Mastering Complexity, Building Geometry.
Pio Lorenzo Cocco is an architect and researcher specializing in computational design, BIM, and digital design workflows. His work addresses a specific problem: turning geometric complexity into construction – exploring geometry freely, mastering it rigorously, and building it through optimized, buildable solutions.
This approach spans his entire practice: he coordinates the computational design and BIM development of large-scale, geometrically complex projects internationally, following geometry from concept to construction documentation.
The same principle drives his teaching. Through Cocco Architettura – an Authorized Rhino Training Center (ARTC) – he provides advanced training in computational design, BIM, and digital workflows, targeting a decisive gap: the market increasingly demands – and rarely finds – professionals able to combine algorithmic design and information management to translate complexity into construction.
He holds a PhD in Architecture, Design and Planning (University of Camerino), has been a Visiting Researcher at TU Delft, teaches at the University of Camerino since 2021, and lectures internationally.
Resume
EXPERTISE
Algorithmic design and complex geometry
Computational and generative design, Design automation, Form-finding, Geometric rationalization, Optimization of complex geometries for construction.
BIM and information management
Automation, Advanced authoring, Process design, Information management, OpenBIM/IFC workflows.
From model to construction
Software interoperability, Integration of parametric processes into BIM-based project delivery, Construction documentation of complex geometries, Construction optimization.
WORK EXPERIENCE
JAN 2022 / Present _ Advanced Geometry Group Coordinator at iDEAS Studio, Naples, Italy
JUL 2021 / Present _ Adjunct Professor at University of Camerino, Scuola di Architettura e Design, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
MAR 2021 / Present _ Founder of Cocco Architettura, Design Studio and Authorized Rhino Training Center (ARTC)
NOV 2019 / Present _ Computational Designer at A>T Arturo Tedeschi
FEB 2020 / MAR 2021 _ Computational Designer and Site Editor at Poplab, Rovigo, Italy – Project T.E.A.M. (Time Enhanced Architectural Modeling)
JUN 2019 / FEB 2020 _ Architect Collaborator at Studio 2111, Naples, Italy
APR 2019 / FEB 2020 _ BIM Manager and Computational Designer at Studio Kami Architecture and Engineering, Rome, Italy
APR 2017 / APR 2019 _ Architect at Studio 7T, Scafati, Italy
APR 2016 / JUL 2016 _ Curricular Internship at Ufficio Tecnico, Scafati City Hall, Italy
JUN 2015 / AUG 2015 _ Internship at Arcosanti Planning Department, Mayer, Arizona, USA
EDUCATION
NOV 2022 – APR 2026 _ PhD in “Architecture, Design and Planning”, Curriculum Innovation Design, University of Camerino, supervisor Prof. Arch. Roberto Ruggiero
OCT 2024 – DEC 2025 _ Visiting Researcher at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment
OCT 2019 _ II Level Master “BIM Manager”, Politecnico di Milano, Scuola Master Fratelli Pesenti, 110/110, with the final dissertation “Generative Design applied to Building Information Modeling“, supervisor Ing. Alessandro Zichi
NOV 2017 _ Laurea Magistralis (Master Degree) in Architecture 5UE, University of Naples, Federico II, 110/100 cum laude, with the final dissertation “Ancient Technologies for Parametric Design“, supervisor Prof. Arch. Sergio Pone
SEP 2024 _ Course “Rhino8 reCertification”, McNeel Europe, Barcelona, Spain
FEB 2024 _ Course “CAM for Designers”, Green Building Council Italia
NOV 2023 _ Course “LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation”, Green Building Council Italia
JAN 2023 _ Course “OpenBIM & IFC Masterclass”, Weisoft and buildingSMART International
JUL 2019 _ Course Authorized Rhinoceros Trainer (ART), McNeel Europe, Rome, Italy
JUL 2018 _ Enrolment in the professional register of Ordine degli Architetti Pianificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori della Provincia di Salerno”, N°3342
MAR 2018 _ Architect Licence, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
TEACHING
