Paolo Sanza is a registered architect in the State of Arizona and an Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. He previously taught at Oklahoma State University and Arizona State University, and began his architectural career with the office of Renzo Piano in Genoa, Italy.
His teaching and research focus on design studio pedagogy, the tectonics of architecture, and Italy’s interbellum architecture. He has published extensively on these topics, contributing articles and book chapters that explore construction as an art form and the cultural dimensions of Italian Modernism. As a recipient of the Wolfsonian-FIU Fellowship, Professor Sanza conducted research in one of the largest U.S. collections dedicated to Italy’s modern age.
His design studios often incorporate wood and structural steel construction, and are known for their diverse programs, community engagement, and innovative processes. Under his direction, students have earned numerous awards at the international, national, and local levels, including five ACSA/AISC steel design competition prizes.
Professor Sanza also has a strong background in curating and designing exhibitions, with work featured at venues such as the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art, and the Biblioteca Comunale Domenico Besso Marcheis in Rivarolo Canavese, Italy.
In addition to his academic and architectural pursuits, he is passionate about graphic art. While in Phoenix, he served as design director for the award-winning multimedia studio Digital Extension.
He holds a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University.
