Studiomobile is a systemic approach design office established by Antonio Girardi and Cristiana Favretto in 2007. It conceives the design as a holistic field where blending architecture, art, technology and urban ecology. It is mobile because it shifts among different disciplines involving mixes of software, creative thinking, handicraft, lab-activities, cultural and social research and whatever else is necessary to create multifunctional solutions and innovative imaginaries. One of its main concerns is water as a resource essential to life, health and social development. Since its inception, Studiomobile has been working on an array of projects ranging in different scale, focusing on environmental sustainability, technology research and visual experimentation. In Studiomobile design, technology aims to be friendly and immediately comprehensible and allows people to have a direct approach to the environment. Studiomobile works collaboratively with individuals and institutions in the presentation of projects, public programs, curatorial practices and publications.
Since 2011, Studiomobile has envisioned WAX as a catalytic place where to produce a fertile context for multidisciplinary creativity. WAX is an ex candles manufacture located in Treviso, to provide for the need of a workspace where stimulate and provoke the cultural production. The platform contains different activities such as digital media, graphic design, architecture and curatorial practices and aims to improve the creative process by sharing resources and knowledge thanks to a network of artists, technologists and cultural workers. Occasionally WAX converts to a public venue for talks and workshops to encourage the social and ethical debate.
Cristiana Favretto was born in Italy near Venice. She has an architectonic and artistic background as she studied art and architecture at the Institute of Art S. Caterina in Treviso and she took a degree in Architecture at the University IUAV of Venice. She worked as a designer in Spain and Italy for international offices such as Norman Foster & Partners and Eduard Samsò, developing interest for sustainability applied to architecture and urban research. In 2007 she founded Studiomobile and until 2009, she worked in the United Arab Emirates developing research projects such as Biosphera, Interactive Central Hall of Abu Dhabi Airport and “Seawater Vertical Farm”, that Time included among “The 100 Green ideas of 2009”. She has been working on various site specific and art installations combining nature and technology in “organic machines”. Her work was presented at “Art Verona” in the section “Independents” curated by FuoriBiennale, during the exhibition “Sustain/Ability”, at Floracult in Rome, at Benetton Foundation and in Milan during the Design Week. She gave lectures at Domus Academy in Milan and at various symposiums. She organized various workshops in collaboration with galleries and public institutions. From 2011 she’s partner of the art gallery SPAZIO XYZ in Treviso, focused on graphics, design and photography. She won a scholarship to attend the “One Lab in Biodesign” course held by TerreformOne in Brooklyn.
Antonio Girardi was born in Italy near Venice. He studied in Spain and in Italy. He graduated with full marks in a five years university course with a degree in Architecture at the University IUAV of Venice, where he has been working since 2006 as an assistant and lecturer in the degree program Building Production and in the degree program Sustainable Design. Since 2011 he has been awarded with a research grant for the PhD degree in Technology of Architecture concerning seawater as a valuable resource. He has worked for design offices and international contractors such as Permasteelisa. In 2007 he founded Studiomobile and until 2009 he worked in the United Arab Emirates developing research projects such as Biosphera, Interactive Central Hall of Abu Dhabi Airport and Seawater Vertical Farm, that Time included among “The 100 Green ideas of 2009”. Following these experiences he reached the conviction that advanced architecture calls for a mix of technological research and humanistic disciplines which are well represented by the different souls of Studiomobile. Since 2011 he’s partner of the art gallery SPAZIO XYZ in Treviso, focused on graphics, design and photography.