OCT 2025 _ JUN 2026 _ Adjunct Professor at the II Level Master in “Digital Management of Complex Building Assets”, Modules “Information systems for building asset management“, “BIM and Mixed Reality for Facility Management“, “BIM for the End-of-service/End-of-life phases of a building“, “Sustainability as a strategy”, “BIM for sustainability certification“, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
MAR 2024 _ FEB 2026 _ Adjunct Professor at the course “Materials and Technologies for Design“, Industrial Design Laboratory I, BSc in Industrial and Environmental Design, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
MAY 2023 _ Present _ Academic Tutor at Pre-graduate Laboratory in Construction of the Architecture and the Environment by Prof. Roberto Ruggiero, BSc in Architectural Science, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
DEC 2025 _ Specialist training in “Building 4.0 – Tecnologie BIM/ Realtà Aumentata per l’Edilizia“, Ente Scuola Edile Provincie di Ascoli Piceno e Fermo, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
JUN 2025 _ JUL 2025 _ Academic Tutor at 4th Summer School on Circularity in the Built Environment, Circular Built Environment Hub (CBE), Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
JUN 2025 _ Lecture “T.R.A.P. – The Remote-controlled Assembly Process“, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
APR 2025 _ Workshop “Re-Claywalls. Clay 3D Printing Workshop“, WhiteLabel, Milano Design Week, Milano, Italy with Centauroos
APR 2025 _ Specialist training in “Building 4.0 – Realtà Mista e Aumentata in Cantiere“, Ente Scuola Edile Provincie di Ascoli Piceno e Fermo, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
FEB 2025 _ Lecture “Digital Tools for Circularity in the Built Environment” at Circular Building Product Design course by Prof. Olga Ioannou & Prof. Jan Jongert Ruggiero, MSc in Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
MAY 2023 _ Adjunct Lecturer at Seminars “Digital Modeling – Methodologies and Technologies” and “Computational Design for Architecture – Methodologies and Technologies“, Pre-graduate Laboratory in Construction of the Architecture and the Environment by Prof. Roberto Ruggiero, project “small Scale, BIG Challenge”, BSc in Architectural Science, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
APR 2022 / JUN 2023 _ Adjunct Professor at II Level Master in “Circular Architecture – Shapes and Methodologies”, Modules “Adaptive new-recycle materials“, “Material behaviors parametric analysis“, “Digital assessment of building material“, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
JAN 2023 _ Workshop “Revit Next – Interoperability between Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper and Twinmotion”
NOV 2022 / DEC 2022 _ Workshop “Zero to Revit – BIM Modeling with Autodesk Revit”
JUL 2021 / MAR 2022 _ Adjunct Professor at II Level Master in “Circular Architecture – Shapes and Methodologies”, Modules “Digital tools for new upcycle sustainable buildings“, “BIM – Parametric design collaboration“, Scuola di Architettura e Design, University of Camerino, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
DEC 2021 _ Workshop “City Data – Urban Analysis with Grasshopper”, SAAD Workshop Week
NOV 2021 / DEC 2021 _ Specialist training in “Immersive technologies to communicate and promote”, Poster – Istituto di Ricerca e Formazione, Veneto, Italy
NOV 2021 _ Specialist training in “Conscious Design, use of CNC and 3D printers for a customized and responsible production”, Poster – Istituto di Ricerca e Formazione & Apindustria Servizi, Veneto, Italy
AUG 2021_ Specialist training “Rhino.Inside Revit” for Archea Associati, A>T Arturo Tedeschi
JUL 2021 _ Specialist training in “Innovation and Digitalisation of Fashion Design through Digital Manufacturing and Virtual Reality”, Poster – Istituto di Ricerca e Formazione, Veneto, Italy
JUN 2021 / JUL 2021 _ Specialist training in “Digital Architecture & Immersive Reality for Architecture and Design”, Poster – Istituto di Ricerca e Formazione, Veneto, Italy
MAY 2021 _ Workshop “Parametric Design & Architecture – Grasshopper Advanced”, SAAD Workshop Week
APR 2021 _ Workshop “Parametric Design & Architecture – Grasshopper Fundamental” 2nd edition, SAAD Workshop Week
APR 2021 _ Workshop “Parametric Design & Architecture – Grasshopper Fundamental” 1st edition, SAAD Workshop Week
PUBLICATIONS
