Aerospace engineer turned photographer Giovanni Hänninen on his urban and social projects

Giovanni Hänninen (Helsinki, 1976) is an Italian photographer with a background in aerospace engineering. His work focuses on urban transformation, abandoned spaces, and social issues. In 2007, he documented the migrant detention center in Lampedusa, published in Rolling Stone. In 2010, he collaborated with Massimo Bricocoli and Paola Savoldi of Politecnico di Milano on Mix City, examining urban redevelopment in Milan's Bicocca, Copenhagen's Island Brygge, and Hamburg's Hafen City. His ongoing project 'cittàinattesa' documents 56 abandoned sites in Milan, including the Santuario di Roserio, Caproni in via Mecenate, Torre Galfa, Istituto Rizzoli, and Teatro Lirico. In 2015, he created 'Milano-Bergamo 49 km di autostrada' for Triennale, guided by Andrea Gritti, using satellite maps to explore the highway's impact. He has worked with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in Senegal, staying at Thread, a cultural center designed by Toshiko Mori in Sinthian. His project there examines local life and the 'voyages of hope' migrants undertake. In 2012, he documented the journey of the Roland Ultra printing press from Assab One in Milan to Manmad, India, commissioned by Elena Quarestani. Hänninen's method involves extensive research and elevated viewpoints, influenced by Gabriele Basilico, who mentored him at Casa Testori. He describes his photography as creating models of reality, similar to his mathematical work.