ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Giovanna Borasi on Leading the CCA: Architecture, Archives, and Activism

institutional · 2026-04-27

Since January 2020, Giovanna Borasi has served as the director of the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), an institution established in 1979 by Phyllis Lambert. Joining the CCA in 2005, Borasi focuses on continuity and the interplay between physical and digital environments. Her professional journey began with architecture studies, followed by eight years at Lotus magazine. Among her significant projects are the 2003 exhibition "Asfalto. Il carattere della città," as well as "1973. Sorry, Out of Gas" (2007) and "Imperfect Health" (2012). Recent efforts include "Centring Africa" and films addressing homelessness. Borasi underscores the importance of the archives donated by Álvaro Siza, motivated by preservation challenges in Portugal. This interview was conducted by Alessandro Benetti.

Key facts

  • Giovanna Borasi became director of the CCA in January 2020, succeeding Mirko Zardini.
  • The CCA was founded in 1979 by Phyllis Lambert.
  • Borasi worked at Lotus magazine for eight years after studying architecture.
  • Her first major curatorial exhibition was 'Asfalto. Il carattere della città' at the Triennale di Milano in 2003 with Mirko Zardini.
  • The CCA's exhibition '1973. Sorry, Out of Gas' (2007) addressed the oil crisis and sustainability.
  • The exhibition 'Imperfect Health. The Medicalization of Architecture' (2012) critiqued the medicalization of architecture.
  • The CCA has about 100 staff and integrates archives, research, publications, and exhibitions.
  • The 'Centring Africa: Postcolonial Perspectives on Architecture' project is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
  • The documentary series includes 'What it takes to make a home' (2019) on homelessness, with future documentaries on singles and the elderly.
  • Álvaro Siza donated most of his archives to the CCA, with some materials remaining in Portugal at Fundação de Serralves and Fundação Gulbenkian.

Entities

Artists

  • Giovanna Borasi
  • Mirko Zardini
  • Phyllis Lambert
  • Pierluigi Nicolin
  • Álvaro Siza
  • Kenneth Frampton
  • Jean-Louis Cohen
  • James Stirling
  • Bernard Tschumi
  • Alessandro Benetti

Institutions

  • Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA)
  • Lotus
  • Triennale di Milano
  • Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
  • Fundação de Serralves
  • Fundação Gulbenkian
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Montreal
  • Canada
  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Portugal

Sources