OPENSYSTEMS Architecture 

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The project for ASA HQ has been awarded the  Surface Design Awards for beast project in the Workspaces Interior category. The project was exhibited and presented during the Surface Design Show 2021



OPENSYSTEMS was selected and invited to participate to HiHack 2020, the open innovation program of Hi-Interiors dedicated to the technological evolution of design. This year’s goal is to scout for and select new solutions, products, technologies for the coworking spaces of the DesignTech Hub which will be built at MIND Milano Innovation District, in the area that hosted Expo 2015. HiHack  responds to new challenges created by the impact of transformative technologies such as IoT, Ai and Blockchain, thus offering ideas and tangible design inspirations to face the  digital transformation.



Dec.2019__ The new website magazine Antagonismos is out. The issue n.3  is dedicated to “Speculations” and features an essay by Marco Vanucci entitled “Antagonism, Autonomy and Automation”. Here the copy here



Dec.2018__Our project for a  1600sqm factory building and offices in San Marino (RSM) is now on site.



Nov.2018__ Marco Vanucci will be lecturing at the American University of Dubai on Wednesday 14th. The talk will focus on design processes, data management and material and organisational systems in the recent works of Opensystems Architecture. Thanks to Professor Jose Carrillo for the kind invitation.



Aug.2018__A great article on our latest completed project T-Island by Federica Ciavattini on Mappe, an Italian magazine edited by Cristiano Toraldo Di Francia



Jun.2018__Bulding works are under way in Khobar (Saudi Arabia) where we are refurbishing and extending a private residential villa.


Dec.2016__ Our project for a house refurbishment in North London has been selected as one of the outstanding refurbishments in London this year by the NLA’s Don’t Move Improve! competition 2017. 1 Perren Street will be featured in the exhibition opening on January 26th at the Building Centre and will be published in the catalogue. Don’t Move, Improve! awards showcases London’s best and most innovative new home extensions. Now in its seventh year, the competition received a record number of entries, demonstrating a multitude of design solutions to extending London’s existing housing stock – from 1960s estates to Victorian terraces to post-war detached homes.


Jan.2016__Marco Vanucci has been interviewed for the  Modelo’s series of Design Manifestos. Modelo is a 3d software start-up that promotes collaboration, project management and presentation of creative design teams. The Design Manifestos series is a collection of feature interviews with architects and designers from around the world.


“Applied research is important and influences the way we practice at OPENSYSTEMS. We pursue this agenda questioning the performative quality of material systems and see how they can affect the social, technological, and ecological realms. We try to find opportunities through collaborations with various industries: from fashion retail to art galleries. That allow us to think outside the box and propose solutions that go beyond and transcend the given design brief“.

To read Marco Vanucci’s interview, click here



Jun.2015__RIBA London’s ‘Architecture Open’ summer showcase explores the innovation and creative processes contributing our built environment displaying the work of 34 UK practices.
The exhibition runs throughout the London Festival of Architecture from the 6th of June to the 28th of June in one of the containers in Pop Brixton.
The private view will be on the 5th of June from 6pm.



Apr.2015__During the opening of our collaboration with Shanghai’s fashion retailer Nn, Marco Vanucci was interviewed by Creative Hunt | SH, an online portal dedicated to creative happenings, opportunities and news in China.



Apr.2014__ Marco Vanucci will present OPENSYSTEMS works at the Salone del Mobile 2014. Marco was invited by Design Context. The presentation will take place on Tuesday 8th of April at 17.30 in Palazzo Cusani, via Brera 13, Milano (IT). The event was organized to celebrates Oikos – colour and matter for architecture and its 30 years of activities.



Feb.2014__ OPENSYSTEMS’ entry, Minima, was short-listed for the Building Engineering London summer party installation at Arup. This is an excerpt from the brief: “The Installation should convey messages about the future of the Built Environment. The Installation can be designed in any material and can take any form including structural by nature, electrical, hydraulic or use the movement of air. Essentially the designer chooses any medium to express the idea”.
The proposal was selected by BEL, a group comprising of circa 550 engineers & support staff, who were  invited to vote expressing their preference between the 17 entries.





