Silvia Gullino
Silvia is a Professor of City Making and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI). With an interdisciplinary background in Architecture and Urban Planning, her academic ethos centres on understanding cities as complex socio-economic, physical, environmental, and political systems. Addressing urban challenges for lasting sustainability requires integrating diverse knowledge and employing innovative methodologies.
Silvia's distinctive approach to city-making emphasizes active citizenship, gendered well-being, and fostering diverse, creative, and inclusive communities through transdisciplinary practices. This commitment has garnered international and national recognition, profoundly influencing her research and leadership.
Throughout her academic career, Silvia has demonstrated strategic leadership and effective management across various disciplines, including architecture, urban studies, geography, the built environment, and health. She has held esteemed positions at institutions such as Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, Johns Hopkins University, University College London, and King's College London.
At Birmingham City University, Silvia has served as course and team leader of the Real Estate and Planning team. Her dedication to supporting women in academia has led to her recent appointment as Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Leader for the College of Built Environment in 2023.
Areas of Expertise
- Urban Planning
- Gender and urban spaces (with a focus on youth and teenagers)
- Placemaking
- Development project
- Digital active citizenship
- Inclusive communities
- Podcasting in planning
Qualifications
- PhD in Spatial Planning (Politecnico di Milano), 2005
- MSc in Environmental Engineering (Politecnico di Torino), 2000
- MA in Architecture (Politecnico di Torino), 1999
- Higher Education Academy (HEA), Senior Fellow (SFHEA), 2019
- SEDA accredited Community of Practice around Research Supervision, 2019
- Higher Education Academy (HEA), Fellow, 2015
Memberships
Silvia is currently a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Teaching
Silvia currently teaches on the following courses:
- BSc Property Development and Planning
- MA Planning Built Environments
Research
Silvia's current research focuses on urban well-being and sustainable cities, with a particular emphasis on gender. Her pioneering work in feminist discussions about urban spaces involves collaborations with experts in medical, computer science, geography, and gender studies.
Silvia has been appointed by the Italian Ministry for University Research (MIUR) to provide expert advice on international research proposals and by the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR) to evaluate professorial colleagues, akin to the REF at Politecnico di Milano.
The first area of her research explores relationships between health, well-being and planning/design in everyday urban contexts with a focus on motherhood, (Gullino et al., 2017), youth (Shtebunaev, et al., 2023) and teen girls.
The second area of research focuses on the use of podcasts in planning education, exploring their potential as a tool for participatory planning and amplifying underrepresented voices in local public discourse (Gullino, et al, 2023).
The third area of her research focuses on the interface between active citizens, in(formality) and local authorities through digital platforms (Gullino et al., 2018 and Gullino et al, 2019 and Gullino and Seetzen, forthcoming)
Postgraduate Supervision
PhD Supervision:
- Zeinab Hashem (Prof Silvia Gullino: Director of Studies; Prof Carlo Harvey and Dr Simon Cook: co-supervisors): ‘Co-Creating Inclusive Active Spaces: Empowering Teen Girls through Digital Interventions’ (2024 – 2027)
- Huafeng Lu (Dr Miguel Hincapie Trivino: Director of Studies; Prof Silvia Gullino: co-supervisor): ‘Understanding the digital divide in public transport services for inclusive and smart city planning - a case of Birmingham, UK’ (2023 – 2026)
- Simeon G. Shtebunaev (Prof Silvia Gullino: Director of Studies; Prof Peter Larkham: Co-Supervisor): ‘Planning strategies for citizen participation in the co-production of future cities: Democratising power relations in smart cities’ agendas’ – (2018-)
Publications
Podcasts
Gullino, S., 2021. Drivers of Change. [online] SoundCloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Research-led podcasts designed and produced during lockdown at a time restrictions imposed limits to mobility, exploring the extent to which local projects/communities can offer alternative and sometimes radical responses to wider scale challenges.
