Biography
“…infinita disponibilità al sorprendente, all’insolito, alla messa in discussione anche con il massimo dell’incertezza. Il cercare infinitamente più importante del trovare: ascoltare...” [ infinitely open to the surprising, the unusual, to questioning even in the utmost uncertainty. Searching immensely more important than finding: listening ]. - Luigi Nono, Guai ai gelidi mostri
This is the attitude that has guided me in these years of professional experience. Design and Architecture as an endless search and listening of spaces, shapes and materials, customers, masters and collaborators’ needs. Experiencing the creative act as a teamwork rather than an individual deed. A synthesis aimed at producing harmony, beauty and functionality which have always characterized human needs in every time and place. Who are the inspirational masters I love? Carlo Scarpa, Giò Ponti, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright. They inspire me not just because of their style, but mostly for their approach to creativity and design, for their details-oriented working methods and the passion for their profession. They taught me how to combine tradition and innovation, East and West and to give value to every shape and material. They showed an extraordinary ability to draw and design in a limitless range of fields: objects, buildings, exhibitions, graphic works.
Following their teachings and path I have travelled with my body and mind through books, visual and sensorial arts, cities and countries, dealing with so many different stories, cultures and personalities. I have carefully trying to listen, understand, elaborate, create and propose. I have taken up new challenges and adventures with passion and determination, always exchanging views and cooperating with other people, as I am deeply convinced that every creative process is, voluntarily or involuntarily, a shared deed.
Born in Padua in 1969 I graduated with honors in architecture at IUAV in Venice founding my formative roots on Venice arts, history and creative feelings. Very soon I widened my interests to design, graphics, cinema and theatre, cooperating with prestigious cultural institutes of Venice such as La Biennale, City Office of Cinema and the Theatre of Ca’ Foscari University. In 1998 I took part in an International Conference of Studies about Stanley Kubrick movies influence, organized by la Biennale di Venezia. My essay ["Fantastic Architecture after Kubrick"] was published in the same year by Il Poligrafo in the book "The Kubick After - influence and contamination on contemporary movies" by Fabrizio Borin. My interest in the visual arts, theatre and ephemeral architecture was so deep and passionate that I dedicated my degree thesis to a scenic design project for the opera "Al gran sole carico d'amore" of Luigi Nono. This gave me the opportunity to give lessons in film scenography in the history of cinema course at Ca Foscari University.
After graduation, I worked as architect in some of the most important architecture offices in Venice district especially on restoration and renovation projects (Restoration of the medieval walls of Cittadella – Studio Valle; Megastore Benetton in Venice – Studio Caprioglio; Renovation of the Museum of Modern Art Ca’ Pesaro in Venice – Studio Boris Podrecca). Later on I joined, as interior designer, Hangar Design Group, one of the highest rank advertising agencies in the North of Italy, dealing with architecture, interior design, retail and web design. I worked on some interesting interior and retail projects such as the restyling of the stores chains Upim and Paul & Shark; Coin Casa advertising magazine and Egon von Furstemberg private loft in Milan.
In 2003 Boscolo Group hired me to improve its Architects team of Hotels Engineering with the specific aim of building and developing its luxury hotels in Italy and Europe (Venice, Rome, Nice, Prague, Lion), coordinating prestigious interior design studios such as Adam Thiany, Papiri Collection, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Simone Micheli and Marco Piva. The latest masterpiece I carried out in that period was the magnificent refurbishment of the Historical New York Palace in Budapest converted into a luxury hotel. I was then appointed art director of the start up and opening events. In 2006 with Zatti Arredamenti of Padua, I designed the “Ristorante Semplice” in London (New Bond Street), which has been defined by the “Times” the “best restaurant of the year 2006”; while in Sophia, in front of the Italian Embassy, I designed “Il Caffè”, the first restaurant and contemporary art gallery of the Bulgarian capital. In Budapest again, for the National 100th Anniversary of 1956 Revolution, I curated the international historical photos and documents exhibition and I designed the set up of the International Conference organized by the Italian and other Embassies.
In 2007 Gianni Versace spa appointed me as chief interior design and project manager. For the famous fashion house I designed the Versace Home Collection, which included furniture, lights and "art de la table" in partnership with Rosenthal. I worked on the home collection display corners world wide and I drew the new home boutique concept and the main entrance and meeting rooms of the new Milan Headquarter. With the home division team I carried out prestigious interior design home projects in Milan, Prague, Panama, Shanghai, London and New York and I cooperated with Spatium Studio in designing and developing the hotel chain “Palazzo Versace" in Dubai. In 2009 I designed the special crystal collection presented at the event "emotional reflection" during the Milan Design Week.
In 2010, the University Pavaresia of Vlore in Albania, hired me as Visiting Professor and Architecture Department Director where I promoted a survey campaign of the historical Italian buildings of the region. In the same time I cooperated with the Italian Embassy and the Italian Consulate General in Vlore to carry out some events of the cultural season “Due Popoli, un mare, un’amicizia”, for which I created the logo and the advertising campaign. In 2011 I founded “Stile”, the first Italo-Albanian Architectural Studio dealing with innovative retail and residential projects such as the refurbishment of the Historical Mansion of the Italian Ambassador in Tirana.
From 2013 to 2014 I settled in China, Beijing, as Design Office Director of Classic Living Group – one of the main European furnitures import Chinese Companies. For them I carried out the retail store development in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu area, the furniture procurements and the main interior design projects for their clients.
In 2014 Luxury Living Group – Fendi Casa appointed me as Senior Project Manager to develop and work on residential, retail, exhibition and advertising campaign projects of their main branded furniture collections (Fendi Casa, Bentley Home, Trussardi Casa, Bugatti Home). I was an active part in the new-born Luxury Living Contract department with Carlo Colombo Architect and with an excellent team to develop high value projects world wide. Moreover I was appointed to take care of the Middle East and Asia dealers market development by a supervision of their display and decoration stores and by participating in their design events. In 2016 together with Architect Marco Costanzi and Fendi Headquarter team I took part in the creation of the first Fendi Hotel in Rome at “Palazzo Fendi”, the original building where the brand was born in the heart of the Capital City.
In 2017 Pianca World Contract spa hired me to lead the Design Office to develop and to carry out special contract projects in Asia, Middle East and USA. In 2019 the Company joined a Consortium of European companies (Toma) for huge projects of Hotels and Resorts development in Cuba and in 2020 with Calvi Brambilla Studio we projected and opened the Pianca & Partners showroom in Milan, a peculiar multi-branded exposition and material lab space dedicated to architects and international contract projects.
