An architect and engineer by training, Professor Carlo Ratti teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the Senseable City Lab and is a founding partner of the international design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati. He graduated from the Politecnico di Torino and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris. Later, he earned his MPhil and PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK.

A leading voice in the debate on new technologies impact on urban life and design, Carlo has co-authored over 500 publications, including 'The City of Tomorrow' (Yale University Press, with Matthew Claudel), and holds several technical patents. His articles and interviews have appeared on international media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Scientific American, BBC, Project Syndicate, Corriere Della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, Domus. In addition, his work has been exhibited worldwide at venues such as the Venice Biennale, the Design Museum Barcelona, the Science Museum in London, MAXXI in Rome, and MoMA in New York City.

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Carlo has been featured in Esquire Magazine's 'Best & Brightest' list and in Thames & Hudson's selection of '60 innovators' shaping our creative future. In addition, Blueprint Magazine included him as one of the '25 People Who Will Change the World of Design', Forbes listed him as one of the 'Names You Need To Know', and Fast Company named him as one of the '50 Most Influential Designers in America'. Moreover, Wired Magazine featured him in its 'Smart List: 50 people who will change the world'.

Three of his projects – the Digital Water Pavilion, the Copenhagen Wheel and Scribit – have been included by TIME Magazine in the list of the 'Best Inventions of the Year'. Carlo has been a presenter at TED (in 2011 and 2015), program director at the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow, curator of the BMW Guggenheim Pavilion in Berlin, and was named Inaugural Innovator in Residence by the Queensland Government.

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He was the curator of the Future Food District pavilion for the 2015 World Expo in Milan and chief curator of the "Eyes of the City" section at the 2019 UABB Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism of Shenzhen. He is currently serving as co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.

Edited excerpts from his interview:

Carlo, you have been included in some of the most prestigious lists* of the world (namely: "25 People who will Change the World of Design" Blueprint Magazine and the "Smart List" 50 people who will change the world" – Wired Magazine). What your design journey was like?

Carlo: My design journey actually started with civil engineering! I studied the subject at Politecnico in Turin and the Ecole des Ponts in Paris. After graduation, while my classmates were busy entering the job market, I drifted towards architecture and computer science at the University of Cambridge, which subsequently led me to a Fulbright scholarship at MIT. I know this path might seem convoluted, but I was following my passions – and this fact helped me connect the dots and brought me to what I am doing now.

We are intrigued by Hot Heart! The Finnish concept of Jokamiehen Oikeudet inspires it – 'every person's right': the right to reflect and unwind while peacefully enjoying nature. Could you tell us more about how it all began? Why Jokamiehen Oikeudet, and where do you see the concept of Hot Heart in the future? 

Carlo: Hot Heart was developed as part of the Helsinki Energy Challenge, organized by the Municipality of Helsinki, aiming to decarbonize the city's district heating system by 2030. The project consists of a group of large floating water reservoirs to store excess heat produced by wind farms, solar panels and other renewable sources and use it to heat the city when seasonal demands are high. From there, we tried to add additional dimensions – and in particular, JokamiehenOikeudet, which is translated as 'the right of public access to the wilderness'.

We picked up on this idea because there are months in Finland where the freezing weather limits this access. With Hot Heart's sustainably cultivated tropical forests, people will have the opportunity to roam amidst nature in harmony and peace regardless of the time of year. In this way, the project honours and builds on a long-held Finnish tradition.

Since named winners, we have been in constant contact with the municipal government to define the next step, and I am confident that the project will be realized. The design could also be helpful to many other cities with similar climate and existing district heating systems – a kind of "Helsinki model" to decarbonize heating and cooling systems.

Sustainability is about three pillars: the economy, society, and the environment. According to you, what is the role of architecture here? How can we improve the impact of our future buildings on nature?

Carlo: The role of architecture and engineering could be crucial, as the built environment is responsible for a high proportion (between 1/3 and 1/2, according to the country) of all energy consumption. Today's main challenge is to achieve a better blending of the natural and artificial world. This approach has led us down two paths: firstly, buildings could 'become alive' when they are equipped with sensors, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence so that they can be constantly adapted and "grow"; secondly, natural components – trees, mycelium, et al. – could serve as construction materials. The combination of both approaches could lead to a future path of co-evolution between the natural and the artificial world.

Architects should let go of their 20th-century Promethean attitude and work more on harmonizing different voices – what I would call 'the choral architect'.

With every new project, you define the future. What is that one piece of advice you would like to steer to the architecture and design professionals?

Carlo: If I had to pick a message, it would be about collaboration. Collaboration between different people and disciplines is our only hope to tackle today's global challenges – such as climate change. In such a context, architects should let go of their 20th-century Promethean attitude and work more on harmonizing different voices – what I would call 'the choral architect'.

In this new era, professionals are still trying to find a balance between work and leisure, ambition and relaxation...how do you like to unwind?

Carlo: Nature is a magnificent agent of mental restoration. It is key to our innate biophilia, as my Harvard colleague E.O. Wilson would put it. That's why I like primarily activities that bring me close to nature: alpine skiing, climbing, swimming, horseback riding, farming. This concept also inspires our work at CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati. For instance, VITAE, the Milanese complex we designed for developer Covivio dedicated to science research and living, will be complete in 2022. Its rooftop features a 200-meter-long urban vineyard that gives the professionals and the public in Milan a place to loosen up after work and cultivate an interest in the millenarian tradition of winemaking.

What would Carlo Ratti's dream project look like in a perfect world with an unlimited budget and no restrictions?

Carlo: Large budgets might help us tackle large problems – such as climate change or urban inequality. But unlimited budgets are not useful; the best projects are actually born out of restrictions and limits, forcing us to be creative. I hope to be able to 'stay hungry, stay foolish' – as designer and innovator Steve Jobs once put it.

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