Marino Folin - architect Foundation President University IUAV, Venice Professor of Analysis of Cities and Territories IUAV, Venice

Born in Venice in 1944, Marino Folin graduated with a degree in architecture from the Institute of Architecture of the University of Venice in 1968. He presently holds the title of full professor of Analysis of Cities and Territories at the University IUAV of Venice and, since 1991, the position of University Chancellor.
From November 1985 to October 1991 he was Director of the Department of Economic and Social Analysis of the Territory (DAEST) - IUAV and from October-February of 1988/89 he was a visiting professor at the Institut Français D’Urbanisme–Paris VIII. He served as a board member for the Italian section of the Venice Biennale of Architecture from 1994 – 1996. His other commitments include Administration Board Member for the Triennale of Milan, President of the Deans Conference of the Faculty of Architecture –IUAV, President of the Veneto Region Committee of University Alliances, and Senior Board Member for Public Works.
His professional activities (from 1981) include directing numerous research projects on housing and city formation in Italy and Europe and urban planning projects held among universities and external entities (the city councils of San Donà, Marcon, Cesenatico, Lugo di Romagna, Santa Flavia and the restoration of the ex quarries of Marocco in Mogliano, etc…).
In recent years his research has mainly dealt with the city of Venice, focusing in particular on development aspects, protection policies and special legislation pertaining to Venice. Worthy of notice is the Report on the implementation of Law 798/94 - “New interventions for the safeguarding of Venice as well as Feasibility Studies for the Insulae and inspection of the principle requirements in the interventions of physical safeguarding”.
He is scientific coordinator of the research programme “New Central Positions of the Venetian Metropolitan Area. Infrastructures and Junctions.”
 
As Chancellor Marino Folin has dedicated time and energy to the reorganisation of the university staff (of which the IUAV was forerunner among numerous Italian universities), to developing academic programmes which include new university degree programmes, to the policies of expansion and decentralization of the University’s campus with the acquisition of new premises in Venice and on the mainland.
Such projects included the new IUAV premises in the area of the ex Cold Store Warehouses located along the canal of the Giudecca in Venice, across from the stately Mulino Stucky building. The project was realised by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, winners of a competition involving 500 architectural designers from Italy and abroad, and presented the city of Venice with the occasion of constructing a large, new and important public structure.
 
Marino Folin has published numerous essays and articles on the themes such as the contemporary city, public works, housing policy and urban planning.