Francesco Lo Piccolo

Francesco Lo Piccolo is a Full Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Palermo's School of Engineering, specializing in urban and territorial planning with a focus on migration, housing policies, and landscape transformation. His academic activities include teaching Planning Theory and supervising numerous theses on urban planning topics.

• Institution: University of Palermo
• Department: Department of Architecture
• Teaching: Planning Theory, Migrations and Un-Just City
• Research Focus: Urban planning, migration studies, housing policy, spatial justice

Professor Lo Piccolo's research interests center on the complex interplay between migration, urban spaces, and planning ethics. His work investigates how informal settlements emerge in Mediterranean contexts, particularly Sicily, and examines the tension between formal planning frameworks and the right to housing. He explores ethical dilemmas in urban planning, particularly regarding power imbalances in landscape transformation processes and the concept of 'landscape of exception' where high-quality agricultural areas intersect with migrant labor exploitation. His research extends to post-metropolitan transitions, analyzing how traditional urban models are evolving in Southern European contexts like Sicily, with particular attention to Palermo as a case study of urban multiculturalism and spatial inequalities.

His publication trends reveal a consistent focus on migration and urban space, with increasing attention to ethical dimensions of planning. Over the past decade, his work has evolved from analyzing physical urban transformations to examining deeper social and political dimensions of planning in contexts of migration and social exclusion. Recent publications emphasize the 'right to the city' framework applied to migrant communities, ethical challenges in planning practice, and the governance of informal settlements. His research maintains a strong geographical focus on Sicily and Palermo while engaging with broader European migration phenomena and theoretical frameworks in urban studies.

Professor Lo Piccolo has supervised numerous master's theses at the University of Palermo, primarily in the field of Territorial, Urban, Landscape and Environmental Planning Sciences. His students have explored topics including housing emergencies in Palermo's districts, landscape planning in Sicily, smart cities, and the redevelopment of historic urban areas. His academic guidance has contributed to research on pressing urban issues in the Sicilian context, particularly concerning housing policies, spatial inequalities, and the challenges of urban regeneration in marginalized neighborhoods.

His academic leadership extends to coordinating research on urban regionalization processes in Sicily and contributing to European planning education initiatives. Professor Lo Piccolo maintains an active research agenda examining the intersection of migration, urban space, and planning ethics, with particular attention to the Mediterranean context as a critical zone for understanding contemporary urban challenges in Europe.