Interview by Elena Sbokou

Today, we have the pleasure of meeting with Gabriele Filippi, an architect whose work seamlessly mixes careful design with a strong appreciation for context, materiality, and innovation.

Filippi is well-known for his transdisciplinary approach and polished style, having created places that are not only visually appealing but also useful and human-centered.

In this talk, we will discuss his creative process, the values that govern his architectural vision, and the growing role of architecture in a fast changing world.

GDN: Your architectural journey began with an award-winning thesis and has since spanned large-scale projects and international competitions—what originally drew you to architecture, and what keeps you inspired today?

Gabriele Filippi: I have always believed that an in-depth study of the past and its places—through careful archival research—is an essential starting point for any design approach. I am firmly convinced that the boldest experiments and most innovative solutions are rooted in a solid historical understanding. A superficial approach leads to meaningless and therefore weak outcomes.

What initially drew me to architecture was the fascination with the techniques of representation and their evocative power. I have always had a strong passion for drawing and for the figurative aspect of space, buildings, and their technical and artistic components. The wonder of representational tools naturally led me, over time, toward the design content itself. Even today, I see representation—continuously evolving both technically and conceptually—as a powerful expressive tool in the storytelling of architecture: it is form, and form is representation, then construction, and finally lived material. A good “sign,” when managed, refined, and matured, can constructively give rise to something meaningful.

There is also the representation of restlessness and the tension inherent in the search for the right balance—one that can bring different parts into dialogue and guide them toward overall harmony. It is precisely within this dynamic process that the true meaning of a project is generated: in the effort of confronting contrasting elements, in the will to find a synthesis that does not erase differences but instead enhances them.

GDN: You’ve worked on a wide range of projects—from cultural landmarks like the Venice Palace of Cinema to civic structures like the Italian Space Agency headquarters. How do you approach such diverse programs in terms of design and storytelling?

G.F.: I am fortunate to express myself not only as an individual professional but also within the framework of an architectural firm (Peluffo & Partners Architecture), which allows me to engage with broad and compelling themes in truly fascinating contexts. The design approach—as well as communication and representation—are transversal tools across the topics we explore: research, drawing, three-dimensional representations, the poetics of images and photography, and the modeling of physical maquettes are all expressive and evocative tools of a single narrative.

There is a constant and deeply rooted dialogue between the buildings we design and the predominantly Italian artistic tradition. It is an approach that is both heretical and human.

GDN: Many of your projects deal with the themes of transformation and regeneration. What’s your perspective on the role of architecture in reshaping urban identity?

G.F.: It embodies the principle of reusing objects, spaces, and places—of living in them—and layering past life experiences with new, present impulses.
In my view, this is precisely the foundation of true sustainability: creating architecture (which can also be an object) that can be experienced across multiple generations of users, evolving through modifications dictated by its use.

It’s an idea that fascinates me far more than the cycle of designing, building, demolishing, redesigning, rebuilding, and demolishing again.

Just think of extraordinary examples like the Theatre of Marcellus in Rome, which today stands as a magnificent representation of layered interventions from different historical periods. The same applies to places, urban neighborhoods, and the outskirts of cities.

GDN: The Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 was a high-profile, globally visible project. What were the key ideas behind its design, and how did you approach the challenge of representing an entire nation through architecture?

G.F.: It was a team challenge (Peluffo & Partners Architecture) driven by a strong pursuit of expressive research. Once again, we believed that the best way to represent Italy in a Pavilion was to engage in a dialogue with the history of its culture. The idea was to create a journey that traversed episodes from the artistic tradition, reinterpreted within a single architectural work: the theme of the Renaissance city, the Italian garden, with a path unfolding like a votive procession imbued with the spirit of artists such as Piero della Francesca and Dante Alighieri.

Architecture is conceived as a form of art, emphasizing its evocative and expressive power over a world that is increasingly virtual, technological, fast, and less human. It is a slow path—meant to be pleasant and livable.

Italy is the highest expression of art throughout its ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque history, as well as in cinema and photography.

GDN: You’ve collaborated on both new builds and historical refurbishments. How do you balance innovation with preservation, especially when working in culturally rich environments?

G.F.: New constructions are built within contexts that carry varying degrees of historical value, depending on the location. It’s rare to have a true tabula rasa to work with—and fortunately so. The web of relationships and constraints offers a framework upon which to express oneself, in dialogue with what already exists. Even strong contrast can be a form of dialogue, but one must be fully aware of it.