Aug.2013__ Our competition entry for the Italian pavilion at the Expo 2014 in Milan was featured in the issue n. of MARK Magazine.




Feb.2013__ OPENSYSTEMS will showcase its awarded competition entry for The Peak, Hong Kong competition at Storefront Galley in New York. The exhibition is entitled The Competitive Hypothesis and examines the politics behind architectural competition. The show is organized by Think-Space in collaboration with Storefront gallery. Following the details:
Exhibition: January 22 – February 15, 2013The Competitive Hypothesis is an exhibition examining the politics behind the architectural competition. The exhibition, presented in partnership with Think-Space, questions the current state, purpose and value of architecture competitions.Through four curated spaces within the gallery, The Competitive Hypothesis presents major architectural competitions produced within the past few years, objects from competitions used to gain competitive advantages, dioramas of image fragments sourced from a selection of recent urban design renderings, and short texts and self portraits of some of the unknown minds of significant competition winners (ie. interns). The Competitive Hypothesis will highlight the double meanings inherent in the ‘competition’: on one hand referring to the competition as a procurement mechanism for projects, on the other referring to an ethos or disposition that permeates work practice. This exhibition turns to both of these possibilities in order to continue an investigation into architecture’s present condition.Exhibition CreditsCurated by Adrian LahoudCuratorial TeamAna Dana Beros, Kata Gaspar, Carmelo Rodríguez Cedillo, Daniel Fernández Pascual, Ross Exo Adams, Ivonne Santoyo Orozco, Davide Sacconi



May.2011__ I’ve been invited to participate as Speaker to Digital Transformations Symposium, held at the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff on the 17-18 of May. The Digital Transformations Symposium is being launched in 2011 as a platform to explore links between computational design and spatial practice today.

The proposed format brings together architects, designers, scientists, researchers and other professionals with interests in computation and design (spatial, structural, urban, environmental, etc).
For it’s first occurrence, the symposium will take place at the Welsh School of Architecture with the following themes:

17.05.11 Processing Matter
18.05.11 Processing Complexity

Invited Speakers: Michael Grau (Zaha Hadid Architects); Daniel Widrig; Christina Doumpioti (Architectural Association, EmTech); Francis Aish (Foster + Partners); Michael Knauss (ROK, ETH – Zurich); Michael Batty (UCL, CASA); Christian Derix (Aedas); Marco Vanucci (OPENSYSTEMS); Simon Lannon (Welsh School of Architecture); David Hines (Populous).

Supported by the Welsh School of Architecture, Design Circle RSAW South and CEBE
Special Thanks: Sergi Pineda (WSA) and Wassim Jabi (WSA).


Aug.2008__ Marco Vanucci will present and exhibit his work at the ACADIA 2008: Silicon + Skin conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This year’s conference is organized by Marc Swackhamer (UMinn, Site chair), Andrew Kudless(Matsys, Technical Chair) ,Neri Oxman (MIT, Technical Chair), Billie Faircloth (UT Austin, Exhibition chair), and Kiel Moe (Northeastern, Exhibition chair).
“The upcoming conference entitled Silicon + Skin: Biological Processes and Computation fosters design work and research from the worlds of practice and academia which lie at the intersection between design, biology, and computation. More specifically, this conference seeks to identify and examine current trends in digital design technologies developed and applied in the framework of biologically inspired processes and digitally assisted sustainable design.”
openSystems will partecipate to the conference and the exhibition with the project/paper Pluri-Potential Branching System.


Drawing Matter published Marco Vanucci’s article on Paolo Portoghesi’s Field Theory


Nov.2019__We have designed an installation for the launch of the structural engineering firm London Structures Lab. The design is inspired by the company logo and can be used as a display, seating area and table.

May.2018__We are excited to announce that
T-Island has been shortlisted for The Plan Magazine Awards 2018 in the category Retail.



