This book frst began as a PhD dissertation completed at the Ca’ Foscari University and the IUAV (University of Venice Faculty of Architecture) in Venice, Italy. Many thanks to my supervisor, Giuseppe Barbieri, for his guidance and support. Former versions of this book greatly benefted from readings from Fabrizio Borin, Miriam De Rosa, Giacomo Manzoli, Emanuele Pellegrini, Valentina Re, Leonardo Quaresima, and Cosetta Saba, to whom I am profoundly grateful. I am indebted to the series editors, Martine Beugnet and Kriss Ravetto-Biagioli, for all their invaluable advice and help during the process of preparing the manuscript.