Taking up responsibilities

We both attended the faculty of architecture in Roma Tre university. We met there. After we graduated, we had some work experience in some Roman offices and took part together in a collective dealing with self-construction. As a collective we were selected for the YAP MAXXI edition in 2013. Although our project didn't win, this first international competition experience galvanised us into trying it on our own. The same year we decided to found La Macchina Studio.

A process of listening

In a recent residential renovation project, the apartment was covered with carpet, both on the walls and on the floor. We were working on some design ideas with our clients, but when we removed the carpet we discovered the true calling of that place. Hidden under the carpet, layed an original 1950s floor in Venetian battuto. That floor became the real stage for the whole project. We have no secret tricks or recipes; we just try to listen to a place's vibes and history and develop from there.

Each day is different

Both of our lives have undergone many changes over the past 8 years. In the early days we concentrated a lot on competitions and spent all day (and oftentimes even nights) in the studio! Today we both have a family and are more dedicated to interior design projects. We start our day very early in the morning, in order to have more time to devote to our loved ones in the afternoon. Furthermore our work has become more dynamic, as it often takes place outside the studio, on construction sites or with our customers. 

Professional diversity

Our studio is located inside a former mill that has now been transformed into a large coworking space. A truly fascinating and inspiring place we are very fond of. The organisation of our studio is horizontal, we believe in continuous and equal exchanges between people. Every day we share our day with many different professionals such as illustrators, artists, video game developers, screenwriters and fellow architects. All these interactions enrich our work and contribute to giving a multidisciplinary cut to our projects.

Classic design tools

Like most of the young architects of our generation we were fascinated by international competitions and we dreamed of leaving our indelible mark on the territory. However, past this initial phase and after a more accurate assessment, we realised that this was not our path or at least not the only one available to us! So we dedicated ourselves to interior design in both commercial and residential areas (chiefly the latter). What hasn't changed in time is the method we still use today in designing. Collage, diorama and illustration are still irreplaceable communication and design tools.

Uncovering the imagination

We feel quite comfortable in this "residential dimension" and we would like to continue working in this context. We try to respond to the uncertainty of the future through an adaptive approach that includes the changing aspects of (everyday) life. Both in our projects and in our lives we rely on magical thinking that allows us to tolerate the uncertainty about what we do not master or do not know. We think that the key to survival will be in everyone's ability to adjust and adapt the space through apparently simple solutions charged with symbolic meaning. Salvation is in the imagination.