Mar.2018__The Interior Architecture Theory Reader is out. The book is edited by Gregory Marinic and published by Routledge and it contains an essay by Marco Vanucci entitled “Inside-Out, Outside-In” where is discussed the role of envelopes in contemporary architecture. Buy your copy here


Jun.2017__OPENSYSTEMS celebrates 5 years in practice!
We take this chance to say thanks to our clients, friends, collaborators and colleagues who trusted us and continue supporting our work. Our passion and commitment is as strong as when it all started, continuing to be true to our motto “move fast, think faster”! Join us at our Clerkenwell studio (Unit 211 Panther House, 38 Mount Pleasant WC1X 0AN) on Friday 9th of June from 2-8pm for a drink and chat. All welcome!



Sep.2015__Marco Vanucci will teach at the Architectural Association Intermediate School in London. Marco will continue lead Intermediate Unit 7. This year the course is focused on ‘performative envelopes’. The unit will study the contemporary workplace through the development of computational protocols and physical prototypes.The Unit will investigate the functional, the structural and the environmental demands of deep performative envelopes.



Apr.2015__Marco Vanucci will deliver a lecture at the HKU Shanghai Study Centre on Wednesday 1st of April. Marco will present OPENSYSTEMS works over the past three years. Following the lecture, Marco will meet with the HKU exchange programme’s students. Thanks to Tom Verebes (HKU), Anderson Lee (AIA, HKU) and Lyla Wu (UNIform) for the hospitality and their generosity.


Apr.2015__OPENSYSTEMS was selected for the RIBA Shanghai Windows project 2015. “The RIBA Windows Project twins exceptional architects with flagship retailers to create stunning architectural installations in the windows of shops, restaurants and cafes in Shanghai Xintiandi.  The project creates a vast public architecture exhibition seen by over 1,000,000 people in one of Shanghai’s most popular and prestigious retail and lifestyle destinations“. The installation is set to open in April 2015

OPENSYSTEMS will collaborate with the Chinese fashion retailer NN within its flagship store in Xintiandi Style, Shanghai.



Jul.2014__Int | AR Magazine has just published an article by Marco Vanucci entitled “Wide Open: on resilience and adaptability of built forms”. The issue n.5 of the magazine is titled “Resilience and Adaptability”.

“The journal on Interventions and Adaptive Reuse addresses issues of interior architecture and adaptive reuse by promoting creative explorations of this subject through exemplary works in which sustainability is one important facet. Each issue of this publication has a particular focus. By exploring distinct viewpoints and approaches to these themes, and by selecting contributions through a peer-review process, Int | AR is conceived as an engaging forum in which different and possibly controversial views are expressed”.

Thanks to Liliane Wong and Markus Berger



Dec.2013__ We are proud to announce that our project Factory has been granted planning permission. The project is for the development of a 9000sqm factory and offices on the Ligurian hills on the North-West Italian coast. More info soon




Sep.2013__ MV was appointed Unit Master at the Architectural Association Diploma Unit 3. Marco will teach alongside Daniel Bosia. The Unit aims at driving “fundamental and necessary changes in architecture through the research and development of cutting-edge technologies within smaller prototypical projects“. A full description of the course can be found here. The extended programme here.



Jul.2012__ AA DLAB Visiting School is a 15 days workshop that focuses on algorithmic design and digital fabrication strategies. This year it will run between 23 July – 5 August 2012 and will be focusing on the relationship between architecture and biology as our workshop agenda. Here is the AA DLAB website for some more information:
http://dlab.aaschool.ac.uk/
As part of the structure of the workshop, a series of lectures is organized: I had the pleasure to be invited by the directore of AA DLAB, Elif Erdine, to present my work on Wednesday 25th of July.