Gullino, S. et al. Drivers of Change. [online] SoundCloud, (2021). Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Gullino, S. and Pacchi, C., 2021. Episode 1: Coworking Spaces. [online] SoundCloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/coworking-spaces-bcu-planning?in=birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Gullino, S. and Shtebunaev S., 2021. Episode 2: Youth and Planning. [online]SoundCloud.Availableat:https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/youth-and-planning-bcu-planning?in=birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Gullino, S. and Hardman M., 2021. Episode 3: Urban Gardening. [online] SoundCloud. Availableat:https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/episode-3-urban-gardening?in=birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Gullino, S., Rivera H. et al., 2021. Episode 4: High Street under pressure. [online] SoundCloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/high-street-under-pressure?in=birmingham-city-university/sets/drivers-of-change
Gullino, S. and Wall E., 2021. Episode 5: Urban Markets - Elephant and Castle. [online] SoundCloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/urban-markets-elephant-and-castle
Gullino, S. and Cerulli C., 2021. Episode 6: Community-led Housing. [online] SoundCloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/birmingham-city-university/community-led-housing
Journals
Gullino S. and Seetzen H. (forthcoming) ‘Handmade spaces: creative placemaking in a local neighbourhood’ in Larkham P. and Higgins D, Placemaking: People, Properties, Planning, Emerald Publisher
Shtebunaev, S., Gullino, S. and Larkham, P.J.,2023. Planning the Smart City with Young People: Teenagers’ Perceptions, Values and Visions of Smartness. Urban Planning, 8(2), pp.57-69.
Gullino S., Shtebunaev S. and Wakerley E., 2023. Gullino, S., Shtebunaev, S. and Wakerley, E., 2023. Podcasting and Collaborative Learning Practices in Placemaking Studies, in Natarajan L. and Short M. Engaged Urban Pedagogy: Collaborative Inquiry for Planning and Place-Making, UCL Press: London
Gullino S., Wakerley E., Shtebunaev S., 2023. Podcasting as a learning practice in higher education. Available at: https://media-and-learning.eu/type/featured-articles/podcasting-as-a-learning-practice-in-higher-education/
Nikologianni, A., Mayouf, M. and Gullino, S., 2022. “Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the impact on landscape: A systematic review of evolvements, shortfalls and future opportunities”. Cleaner Production Letters, 3, p.100016.
Gullino, S. and Seetzen, H. and Pacchi, C. and Cerulli, C. (2019) Interpreting Patterns of Interaction between Civic Activism and Government Agency in Civic Crowdfunding Campaigns. Built Environment, 45 (2), pp. 248-267
Gullino S., Seetzen H. and Cerulli C. (2018), “Citizen-led micro-regeneration and the negotiation of new urban public spaces: A comparative case-study of civic crowdfunding in London”, in Bruzzese A., Chiappini L. and Fisker J.K. (eds) Alternative Spaces in the Urban Region, Routledge
Gullino S., Kaiser A., Khan H., Phillips A., Elwin A. and Edwards D. (2017) “New mothers’ experiences of the urban environment with their preterm infants involve complex social, emotional and psychological processes”, Acta Paediatrica¸ 106(3), pp.405-410.
Gullino S. (2011), “The Fluidity of Social Sustainability in spaces of movement: the case of the Art Stations in Naples, Italy”, in International Journal of Sustainable Society, 3(4), pp. 414-430.
Gullino S. (2009), “Urban regeneration and democratization of information access: CitiStat experience in Baltimore”, in Journal of Environmental Management, 90(6), pp.2012-2019.
Gullino S. (2009), “Public art in the underground stations of Naples”, in KIOSK, Kingston University, issue 03, pp. 79-84.
Gullino S. (2008b), “Mixed Communities as a Means of Achieving Sustainable Communities: a comparison between US experiences and UK policy intentions”, in Local Economy, 23(3), pp.127-135.
Gullino S. (2008a), “Urban regeneration in Baltimore: can CitiStat be one of the answers?”, in Bucher U. and Finca M., The Electronic City, Berliner Wissenschaftsverlag (BWV), Berlin, pp. 247-260. pp. 247-254
Gullino, S. (2006), “Urban regeneration between past and future strategies”. In: Morandi, C. and Gullino, S., (eds.) Milano, experiments in urban design. Limena, Italy: LibreriaClup. pp. 17-24
Gullino S. (2005), “Il Millennium Village di Greenwich a Londra. Un progetto di rigenerazione urbana sostenibile”, in Paesaggio Urbano, n.6, pp.42-55.
Gullino S. and Casati A. (2004), “Esperienze di locale strategico: Agenzie di sviluppo locale e Agenda 21 nel nord milanese”, in Territorio, n.29/30, pp.99-104.
