Franco Purini teaches Architectonic and Urban Composition at the “Valle Giulia” Faculty of Architecture at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. His publications include: Place and Project (Rome 1976); Around the shadow line: beyond urban architecture (London 1984); Seven Landscapes (Milan 1989); O que està feito astà por fazer (Rio de Janeiro 1998); and The Uniform City (Padua 2005). His projects include: the “Sistema delle Piazze”; the House of the Chemist; the Pirello House in Gibellina; a residential block in Naples; the restoration of the former Stables of the “Medicee di Poggio” in Caiano; and the Parish buildings of St. John Baptist at Lecce. He recently designed a residential block in Rome and a skyscraper in Shanghai. His work has been exhibited on numerous occasions both in Italy and abroad.