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Botta, Mario
Foreign Fellows
Elected: 2021
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Prof. emerito di Architettura presso l’Università della Svizzera Italiana; Fondatore e Direttore dell’Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio (Svizzera).
After an apprenticeship as draughtsman, he first attended the Art College in Milan and then studied at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice. Directed by Carlo
Scarpa and Giuseppe Mazzariol he received his professional degree in 1969. While studying in Venice, he had the opportunity to meet and work for Le Corbusier and Louis I. Kahn.
Botta’s professional career began in 1970. Known for his single-family houses in Ticino, his work encompasses many other building types including schools, banks, administration buildings, libraries,
museums and religious buildings. Besides his work, he has always committed himself to impart his knowledge of a profession that is, first and foremost, his passion. He continues to teach extensively, giving
lectures, seminars and courses in architectural schools all over the world.
In 1996, he was one of the founders of the Academy of architecture in Mendrisio, where he taught until 2018 and was appointed Professor Emeritus in 2019.
Since the beginning of his career, Botta’s work has been recognized internationally and honored with prestigious awards. A honorary member of numerous cultural institutions he has been conferred the title of
honoris causa in different universities in Argentina, Greece, Romania, Brasil and Switzerland. He lives and works in Mendrisio, Switzerland.
Copyright fotografia: Suzanne Schwiertz