Bio
Barbara Brondi and Marco Rainò are architects interested in experimentation through their planning practice, theoretical research and critical thinking about architecture, contemporary design and graphics. In 2002 they establish BRH+ a firm devoted to design characterized by a comprehensive approach, derived from the concept of architecture practice open to the convergence of disciplines.
Their architectural projects – at different use, various scale and realized worldwide – are featured in numerous Italian and international magazines (Domus, Abitare, Interni, The Plan, Frame, Bob Magazine Korea, DHD, Monocle, Icon Design). In 2010 BRH+ was selected to be part of the exhibition Young Italian Architects at the Triennale di Milano, where the best projects realized by Italian architects under 40 are shown.
In 2014 IN Residence Diary #5 Little Daily Wonders was included in ADI Design Index 2014, that collects, year after year, the best of Italian Design put into production selected by ADI Design Permanent Observatory.
Conceivers of many exhibitions and editorial projects, they are curators of the IN Residence project as well as all the events correlated to it, such as annual thematic workshops, the collective exhibitions Ten Small Atlases (Milan 2010), Another Terra (Milan, Basel, Venice Biennale, Kortijk Biennale Interieur 2012), Desiderabilia (Milan 2014), The Reading Ritual (Milan 2015), TALISMAN (Milan 2017), a series of public talks Design that Talks! and the collection of books Design Dialogues published by Corraini Edizioni.
In 2014, invited by Hans Ulrich Obrist (curator of the Swiss Pavilion), the IN Residence project is guest and protagonist of the prestigious program Swiss Summer School at the Swiss Pavilion in the Gardens of the XIV Venice Biennale di Architettura.
Among the most recent curatorial projects are: the group exhibition Over Design Over at the Rocca Paolina in Perugia (2009), the conceiving and direction of the event Visualising Transformation in the context of Artissima Design in Torino (2010), the projects This is My Forest/The Harvest Cycle (2011) and A Voyage in Lightness (2011) respectively dedicated to the work by Mischer’Traxler and Lanzavecchia+Wai, the group exhibition The Threads that Bind Us and the project Liliana Ovalle: The Chroma Season both realized for Plusdesign gallery in Milano (2012).
They have been on-line Editors for Abitare magazine and authors of On Display, a project about experimental design. From 2011 to 2013 they have been Art Director of the monthly Interior Design magazine Bravacasa by RCS Periodici.
As Graphic Designers and Art Directors they have worked among the others for Vivienne Westwood, Marlene Kuntz, Adidas, Subsonica, Visionnaire and Carlo Pignatelli.
From 2014 to 2017 they were Art Director of the furniture company LAGO and since 2015 they are creative consultants for the ceramic tile brand CEDIT – Ceramiche d’Italia.
Marco Rainò writes critical essays for well-known international magazines and is invited as lecturer in many public debates. In the field of magazines he has written about architecture and design for Domus, Abitare, Interni, Inventario, AD and Icon Design: for the latter he wrote the Pensiero Radiale column, also proposed in the form of theatrical reading.
He is co-author (with Sanford Kwinters) of the book Rem Koolhaas. Verso un’architettura estrema (Postmediabook, 2002), curator of the Italian best seller by Charles Landry City Making, l’arte di fare la città (Codice, 2009) and of the cult written work Cos’è un designer by Norman Potter (Codice Edizioni, 2010). He is author of the book Over Design Over, Materia, Tempo e Natura nel design contemporaneo (Silvana Editoriale, 2009) and together with Barbara Brondi of the nine volumes of the collection IN Residence, Design Dialogues (Corraini Edizioni, 2009-2017).
After teaching at the Polytechnic of Turin – Faculty of Architecture and Domus Academy in Milan, Marco Rainò is Artistic Director of the IAAD. Higher Education Academy in Turin and Bologna, also having the role of Strategic Director of the Interior Design Course of the same school.
Clients
Team
Publications
Bounty Hunters’ Annual Graphic Design Archive
Bounty Hunters, UK 2024
The List: Residenze d’Artista
DOOR La Repubblica, November Issue, Italy 2024
Maneggiare con cura. In dialogo con Barbara Brondi e Marco Rainò sulle tracce del pensiero di Umberto Galimberti
Interni November Issue, Italy 2023
Cascina Elena Winery
Costruire in Laterizio, Italy 2023
From Italy. A celebration of creativity from Italy, compiled and published by Counter-Print.
