Harvard University Graduate School of Design has announced Mauro Marinelli, co-founder of the architectural firm franzosomarinelli, as the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Wheelwright Prize. The annual $100,000 grant supports emerging architects in pursuing investigative research that addresses contemporary architectural challenges from a global perspective.
Marinelli's winning proposal, titled "Topographies of Resistance: Architecture and the Survival of Cultures," explores how architecture can sustain and revitalize rural, mountainous regions facing significant challenges from climate change, infrastructure limitations, and cultural erosion. His ambitious research project aims to develop innovative design strategies that promote community autonomy, environmental sustainability, and preservation of local identity by conducting comparative studies across three major mountain ranges: the Alps, Andes, and Himalayas.
The architect co-founded franzosomarinelli in 2017, establishing an architecture practice based in the Alps that specializes in contemporary design within fragile territories. The firm has gained recognition for its contextual sensitivity through extensive material and spatial research, as demonstrated in projects like the transformation of public spaces in small Italian Alpine villages including Bolciana and Castelfondo.
GSD Dean Sarah M. Whiting praised Marinelli's project for fostering "responses that emphasize self-sufficiency, local identity, and approaches tailored to the vulnerabilities of mountainous communities worldwide." She noted that his work represents a significant departure from urban-centric architectural perspectives, instead focusing on empowering remote communities through thoughtful design interventions.
Over the next two years, the prize funding will support Marinelli's extensive fieldwork and enable travel to the European Alps, the South American Andes, and the mountainous regions of China. Through this comparative analysis, he seeks to understand how different mountain cultures have adapted their built environments to address similar challenges of isolation, climate extremes, and economic pressures.
"This support enables me to investigate how architecture can actively engage with the fragile cultural systems of high mountain communities," Marinelli explained. "I intend to contribute tangible insights to both the cultural vitality of mountain territories and architectural discourse more broadly."
The Wheelwright Prize has established itself as a significant platform for supporting design research that crosses disciplinary and cultural boundaries. Recent winning projects have examined diverse topics including spatial and social relations in contemporary Africa, the environmental and social impacts of sand mining, and emerging paradigms for digital infrastructure, demonstrating the award's commitment to addressing global challenges through architectural research.
Marinelli was selected from a highly competitive international pool of candidates. The other finalists recognized for their innovative proposals were Meriem Chabani, Mohamad Nahleh, and Alfredo Thiermann, each bringing unique perspectives to contemporary architectural challenges.
The distinguished 2025 jury included Sarah M. Whiting, Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture at the GSD; Chris Cornelius, professor and chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning; Grace La, professor of architecture and chair of the Department of Architecture at the GSD; Jennifer Newsom, co-founder of Dream the Combine and assistant professor at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; Tosin Oshinowo, principal and founder of Oshinówò Studio; and Noura Al Sayeh, head of Architectural Affairs for the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.
The recognition comes at a time when architectural awards continue to highlight experimental approaches and critical engagement with contemporary global challenges. This trend reflects the profession's growing awareness of architecture's role in addressing climate change, cultural preservation, and social equity in underserved communities worldwide.