Ruggiero, R., Cognoli, R., & Cocco, P. L. (2026). Integration of robotic fabrication for circularity: enabling material value retention through collaborative digital models. Construction Robotics 10, 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41693-026-00199-9
Ruggiero, R., Cocco, P. L., & Cognoli, R. (2026). The “New” Materiality of Reconstruction: On-Site Automated Recycling of Rubble Aggregates for Rebuilding Earthquake-Stricken Villages. Sustainability, 18(2), 850. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020850
Cocco, P. L., Currà E., Giannetti, I., & Russo, M. (2025). Safeguarding the Anonymous Industrial Building Heritage by an Interactive Catalogue of Paradigmatic Construction Elements: The Case of Thin Shells. In Albatici, R., Dalprà, M., Gatti, M.P., Maracchini, G., Torresin, S. (Eds), Envisioning the Futures – Designing and Building for People and the Environment. Colloqui.AT.e 2025. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 764. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-06974-0_13
Cocco, P. L., Currà E., Giannetti, I., & Russo, M. (2024). Digital Tools for the Study of the Industrial Building Heritage: From Data Acquisition to Parametric Modeling and Interactive Visualization. In Corrao, R., Campisi, T., Colajanni, S., Saeli, M., Vinci, C. (Eds), Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of Ar.Tec. (Scientific Society of Architectural Engineering). Colloqui.AT.e 2024. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 610. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71855-7_45
Cognoli, R., Cocco, P.L., & Ruggiero, R. (2024). Innovative Timber Upcycling: Digital Strategies for Prolonging Timber Lifespan and Promoting Reuse. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1402(1), 012036. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1402/1/012036
Russo, M., Cocco, P. L., Giannetti, I. (2024). Analysis of the form, construction, and structural conception of Silberkuhl shells through construction history and advanced HBIM. Structures, 68, 107118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2024.107118
Cocco, P. L., Giannetti, I., & Russo, M. (2024). The Silberkuhl System (1958–1970): Exploring Form, Construction, and Structural Conception of HP-Shell by Parametric Modeling. In Gabriele, S., Manuello Bertetto, A., Marmo, F., Micheletti, A. (Eds), Shell and Spatial Structures. IWSS 2023. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 437, 299-308, Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44328-2_31
Ruggiero, R., Cognoli, R., & Cocco, P. L. (2024). From Debris to the Data Set (DEDA). A Digital Application for the Upcycling of Waste Wood Material in Post Disaster Areas. In Barberio M., Colella M., Figliola A., Battisti A. (Eds.), Architecture and Design for Industry 4.0, 807–835. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36922-3_41
Cocco, P. L., & Ruggiero, R. (2023). From Rubbles to Digital Material Bank. A Digital Methodology for Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Post-Disaster Areas. Environmental Research and Technology, 6(2), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1290843
Temporin, V., Volpato, J., Cocco, P. L., D’Angelo, A., & Tieghi, M. (2021). Time Enhanced Architectural Modelling (T.E.A.M.): Virtual Reality Project for the Planning and Visualization of Kinetic Architecture and Dynamic Design. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2042(1), 012072. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2042/1/012072
RESEARCH PROJECTS
OCT 2024 _ Present _ Historical-technical Analysis and Preservation of Special Structures for Industrial Buildings in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century: the International Journey of the Silberkuhl Shells, University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Sapienza University of Rome
Research Group
Prof. Edoardo Currà, Sapienza University of Rome
Prof. Ilaria Giannetti, University of Rome Tor Vergata
Dr. Martina Russo, Sapienza University of Rome
Prof. Pio Lorenzo Cocco, University of Camerino
Prof. Andrea Micheletti, University of Rome Tor Vergata
Dr. Claudia Shmidt, Torquato di Tella University
APR 2024 _ AUG 2025 _ TRAP (The Remote-controlled Assembly Process), within TARGET-X – Trial Platform for 5G Evolution, funded by the “Joint Undertaking for Intelligent Networks and Services” (SNS JU) under Horizon Europe, University of Camerino and Centauroos S.R.L.