Reports
Gullino, S. and Higgins D. (2020) et al. "Placemaking: processes and practices." [online] Available at: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/news-events/new-placemaking-report-on-how-to-improve-cities-and-urban-spaces-launched
Books
Gullino S., Shtebunaev S. and Wakerley E. (2021), The role of podcasting in enhancing collaborative learning practices in planning education, in Natarajan L. and Short M. Engaged Urban Pedagogy: Participatory practices for higher education in planning and place-making, UCL Press (forthcoming)
Gullino S., Haworth A. and Raco M. (2007), Urban regeneration and sustainable communities. Insights from the British experience, Milano: CLUP
Morandi C. and Gullino S. (eds) (2006), Milano, experiments in urban design, Limena, Italy: LibreriaClup
Major recent international and national conference papers
Gullino S (2021) “Unpacking the Role of Digital Tools in Local Urban Innovation: Reflecting on Civic Crowdfunding in European Cities” (with Pacchi C and Cerulli C.), University of Stavanger, Norway and Nordic Edge Expo (22 September)
Gullino, S. (2021), “Creating connected neighborhoods: lessons from the Italian ‘social streets’ for UK city centres” (with Pacchi, C. and Cerulli, C. and Matthew, C) UK Ireland Planning Research Conference, (8-10 September)
Gullino S. (2018), Civic Crowdfunding: citizen-led innovative practices in envisioning, designing and shaping the future of European Cities - AESOP Conference ‘Making Space for Hope’ (Session on Activism) with Cristina Cerulli (University of Sheffield Hallam) and Carolina Pacchi (Politecnico di Milano) (Gothenburg, 10-14 July)
Gullino S. (2015), Handmade Spaces: A South London case study highlighting the significance of informal and creative practices in the production of space (6th Global Conference on Space and Place, Inter-disciplinary Network, Oxford University, 3-5 September)
Gullino S. (2015), Re-imagining concepts of planning through the experience of people dying in cities (UCL, Bartlett Research Exchanges, 23 March)
Gullino S. (2014), Conceptual frameworks for analysing the impact of the built environment on the health of mothers and vulnerable premature babies (genderSTE, Engendering Cities, Rome 25-26 September)
Gullino S. (2014), At the crossroads: spatial planning, health and parent-led research (King’s College London, Centre for Developing Brain, 7 March)
Gullino S. (2013), From transport nodes to places: the contribution of suburban railway stations to healthy, sustainable communities. The case of Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston (with James Ritson, Kingston University), UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2013 (UWE, 11-13 September)
Gullino S. (2011), Train stations, everyday life and mobility: the fluidity of social sustainability (University of East London, Sustainable Mobilities Research Group, 7 December)
Gullino S. (2010), Grassroots organizations, eco transport and behavioural change: examples from the UK and Italy (with Dr Carolina Pacchi, Politecnico di Milano), AESOP-Association European Schools of Planning Conference (Helsinki, 7-10 July)
Gullino S. (2010), Handmade space: the social history of a small squatter community (with Dr Heidi Seetzen, Kingston University), UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference (Anglia Ruskin University, 7-9 April)
Gullino S. (2009), Public art in the underground stations of Naples: urban spaces and social sustainability, UK Ireland Planning Research Conference (Newcastle University, 1-3 April)
Media Work
In June 2024, Building Engineer featured Silvia's research on gender in the built environment in a wider piece about the safety of women in cities and the design and urban planning changes being made to improve this: Read more.
In 2024, Birmingham City University featured Silvia's interview in their ‘Meet the Researcher’ series: Watch the interview..
In November 2023, Silvia was interviewed by the marketing team of Jobs.ac.uk (University of Warwick) for their academic spotlight series. The discussion focused on Silvia's innovative work supporting women in STEM: Watch the interview..
In October 2023, Silvia was invited as an expert to comment on Sir Keir Starmer’s speech about his housing agenda at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Silvia's contribution was titled: Can Labour’s New Towns Pledge be an Opportunity to Address Gender Equality?
In April 2021, Silvia delivered a keynote at The Insider Urban Forum on The New Age of Urban Living. The presentation explored how city living is evolving, with older adults now embracing urban environments as much as younger professionals: Read more.
In June 2021, Silvia participated in the ‘50 Shades of Planning’ Podcast for a discussion on Aging Well in Place: Listen to the podcast..
In 2020, Silvia was invited by Birmingham City University to give a public lecture on How Can We Make Cities More Sustainable?
Work With Industry
Silvia is widely respected among international peers for her strategic guidance of academic programs. In 2021, her outstanding contribution to digital methods earned her 'The Planner Women of Influence Award,' a prestigious award given to only two academics in the UK that year. Additionally, she was invited to serve as a Built Environment Expert at the UK National Design Council and as a Senior Advisor on Public Space for the International NGO City Space Architecture, a partner of UN-Habitat.