Kong University, IAAC (Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia), and London Metropolitan University.
