The architecture and design of Massimo Mariani is characterized by intriguing forms, bold colors, and an imaginative use of materials. Objects designed by Mariani have won several awards and have been displayed in galleries and museums in Germany, Japan, and throughout Italy. Mariani s varied architectural projects include private residences, museums, and corporate offices.
Massimo Mariani: Progetti 1980-2005 covers the first twenty-five years of colorful activity by this Tuscan designer and architect. In 1980 Mariani co-founded Studio Stilema, a design practice dedicated to realizing lighting, tableware, decorative objects, and furniture. During the eighties Mariani s designs-lamps in the form of insects, chairs with the silhouette of cactus, and ceramics with playful shapes-had a sense of irony and were a departure from the traditional formulas of the time. The whimsy of these designs, and of those created by others working in Florence, gave rise to the "boldista" movement.
For the past fifteen years Mariani s professional activity has focused on interior design and architecture. He has received several commissions from the Italian banking industry, often for buildings that are in banal suburban settings. But Mariani s interiors incorporate a generous dose of color in an effort to rise above the cheerless image associated with banks and to create an atmosphere of fantasy for those who enter. His exteriors are sculptural and expressive, leaving a strong impact. Mariani has said that he attempts to do the unexpected in his architecture-and he often succeeds-to surprise those passing by.