Research Group
Prof. Roberto Ruggiero, University of Camerino
Prof. Pio Lorenzo Cocco, University of Camerino
Prof. Roberto Cognoli, University of Camerino/Centauroos
Dr. Marco Galasso, University of Camerino/Centauroos
Dr. Simona Lo Coco, University of Camerino
Prof. Marina Block, University of Naples “Federico II”
Dr. Daniele Berdini, Centauroos
Prof. Daniele Galloppo, University of Camerino
LECTURES AND CONFERENCES
JUN 2025 _ “Round Table on Design Stage” at 4th Summer School on Circularity in the Built Environment, Circular Built Environment Hub (CBE), Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
JUN 2025 _ “Safeguarding the anonymous industrial building heritage by an interactive catalogue of paradigmatic construction elements: The case of thin shells”, at Envisioning the Futures. Progettare e costruire per le persone e l’ambiente Conference, Ar.Tec, Trento, Italy
Research Team: Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Edoardo Currà, Ilaria Giannetti, Martina Russo
JUN 2025 _ “T.R.A.P. – Infrastrutture 5G e innovazione digitale per un progetto cibernetico dell’ambiente costruito” at Traiettorie della ricerca nella Progettazione Tecnologica e Ambientale dell’Architettura Conference, SITdA, Genova, Italy
Research Team: Roberto Cognoli, Pio Lorenzo Cocco
JUN 2025 _ “T.R.A.P. – The Remote-controlled Assembly Process”, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
Research Team: Roberto Ruggiero, Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Roberto Cognoli, Marco Galasso, Simona Lo Coco, Marina Block, Daniele Berdini, Giovanni Marinelli, Alex Cerullo
MAR 2025 _ “Innovative Timber Upcycling. Digital Strategies for Circularity in Post-Disaster Contexts” at La Settimana del Legno 2025 Conference, Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
Research Team: Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Roberto Cognoli, Roberto Ruggiero
FEB 2025 _ “Lecture “Digital Tools for Circularity in the Built Environment“, invitation from Prof. Olga Ioannou and Jan Jongert, at Circular Product Design course, MSc in Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences, Delft University of Technology
NOV 2024 _ “From Waste to Digital Material Bank. An Upcycling-Oriented Digital Methodology for the Construction and Demolition Waste Market” at Phd Colloquium, Antwerp, Belgium, with Henry van de Velde research group, Faculty of Design Sciences, University of Antwerp, and Building Product Innovation group, Architectural Engineering and Technology Department, Delft University of Technology
MAY 2024 _ “Innovative Timber Upcycling: Digital Strategies for
Prolonging Timber Lifespan and Promoting Reuse” at International Conference on Challenges for the NEXT Generation BUILT Environment 2024, Bologna, Italy
Research Team: Roberto Cognoli, Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Roberto Ruggiero
JUN 2023 _ “The Silberkuhl System (1958–1970): Exploring Form, Construction, and Structural Conception of HP-Shell by Parametric Modeling” at Italian Workshop on Shell and Spatial Structures (IWSS) 2023, Turin, Italy
Research team: Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Ilaria Giannetti, Valentina Russo
SEP 2021 _ “Time Enhanced Architectural Modelling (T.E.A.M.): Virtual Reality Project for the Planning and Visualization of Kinetic Architecture and Dynamic Design” at CISBAT 2021, Lausanne, Switzerland
Research team: Valentina Temporin, John Volpato, Pio Lorenzo Cocco, Andrea D’Angelo, Marco Tieghi
OCT 2020 _ “Generative Design and Building Information Modeling: a Circular Workflow” at Parallelism in Architecture, Engineering & Computing Techniques (PACT) International Conference, Ierek Institute and University of East London
APR 2018 _ “Arcology. An overview of Paolo Soleri’s works”, invitation from Prof. Arch. Loreto Colombo at Urban Planning Laboratory, Master Degree in Architecture 5UE, Department of Architecture (DIARC), University of Naples Federico II
CERTIFICATION
APR 2023 _ Professional Certification Foundation, buildingSMART International
MAR 2021 _ Authorized Rhino Training Center (ARTC), McNeel
JAN 2021 _ Pilot APR (Aeromobili a Pilotaggio Remoto), ENAC
JUL 2019 _ Authorized Rhino Trainer (ART), McNeel
JUN 2019 _ Rhinoceros, Level II, McNeel
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Italian _ Mother tongue
English _ Advanced
French _ Basic
Turkish _ Basic