Daniela Mondini

Daniela Mondini is a Full Professor at the Academy of Architecture, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), where she is affiliated with the Institute of Italian Studies (ISI) and the Institute for the History and Theory of Art and Architecture (ISA). She teaches Medieval Art and the History of Photography and serves as Vice-director of Research at the Academy of Architecture.

Education:

• PhD in History of Art and History, University of Zurich (2002)
• Habilitation, University of Zurich (2010)
• Studies in History of Art and History at University of Zurich and Università La Sapienza, Rome

Her research spans a wide range of topics in art and architectural history from the 4th to the 14th century, with a strong focus on medieval Rome, particularly the Cosmati workshops. She investigates the interplay of light and darkness in sacred architecture, medieval revivals in modern times, and the cultural significance of relics, reliquaries, and the human body. Her work also extends into gender studies and the visual representation of shame.

She leads the SNSF-funded project The Churches of Rome in the Middle Ages 1050–1300 (Corpus Cosmatorum II), in collaboration with Prof. Carola Jäggi, and previously led From Ravenna to Vals: Light and Darkness in Architecture from the Middle Ages to the Present.

She has held teaching positions at Technische Universität München, Hochschule der Künste Zürich, ETH Zurich, and the University of Bern.

Scientific Affiliations and Roles:

• Vice-director of Research, Academy of Architecture, USI
• Principal Investigator, SNSF projects

Her office locations are at the Vignetta Building (Office VI1.04, Mendrisio) and the Black Building (Office P205-A, Lugano). She is actively contributing to the advancement of medieval art historical studies through interdisciplinary and international collaboration.