Innovation—including in technology and materials—lies in the elegance and sensitivity with which a new (architectural) form is added to an existing stage, respecting its parts. The integration of the new within culturally rich environments is achieved through a quiet operation—one that gently introduces a new gesture, perhaps even disruptive, yet pleasant and balanced.

The rhythm, the articulation of compositional elements, the alternation of light and shadow, the vibration of forms—these are values that transcend time, linking history and modernity. And so it will be for the future.

GDN: Architecture today is increasingly shaped by issues like sustainability, community, and technology. How do these themes influence your work? 

G.F.: It is important to pursue the concreteness of these themes, because too often there is a sense that communication outweighs substance, or that the effort and cost invested in creating a hyper-technologically sustainable product far exceed its actual benefits—both now and in the future. It is essential that projects follow the entire production process of the architecture being created, especially by envisioning its future life: how long will it last? What kind of maintenance will it require, and at what cost and level of knowledge from its users?

There is a prevailing sense today of pursuing an idea of extreme lightness, temporariness, and impermanence in new buildings—focused on their life and death cycle and on the correct recycling of materials. My vision of sustainability also includes durability, practicality, substance, and materiality—alongside the pursuit of expressiveness, harmony, rhythm, and beauty. The ancient world (Rome, Greece, Egypt…) left us tangible traces of history and knowledge, with a primordial yet highly effective concept of sustainability.

GDN: Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to young architects starting their careers today, what would it be?

G.F.: First and foremost: travel, observe, and expand your knowledge by exploring the history of places and processes.

I recommend staying constantly up to date, but without being seduced or swayed by design and representation trends—be genuine, never banal or superficial.
I suggest trying out different jobs, getting to know professionals and design studios, and participating in as many competitions as possible.

It’s important to embrace multiple points of view and to break out of the boundaries of your professional comfort zone in order to build your own identity.
Every mark, every gesture has its reason, and its roots run deep.

After scientific studies he attended the Faculty of Architecture II at the Polytechnic of Turin, graduating in July 2001 in “Architectural Design”. Following their professional qualification, he collaborates as a designer with various architectural firms (including Studio Rolla Architettura + Urbanistica), dealing with residential, urban planning, and sports issues (the renovation of the Stadio Olimpico in Turin as part of the 2006 Winter Olympics and the construction of the new Juventus Stadium). In 2004 he began his collaboration with 5+1AA, where he participates in the drafting of important projects and competitions, including the new Palazzo del Cinema in Venice, the headquarters of Sviluppo Sistema Fiera at the Fiera di Rho in Milan, the headquarters of the Italian Space Agency in Rome, the Retail Park in Assago (MI), the new school complex in Zugliano (VI), the functionalization of the OGRs for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, the headquarters for BNL Paribas in Rome Tiburtina. Coordination activity is also pursued by some large foreign contracts in France and North Africa: the project for the new Velodrome Stadium in Marseille, a “Base de Vie” in Algeria, and residential projects in Marseille and Paris. The project phases are managed from the conception to the executive development up to the construction site: the role covered is that of the Project Manager.

Since July 2017 he has been in the Gianluca Peluffo and Partners team as Partner and Project Manager; among the most important projects are the residential interventions in Egypt, Ain el Sokhna – Monte Galala, Fouka Bay, the Museum of the Battle of El Alamein, the Ain el Sokhna Mosque, the residential development and the university campus of Mostkabal in Cairo. The most prestigious international competitions are the new headquarters for ISTAT, the cruise terminal in Palermo, the New Italy Pavilion in Dubai 2020, and the New “Human Technopole” at Expo Milano-Rho. He combines his freelance work with personal research in the field of architectural history (Carpanini award–City of Turin Historical Archive, 2002), of the urban transformation and re-functionalization of existing buildings, successfully participating in various international competitions: Hybrid Housing in Hamburg, New Library in Kobenhavn, EURegeneration in Rome, The Last House in Mulholland LA, Sports Park in Warsaw, Residential Stadium in New York, New Conference Hall in Kobenhavn, BluePrint in Genoa, Re-Creation Center in Venice, Nuclear Lanfmarker for WIPP site in New Mexico. It creates single-family residential buildings and prototypes that follow the prefabrication principle; in interior renovation, the leitmotif is attention to detail, materials, light, and proportions. Since 2019, he has managed the Museographic Office in the Cultural Heritage and Activities area of the Municipality of Genoa.