Born in Bologna. Lecturer since 1973, associate professor since 1983, full professor since 1987. His research interests have been oriented mainly around the history of modern architecture, and, in particular, the architecture of the Napoleonic age in Italy, art nouveau in Paris and in Vienna and historic avant-garde architecture (Futurism and De Stijl). A section of his scientific activity has dealt with the problem of the restoration of contemporary architecture. From 1986 to 1994 he formed part of the group of Unesco experts entrusted with the task of studying the problem of the restoration and conservation of the art nouveau architectural heritage; from 1998 to 1990 he was a member of the board of experts of the European Council with the task of drawing up the recommendation addressed to all the heads of the member states, regarding the conservation of the twentieth century architectural heritage. From 2002 to 2015 he has been scientific director of a group of researchers of the Dipartimento di storia dell’architettura e della città and of the Dipartimento di Architettura of the Florence University, partner of the european projects Patrimoines partagés: savoirs et savoir-faire appliqués au patrimoine architectural et urbain des XIXe et XXe siècles en Mediterranée; Musomed; Arching; Elconum. From 2008 to 2009 he directed for the Italian Ministry for Foreign three exhibitions: Italian Architects for Syria and Lebanon in the Twentieth Century; Italian Architects and Engineers in Egypt from the Nineteenth to the Twentyfirst Century; Les architectes italiens au Maroc du début du protectorat français à aujourd’hui. He organized the international meetings The Presence of Italian Architects in Mediterranean Countries (Alexandria 2007); Architectures et architects italiens au Maghreb (Tunis 2009); Italian Architects and Builders in the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey (Istanbul 2013); Italian Architectural and Artistic Heritage in Egypt (Cairo – Alexandria 2015). He was member of the scientific committees of the Groupement de recherche international Architectures Modernes en Méditerranée, founded by the French CNRS, and of the action Cost European architecture beyond Europe.