Apr.2012__ Opensystems will take part of the Young Italian Architects 2013 exhibit in Rome. The show is curated by AIAC (Italian Association Architecture and Critic) and presS/Tletter.
On April 19th, 16.00 at La Casa dell’Architettura – Piazza Manfredo Fanti 47 Rome – AIAC the Italian Association of Architecture and Critica_ presS / Tletter will organize a brainstorm with the best 20 studios participating in Young Italian Architects, 2012: the competition aimed at identifying project ideas of young Italian architects who have distinguished themselves for their research, innovation and the reading of contemporary reality.
Each practice selected for the show will be presented through the use of three words that sum up the poetic and conceptual approach to architectural design.
At 19.30, the brainstorming session will be followed by the opening reception of the exhibition Young Italian Architects 2012 at 14_lo Interior space AIAC – Via Carlo Alberto 63 Rome



Jan.2012__ Marco Vanucci | OPENSYSTEMS was awareded the first price of the Competition “OUTSIDE THE BOX_Low and High Technologies for the Emergencies”. The competition was focused on identifying design ideas for resolving various problems in emergency situations: a small temporary structure capable of offering a small space for work, a centre of organisation and meetings for governments or other bodies dealing with and managing an emergency. A space that is simultaneously a workstation and information centre open to public, with free wifi and internet access to allow to people remain in touch with the rest of the world. The use of low and high technology, sustainability and parametric design were also encouraged.
Jury included: Patrik Schumacher, Neil Leach, Nancy Goldring , Mario Cucinella, Hans Ibelings, Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi, William Menking, Luis Moya González, Massimo Russo, Lucy Bullivant. The competition was sponsored by Analysit Group.



Oct.2011__ “CITYVISION is a permanent lab that aims to develop a concept of architecture that is truly contemporary, so the modern city and its future image interact to update the skyline of our cities”. On the latest issue of CityVision Magazine, Marco Vanucci | OPENSYSTEMS is interviewed by Davide Del Giudice on emergent computation. Here the on line preview.
Special thanks to Davide Del Giudice, Maria Azzurra Rossi and Francescoi Lipari.


Apr.2010__ Homeostatic Serie is featured on AD Magazine’s July/August issue. This issue is guest-edited by Rivka Oxman and Robert Oxman and is entitled “The New Structuralism: Design, Engineering and Architectural Technologies”. “Today the convergence of design, engineering and architectural technologies are breeding a new material practice in experimental architecture. In this pioneering publication, this important shift is fully defined as a highly dynamic synthesis of emerging principles of spatial, structural and material ordering integrated through the application of materialization and fabrication technologies. The New Structuralism has broad implications for the way we both conceive and undertake architectural design(..)“.
The project is featured in Hanif Kara’s article “On Design Engineering” where the visionary founder of the design-led structural engineering firm AKTII advocates a holistic approach to architecture and engineering.


May.2008__ Cell System Morphologies has been featured in the EVOLO: SKYSCRAPER FOR THE XXI CENTURY book, out now. The book is a collection of the winning entries of the past three editions of the competition: a very interesting look to the future declinations of one of the most innovative and radically fascinating building type of Modern architecture.
Here OPENSYSTEMS’ entry.



Apr.2008__ Marco Vanucci published an article on the new issue of VERBMagazine -From Control to Design- Parametric/Algorithmic Design. The issue is coming out soon. The publication features the impact of parametric and algorithmic design on architectural practice. Contributors include: Mutsuro Sasaki, Arup’s AGU, Aranda-Lasch, Michael Meredith (mos). Special thanks to Albert Ferre and Michael Kubo



The environmental and pandemic crises draw us apart as much as the planetary-scale digital infrastructure brings us together. The automation of our cognitive,  productive and logistic processes will write a new chapter in the urbanization of our planet: an ever-growing, high-resolution network of discrete, yet interconnected communities. The drawings reflect on the idea that  the planetary network of connected ‘nodes’ needs to be strengthen and ever-expanded. The act of drawing is the best way to start planning for it. Submission for the @aaschool Expanding Horizons open call. #AAEarthDay #earthday


Sep.2019__We have contributed to the Atlas of Emerging Practices, a comprehensive survey carried out by @itinerantoffice to discover who the emerging European architects are and what they do. The publication is full of data on organization, keywords and commissions, to understand what the emerging generation of architects are focusing on and how they go about today’s most pressing topics. The book is published by @actar_publishers

Jun.2018__We have submitted planning permission for a new factory building in the San Marino Republic. More info soon.


