Davide Ponzini received his PhD (cum laude) in Urban Planning from Politecnico di Milano, where he is currently Associate Professor of Urban Planning. His research activity focuses on planning theory, policy tool analysis, urban and cultural policy, heritage preservation, spectacularization of contemporary architecture and the urban environment. In 2004 he was Research Affiliate at Yale University, in 2006 International Fellow in Urban Studies at Johns Hopkins University, in 2008 Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, and in 2010 Visiting Researcher at Sciences Po, Paris. He has been an advisor of both urban and cultural policy to local governments and other public and private entities.

He has been recipient of several scholarships and research grants, issued by Universities, Foundations and Public Institutions (Compagnia di San Paolo, Agnelli Foundation and UniCredit Private Banking, European Cultural Foundation and Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, and others).

His research work has been published in international scientific journals (Cities, Urban Studies, Planning Theory and Practice, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, European Planning Studies, International Journal of Heritage Studies, and others) and in edited books, and it has been presented in international congresses, and seminars. His publications are widely cited and used as reference for education in European and American Universities. He occasionally contributes to architecture and planning magazines (Domus, Abitare, Giornale dell’Architettura and others).

He is the author of the book: Il territorio dei beni culturali, (Carocci, Rome, 2008); coauthor (with Pier Carlo Palermo) of the book: Spatial Planning and Urban Development: Critical Perspectives (Springer, Dordrecht and New York, 2010) and of the book Place-making and Urban Development: New Challenges for Planning and Design (Routledge, London, 2015); and coauthor (with the photographer Michele Nastasi) of the book: Starchitecture. Scenes, Actors and Spectacles in Contemporary Cities (Allemandi, Turin, 2011, which was awarded the Silver Medal of the 2015 World Triennal of Architecture; second edition forthcoming, Monacelli Press, New York).