The Laboratory of Urbanism is proud to announce that our PhD researcher, Anna Karla de Almeida Milani, received the EPFL Thesis Distinction, recognizing her research as top-notch PhD thesis in Architecture and Sciences of the City Doctoral Program (EDAR) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL).
The thesis, Dalmine Lives: A Biopolitical History of an Italian Company Town explores the powerful role industrial organizations play in shaping urbanization, not only through the manipulation of physical space but also through their influence on spatial and social policies. Focusing on the company town of Dalmine in Italy, this study uncovers the biopolitical dimensions of corporate control and how these powers are exercised in residents’ daily lives.
The research traces the historical power dynamics of the company town, offering insights that extend beyond its boundaries to reflect on the broader, contemporary influence of corporations over the territories they dominate. After nearly five years of research, including six months living in Dalmine and almost four months spent deeply immersed in the company archives, the work has culminated in a study divided into two parts and 11 chapters. Part 1 examined the theoretical and methodological framework of the thesis, while Part 2 presented the biopolitical history of Dalmine, divided into six chapters that followed a temporal and thematic red thread.
Central to this thesis is the presentation of six micro-histories that provide a “thick description” of Dalmine’s urban and social fabric. These accounts detail the housing, welfare infrastructure, urban management, and spatial design of the town, focusing on the initiatives of industrial entrepreneurs. In doing so, the thesis contributes to the broader history of urban planning and the knowledge systems that have underpinned the development of the modern industrial economy in Europe. By exploring these intersections between corporate power, urban design, and the everyday life of inhabitants, this work provides not only a historical analysis of Dalmine but also reflects on the continuing relevance of these themes in contemporary urban studies.
Thesis director: Prof. Paola Viganò (Laboratory of Urbanism, EPFL)
Thesis jury: Prof Tom Avermaete (ETHZ); Prof Magaret Crawford (UC Berkeley); Prof Victor Munoz Sanz (TU Delft); Prof. Florence Graezer Bideau (President)
Funding scheme: MSCA H2020 COFUND EPFLinnovators (2019-2024).