Apr.2016__We are pleased to announce that Dice Retail Display have been awarded the Bronze A’ Design Award in the category of Interior Space and Exhibition Design by the grand jury panel of the A’ Design Award & Competition which consists of internationally influential press members, established designers, leading academics and prominent entrepreneurs.

The A’ Design Awards are the world’s most influential and largest design awards, presented each year in Italy. It is a great honour for us to receive this prestigious award and we would like to thank RIBA London for organizing and our client to believe in our work.

This award gives recognition to the excellence of design on the international stage. You can check out our profile at https://competition.adesignaward.com/designer.php?profile=163894


Jun.2015__OPENSYSTEMS has been invited to a Pecha Kucha event organised by RIBA London and Squire & Partners. The practices are invited to share their experience in working for the RIBA Windows project, both in London and Shanghai.
The RIBA Window project, now in its sixth year, pairs exceptional RIBA architects with flagship retailers to create engaging architectural installations in their shop windows. Fashion retailers, skincare boutiques, perfumeries, restaurants and cafes have given over their display to bring architecture into their stores and reach new audiences with these crafted interventions. The project creates a huge public architecture exhibition seen by more than one million people each week.

The event will take place on Tuesday 16th of June at 6pm at the Squire & Partners’ office in 6 Chad’s Place WC1X 9HH


Apr.2015__Dice, our project fro the RIBA Shanghai Windows 2015 is now open in Shanghai’s Xintiandi shopping and entertainment district. The project is in its third year and is a collaboration between RIBA London, Shanghai Xintiandi and the culture and education section of the British Consulate-General.




Sep.2015__ Marco Vanucci will partecipate to Technology Future Forum at the Architectural Association on Friday September 12th.

The Cre-AM project is a European funded project which is designed to facilitate the generation of roadmaps for the future of technology for the creative industry. The goal is to gather important stakeholders from the creative industries and generate data that will help the European Commission shape and target the research & development landscape of the next decade.
As part of the wide range of the project’s initiatives, the Technology Futures Forum at the Architectural Association in London is aimed at mapping trends and weak signals in the architectural sector. The objective of the event is to support knowledge exchange between researchers, practitioners and technology providers and create a space where to discuss how technology can enhance and enrich the future of the sector.
The event will feature a cross section of progressive practices ranging from territorial analysis and landscape strategies, to integrated product delivery and advanced manufacturing. Each of these will be represented by one or more participants in the form of short presentations (morning), and roundtable discussions (afternoon) aimed at sharing and mapping the ideas, tools and business models underlying their practices.
The event is co-curated by Factory Futures – an independent Think Tank at the AA aimed at gathering, broadcasting and producing progressive architectural ideas for the European industrial landscape of the near future. More on factoryfutures.com




Jan.2014__ Marco Vanucci’s article, “Wide Open“, was feature in the last issue of Conditions Magazine, the indipendent Scandinavian magazine on architecture and urbanism. Issue #13 is the very last: the magazine will no longer exist. “Architecture is Themeless and so is CONDITIONS. We leave 36 editorials for the future and those who which to continue the debate”. The publication features other distinguished contributors. Among them: Philippe Rahm, DPR-Barcelona, Patrik Schumacher, Rachel Armstrong, etc.




Feb.2013__MV|OPENSYSTEMS received the Think Space competition Third Price Award in Zagreb during the “Past Forward” Symposium. The cycle of curated by Adrian Lahoud and it “aims to hold a mirror to the discipline to reflect the changes of the last thirty years by re-visiting three competitions that radically transformed architectural culture: The Peak(1982), Yokohama Port Terminal (1994) and Blur Building (1999). All three winning entries emerged under unique conditions to take up critical positions on the predominant tendencies of their time. […] Any current condition lacks coherency and the task of this competition is not to assert one, but to begin the work of constructing a passage between the indistinct and the articulated. This competition cycle aims to discover new possibilities in the recent history of architecture by returning to these singular moments of disciplinary transformation, looking back in order to discern how far we have moved and in what direction”.




