Studio Didea. A cosmopolitan design from Palermo.

Studio Didea was founded in 2012 by Emanuela Di Gaetano, Giuseppe De Lisi, Nicola Giuseppe Andò and Alfonso Riccio, of whom the first three had been together since university. Today the structure of our studio counts 12 internal architects, including associates, collaborators and trainees, as well as the various external collaborators that allow us to manage projects even beyond our skills, as in the case of the presence of chef Francesco Piparo, who collaborates in the culinary sector for the entrepreneurial proposal that evermore needs to be structured according to the functionality of the final product. To service this idea, a kitchen space was designed inside our studio that facilitates the demonstration of the project’s culinary proposal.

1. What does the studio do?

We mainly deal with interior design in the residential and commercial sectors but also in the office and hospitality sectors. Actually, our desire is to relate to a larger scale that allows us to express ourselves also regarding the theme of new building developments and the settlement principle in relation to the natural and urban context. The studio is already working on several projects for villas and residential complexes.

2. Are there advantages or disadvantages in having a studio in Palermo?

One of the limits for those working in our city is the type of contract, in the sense that there is greater demand for renovation rather than new construction, which results from a surplus of residences compared to the number of inhabitants, and government policy practices which are oriented more toward recuperating existing buildings. On the other hand, Palermo today is a growing city; there is a new energy, and we can clearly affirm that there is a real transformation taking place, which is not only functional, but also cultural. The presence of the latest events and the presence of influential figures in the art world have brought widespread interest to the city. Being part of this transformation through our projects makes us proud, and we are proud to have been marching to the beat of our own drum since the beginning, in holding true to the service of our land rather than moving away from it. We are convinced that our endeavours have also created interest in the territory in which they were achieved.

3. What relationship do you have with social media? How can it assist a new architectural studio?

The studio began with the spread of the social media phenomenon and we immediately realised the wider visibility it would bring us; so we did not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity despite the fact that hardly anyone was employing it professionally at that time. It can be said that social media has been an important springboard for the studio and today it is a real working tool that most of all allows us to channel new customers. Social media has provided the opportunity for everyone to show their work and we are convinced that this has raised the bar for projects and design, due to the continuous stimulus of the thousands of images we see every day.

4. In a new project for a residence where do you start from?

Most certainly from a direct connection with the client, from their requests and the analysis of the location we find ourselves designing. We then apply our vision that takes us through to the completion of a project made to measure for our client. We see our projects more and more as places that, thanks to those who inhabit them, come to life, readapt, and transform over time.

5. Should the fiscal incentives stipulated for the eco-bonus be beneficial for construction and architecture?

Tax incentives are a great resource for construction and architecture. In fact, the role of professionals in being able to make the most of this possibility is fundamental. On the one hand, it is possible to aim for a requalification of energy efficiency, and on the other it is possible to create a new image for buildings that lack character, therefore, not only improving energy efficiency and structural soundness but also aesthetics and functionality.

6. Do you have historical periods or characters that have particularly influenced your way of approaching architecture?

The studio was founded immediately after we earned our degrees, therefore, since we hadn’t had a  methodology transferred to us, we had to learn in the field from our experiences, and thanks to our study of the masters we were able to develop our own vision. We tried to understand the management of spatiality through the use of light and materials by John Pawson, through Marcio Kogan’s ability to integrate his architecture with nature, despite its linearity, and through the logical and rigorous process of Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo, which demonstrates in each of her projects how fundamental the accurate control of detail and the execution phase is for a project. But we have also learned from the artisans and workers the importance and respect for the material, which is transformed by them into objects that come to life within our spaces.

7. Covid has forced people to live for exceedingly long and continuous periods in their homes. Has this intense way of inhabiting a home created new needs?

We think that Covid and the lockdown have rapidly changed the perception and functionality of living spaces. From the first post-lockdown meetings with the client, we immediately perceived a different way of inhabiting the home; an important role was accorded the entrance given the new need to take off one’s shoes at the threshold. This entails the need to look for new solutions in simplifying a gesture that had not been essential until recently, such as a seat at the entrance. Another point of discussion is the space dedicated to work, that pre-covid merely required a small desk suitable for hosting a laptop, which could adapted from small nooks within the house, but which today instead, takes on a more important role due to smart-working and video-conference calls, which are increasingly present.

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