Officina Magisafi

A similar thing happens with simplicity. The modern world seems to be in a quest for the most diverse, intricate and extravagant design, forgetting that sometimes simplicity is the hardest objective to achieve. Normality becomes sought-after through the preciousness of simplicity. It is almost a superlative normality: Supernormality. Jasper Morrison, in A Book of Things, was actually the person that coined the concept of “Super Normal”. 

As the excerpt from the book says: the term “began with the gradual realization that some objects, usually the more discrete and mostly, though not inevitably, anonymously designed type, easily outperform their counterparts when it comes to long-term daily use. It seems worthwhile to understand why, if we want to design things that are more real, durable and enjoyable and avoid the designer’s trap of attaching too much importance to the way things look”.

This concept is the core influence of Officina Magisafi’s philosophy. The architectural and design studio nestled at the heart of the Seriana Valley, bases its designs on giving life to projects that measure up to the everyday reality of life but are found in the precious simplicity and fresh normality. The designs that the studio brings to life roam meticulously in between opposites: never predictable, never extravagant, the practice favors a minimal, yet not reductive aesthetic; refined and never approximate; impeccable in quality, and poor in excess; rich in detail, even if invisible; celebrating normality and simplicity in their noblest expression.

One of their new projects, a stunning private apartment that the studio has baptized as D114, is a true materialization of the “Super Normal” approach. Following the footsteps of their first project, the result is a space where muted and organic colors, as well as materials and silhouettes, create a warm atmosphere. The geometric patterns that can be observed through the residence overlap in an almost imperceptible and intricate way, in different walls and columns of the house, endowing this project with the utmost refined simplicity.

The protagonist isn’t hard to find: wood. The aesthetic of the house remains clean and not overloaded with elements; those present, entirely custom-made by OM. A unique type was used for each material, maintaining visual consistency in the spaces. In the careful definition of “normal” details, the house is almost reminiscent of a Swiss watch: its preciousness is found, precisely, in the system of slats that conceal and mark out useful elements, such as storage units, walk-in closets or sometimes new rooms. An elegant system concealing complex mechanisms and gears.

With an identity so rooted to their place of origin, a valley located in Bergamo that is the land of some of the world-famous treasures, Officina Magisafi makes sure to always keep it present. The studio is renowned for working exclusively with its territory, through a very closely knit network of local craftsmen, adding a traditional and artisanal feel to their designs. 

The approach of the studio is centered on an everlasting normality and, because of this, their details are quiet and concrete, but very much conscious. As the co-founders Claudio Acquaviva and Debora Bordogni describe it: “the true perception of quality, design and architecture is discovered in the use of space over time”. The result, whether it be for private residences, commercial interiors or hospitality projects, is always functional spaces, stripped of any unnecessary noises.