Founded in Florence in 1988 by Laura Andreini, Marco Casamonti and Giovanni Polazzi, Archea Associati is today a network of more than 100 architects who work in the 5 branches located in Florence, Genoa, Milan, Rome and Beijing. The interests and research activities of the firm range from the landscape to the city, from construction to designand the projects vary from graphic design to publishing, to exhibitions and events. The complementariness and transition from a variety of scales ranging from criticism to the building site, makes it possible to operate in a manner that contemplates all aspects and elements of architectural design. Each partner combines his or her principal interest with the activity of teaching and research within the architecture faculties of Florence, Genoa, Rome. The founding partners were joined in 1999 by Silvia Fabi who coordinates the design activities of Studio Archea in Florence, in 2001 by Gianna Parisse on the occasion of the creation of the Rome branch, in 2004 by Massimiliano Giberto who is in charge of the Genoa branch and in 2005 by Marco Zuttioni following the opening of the Beijing branch.
The most important projects of the firm comprise: the Municipal library of Nembro (Bergamo), the Piazza - Area Don Cesare Cazzaniga in Merate (Lecco), New Town Hall of Merate (auditorium, picture gallery and library), the municipal library of Curno (Bergamo), the Social-educational center of Seregno (Milan). Two new important projects have been defined in 2004, namely the new Cantina Antinori in Bargino near San Casciano Val di Pesa (Florence) and the Tower of the Arts in Milan, which will be built in the near future (2007)
