Ursula Zich

Ursula Zich is an Associate Professor at the Polytechnic of Turin's Department of Architecture and Design (DAD), where she serves as a member of the Student Discipline Commission. Born in Turin on July 16, 1969, she holds a Doctor of Architecture degree with highest honors from the Polytechnic of Turin (1994) and a Doctor of Research in Surveying and Representation of Architecture and the Environment from the University of Genoa.

Her research interests focus on critical reading of drawing, descriptive geometry, history of representation, and physical models. She leads the MAG.IA (Mathematics, Architecture, Geometry. Application Interconnections) research line and the POLIMADE project exploring scientific applications of origami. Her work spans multiple ERC sectors including application of mathematics in sciences, computational modeling in cultural spheres, cultural studies, history of art and architecture, and museum studies.

Zich has published extensively on architectural representation, with recent publications examining tangible geometries for inclusive game design, architectural heritage accessibility, and interdisciplinary approaches to architectural representation. Her research demonstrates consistent integration of mathematical principles with architectural representation techniques.

• Effective member of Study Group on Environmental Color Design (ECD) of the International Color Association (AIC), United States (2021-)
• Effective member of Italian Design Union (UID), Italy (2001-)

She has served on the Program Committee for multiple Italian Conferences on Origami, Educational Dynamics and Teaching since 2014. Zich also co-invented a patent for a foldable aluminum foil food tray, demonstrating practical applications of her origami research. At the Polytechnic of Turin, she teaches architectural drawing, surveying, and geometric modeling courses across multiple academic years, maintaining an active teaching schedule through the 2025/26 academic year.