Valentina joined AKT II in March 2005, following her Building Engineering degree at the Polytechnic of Milan, and worked initially as a graduate design engineer. Rising to the position of Director, she has demonstrated her passion for design led complex structures and skill in a range of materials and techniques.

Right from the start of her career at AKT II, Valentina has worked on versatile mix of projects from complex refurbishments to new build projects in complex inner-city sites. With a keen interest for the higher education and research sector, her earlier projects included several buildings in the Brunel University Campus, but she soon became involved in the award-winning Bourne Hill Offices in Salisbury, with Stanton Williams.

She led the design and delivery of the concrete superstructure in London’s Francis Crick Institute, the largest biomedical laboratory in Europe, consolidating her knowledge of precast concrete construction methods. In her role on the superstructure, Valentina led one of our most interesting pieces of research with the Crick, in designing a prefabricated concrete system which could work within the critical vibration limits of the Institute – a first for the industry. Strong on her experience on prefabrication, Valentina played a pivotal role in the design and delivery of the new student building, New Town House for Kingston University, 2021 Stirling Price winner. The building has a diverse range of uses and will act as main reception and showcase for the learning activities of KU’s five faculties – which are accommodated across the university’s estate – whilst providing learning services, resources and innovative project spaces for all KU students and staff.

She is currently leading the Stephen A Schwarzman Centre for Humanities with Hopkins Architects for Oxford University, providing space for seven faculties, libraries, a number of research institutes and a world class concert venue. Valentina’s experience on the higher education sector twinned with her expertise on modern method of construction gives her the relevant knowledge to successfully lead this project. A keen interest in sustainability began when working on Butterfield Innovation Centre with Hopkins Architects which was an early example of providing low-cost adaptable spaces with a 100% SUDS strategy woven into the lush landscape. Valentina now leads AKT II sustainability forum which involves writing our in-house charter and working across the practice to drive innovation and research in sustainability.