Susanna Ferrini and Antonello Stella are among the founders of n!studio group in 1990, in 2002 the group becomes Susanna Ferrini & Antonello Stella Associated Architects:;n!studio Such name, referring to the correspondent mathematical concept, alludes the constant investigating an existence set “to the limit” of architectural design, meant not as a solution to problems related to the “shape of things”, but as a question of perception of things and the matter constituting them, observed in their mutability and evolution.
Their activity has always been directed towards public clients and international architectural competitions, improving their experience in the design of both cultural and scientific spaces. Amongst their projects there is: Archaeological Museum in Pitigliano (1990), Public spaces at Villagio Olimpico in Rome (1996), San Vincenzo Archaeological Museum (1998), River Museum in Nazzano (2002), Storage and Laboratory for Archaeological Finding inside Villa dei Quintili in Rome (2002), Ss. Quattro Library in Rome (2007), Exhibition Centre in Pitigliano (2007), Casa Artusi Museum and Cultural Centre in Forlimpopoli (2007).
They have been recently involved in several projects of Eco-buildings. Amongst their projects with outstanding sustainable features there are the residential towers EcoRomaBuilding in Rome and East Gate in Padova, the project of Solenha-the firts thermo solar Plant in France, the Renewal Strategy for the Mulini Valley in Amalfi, the environmental project for the conversion of the Electrical Power Plant in Civitavecchia, the EcoMuseums in Rennes, Cheran, Gap and Vaulx en Velin, the EcoParking in Palermo, the Piezometric Water Tower in Ferrara and so on. In 2008 they have developed a sustainable masterplan proposal for the new Hai Phong 2050 Cultural District in Vietnam. In 2008 they have participated to XI Architecture Biennale in Venice, where they presented their Visions for the future development of the city of Rome entitled “Ecovoids, a new network of viral architecture in Rome” within the section Uneternal City.Thirty years after Roma Interrotta.
n!studio was selected for several international short listed competitions amongst which there are: Carolino Augusteo Museum in Salzburg (2001); Mediterranean Conservation Centre in Marseille (2004), Museum of Natural History in Toulon ( 2005); restaurant facilities within Naples Museums (2005); Storage of Ingres Museum in Montauban (2005);New Schools in Rome (2006); New Schools in Rome (2007); “Maison de la lumière” in Asprés sur Buech (2007). In France they won the competition for the River Museum in Chambery and the Archaeological Museum in Breteuil, which is under construction. In 2006, by commission of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, they have designed two temporary exhibition at the World Art Museum in Beijing including masterpieces coming from the most important Italian and international museums.
Since 1991 the office’s work has been published in important magazines and catalogues, including: Casabella, Domus, Costruire, Il Giornale dell’Architettura, L’Industria delle costruzioni, Paesaggio Urbano, Edilizia Popolare, Il Sole 24, d’Architettura, World Architecture, Architecture Crèe, Bauwelt, TC Quadernos, Architectural Review and the catalogues of the Venice Biennale and the Milan Triennale. In 2008 AADCU Program + Hust Press Beijing published a monograph entitled “n!studio.The Sense of Matter” including the most recent projects of the office and distributed worldwide by Idea Books.
The office has been awarded the InArch Opera Prima Prize in 2000 and the InArch Maurizio Sacripanti Prize in 2001 and Honourable Mentions for the Gold Medal of Italian Architecture in 2003 and 2006, the Bauwelt Prize the Architectural Review Awards and the European Holcim Award.
The office has presented its work in numerous architectural exhibits, including: the VI Venice Architecture Biennale in 1996 in the Italian Pavilion and in 2000 as part of Inarch – Italian Architects at the Venice Biennale; the Milan Triennale (1997), the Gold Medal of Italian Architecture (2003 and 2005); Italian Under 50 (2005); International Biennale of Young European and Mediterranean Artists (1991); architectural exhibits in Prague (2000), Graz, Brussels and Tokyo (2002) and the exhibition entitled n!studio at the ‘Valle Giulia’ Faculty of Architecture in Rome (2000); Italy now at Cornell University in New York (2005); the RIBA in London (2006); Sustainab.Italy at London Festival of Architecture (2008); Archilab 2008; XI International Venice Biennale of Architecture (2008); “Pensare la Materia-n!studio projects” at Come Se Gallery in Rome (2008); “Le città del futuro” at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome (2008).
Susanna Ferrini has been teaching in University of Chieti, Pescara School of Architecture, since 2001. Antonello Stella has been teaching in University of Ferrara, School of Architecture, since 1998.
MANAGEMENT TEAM: Susanna Ferrini Antonello Stella; DESIGN COORDINATION Susanna Ferrini Antonello Stella, Marco Biuzzi, Simone Bove; DESIGN TEAM: Angelo Venturi, Valerio Rompietti.