Mar.2012__ Marco Vanucci takes part to Architects Meet in Selinunte Symposium.




Feb.2012__ Digital Design Workshop at KTH University in Stockholm continues its investigation on material computation. The workshop is part of the second year Architectural Technology programme. This year, the AT’ second year students were asked to explore Skin and Skeleton starting from the study and the development of “design primitives”. The images show the remarkable results of a 2 weeks intensive design workshop.
A special thanks to Andy Nettleton for his coordination and contribution, Fred Houet for helping during the workshop, Oliver Tessman for his insightful contribution, Sander Schuur, Daniel Bosia and Bruno Guiomar.



Feb.2012__ The new issue of the Scandinavian independent Conditions Magazine is out now.
The theme of this issue is New Technologies / New Practice and focuses on emerging design practice. Inside, among other  interesting things, you’ll find my Interview by Scully Lynch, under the section Tools.



Sep.2010__ On the latest issue of the International Architectural and Design Magazine L’ARCA, the work of Marco Vanucci|OPENSYSTEMS is published together with a interview on computational design and the genesis of form. Thanks to the Guest Editor/interviewer Amanda Molinelli, Carlo Alberto Gasparini. Special thanks to Arch. Cesare Maria Casati.



Aug.2010__ Marco Vanucci will participate to the AA School Beyond Entropy Symposium. The AA School Beyond Entropy Symposium is FREE to all and takes place on 27 August from 13:00 – 00:00hrs at Fondazione Giorgio Cini. Over 30 world leading figures from the arts, science, architecture, politics and philosophy will share ideas in a dynamic, fast paced and exciting event of thought and debate spanning all forms of expression in search of a new paradigm for energy. Speakers include Brett Steele (AA School); Hans Hollein; Hans Ulrich Obrist (Serpentine Art Gallery); Stefano Boeri( Abitare); Antonio Negri (EGS), Nikolaus Hirsch and many others. [Full list of speakers and timings here]. Press Release
Special thanks to Stefano Rabolli Pansera for organizing and for the kind invitation.Here my Presentation



Jan.2010__Marco Vanucci interviewed at OpenThread Radio.“Open Thread Limited is a London-based consultancy, which provides advisory services and technical facilitation to digital media companies. Its regular podcast about digital media’s impact upon society is one way in which we disseminate their research output to a wider audience”.
The episode entitled “Fame, Architecture and Web 2.0” examine how digital technologies are changing the role of architects and the nature of their work.Special Thanks to: Sanderyn Amsberg, Rachal Bradley, Nicholas Hansen.



Sep.2009__ CANactions is an annual conference and exhibition of architectural visions and ideas tergeted at young architects and architectural students. The event is sponsored by DIA / Dessau Institute of Architecture – Germany. Here the very interesting list of partecipants link and the online exhibition link.
MarcoVanucci will exhibit and give a lecture on Saturday26th of SeptemberGuest Key Lectures:– Prof. Alfred Jacoby, DIA / Germany– Daniel Dendra, anOtherArchitect / Germany+ Russia– Mark Fahlbusch, Bollinger + Grohmann / Germany– Peter Ruge, Pysall + Ruge / Germany– Robert Stuart Smith, Kokkugia / New York + London– Shajay Bhooshan, Zaha Hadid Architects / London– Theo Reitsema, Rijssen / Netherlands– Vladimir Bondarenko, Kharkiv / UkraineInvitation: Daniel Dendra (anOtherArchitect)



Nov.2009__ Bologna, Italy Theory to Practice November 9th 2009
Marco Vanucci has been invited to lecture at the University of Bologna, faculty of engineering. The lecture is part of a lecture series taking place during the fall term in the course Ar-ca3 run by prof. Alessio Erioli. Here the website of the course, structured as a social network where one can also find useful tips and links.









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