Counter-Print, UK 2023
I libri di ottobre
10 books to read this summer
Matières en transition
‘Design in Metamorphosis’: Audrey Large and Théophile Blandet’s paradoxical creations
Le metamorfosi del design in mostra in Svizzera al CAC di Ginevra
Design in Metamorphosis
Les Bains se rafraîchissent pour l’été
Un duo de jeunes designers explore la métamorphose
Metamorphosis
Design is a metamorphosis: the manipulation process of Audrey Large and Théophile Blandet
In-between design & art: the sinister sci-fi of Audrey Large & Théophile Blandet
Explorations esthétiques de l’éphémère: L’art d’Audrey Large et Théophile Blandet
Le metamorfosi di Large e Blandet
Le possibili evoluzioni del design al Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève
Design in Metamorphosis, by Audrey Large and Théophile Blandet
La mansarda torinese
Pisos pequeños: un ático abuhardillado de 80 m2 donde se aprovecha hasta el último milímetro
Un pequeño departamento con toques minimalistas hecho a la medida
Quello che ti sei perso: 7 letture per il fine settimana
La mansarda torinese cucita su misura che sfrutta lo spazio fino all’ultimo centimetro
A Torino, una mansarda si trasforma in un appartamento su misura
An organic Italian winery is updated with sustainable style
Brh+ Cascina Elena Winery. Rocchetta Belbo
BRH+ complete eco-friendly winery in Alta Langa
Vino e architettura, binomio in crescita
Cascina Elena, BRH+, Rocchetta Belbo (CN)
BRH+ Cascina Elena Winery
Le ragioni del design: intervista a Barbara Brondi & Marco Rainò
A Torino si viaggia con i Beatles nell’India psichedelica
Nothing is real. Quando i Beatles incontrano l’oriente
The new simplicity in graphic design
Stuart Tolley, Thames & Hudson, UK, 2016: p.52
Praestigium Italia II – Contemporary Artists from Italy
Luca Beatrice, imago mundi FABRICA, Italy, 2015: p.70-71
Studio Sights
Huan Hsu, in Mac Guffin n.2 - The Life of Things, The Netherlans, 2015: p.44
Time for School
Valentina Croci, in Interni n.1/2, Italy, 2014: p.74>77
Curare il design
Marco Petroni, in Flash Art n.302, Italy 2012: p.2>5
Five Loveable Cities
David Plaisant, in Monocle n.55, UK, 2012: p.244
Architettura degli interni e progetto dell’abitazione
Simona Canepa e Marco Vaudetti , UTET, Italy, 2011: p.190
International Fashion Wellness Space
Ivailo Mihailov, Design Vision International Publishing Co., Hong Kong, 2011: p.104>109
Nuova architettura italiana: 5 punti per un linguaggio comune
Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi, The Plan issue 40, Italy, 2010: p.24-25
Italian Interior Design
Michelle Galindo, BRAUN Publishing, Switzerland, 2010: p.110>113
Progetti di giovani architetti italiani
Luca Paschini, UTET, Italy, 2010: p.122>129
Le terme in casa. A SPA in the comfort of your own home
Francesca Tagliabue, in DHD n.22, Italy, 2009: p.182>185
Spa for Well Life
Shin Jihye, in Bob n.64, South Korea, 2009: p.160>163
We can work it out
Merel Kokhuis, in Frame n.62, The Netherlands, 2008: p.61
011+ Architetture made in Torino
Davide Tommaso Ferrando, Mondadori Electa SpA, Italy, 2008: p.28>37
Design And Dialogue. Interview with 127 interior designers
Collectif Liaon, Liaoling Publishing, China, 2008: p.92>97
More
Premi e Riconoscimenti
Metamorphosis Signals
ADI Design Index 2024
Cascina Elena Winery
Premio IN/ARCHITETTURA 2023 Regione PiemonteWinner
Cascina Elena Winery
Architizer A+Awards 2023, category Architecture +FacadesNomination
Cascina Elena Winery
ArchDaily Building Of The Year Awards 2023Nomination
Cascina Elena Winery
The Plan Award 2022Finalist
Cascina Elena Winery
Dezeen Awards 2022Longlisted
Cascina Elena Winery
BigSEE Tourism Award 2022Winner