Vittorio Grassi: Exploring The Art in Simplicity

Vittorio Grassi is an Italian architect who received his architecture degree from Politecnico di Milano. During his education, he understood that a building is not just an 'addition' to a preexisting urban design. He was not satisfied with this ideology, as he believed that architecture could not be confined within the ideological boundaries created by political and economic capitalism.

Vittorio Grassi (Director Principal of VGA Architects) and Marco Aloisini (Director Partner of VGA Architects)

Grassi began his career by joining international architecture firms such as MCA Architectes in Paris in 1983, RMJM Ltd in London, and Rick Mather Architects Ltd. In these firms, he gained experience in planning specialized cultural buildings and museums and collaborated with his architect friend, Rick, on various projects. In 1997, he joined the company Renzo Piano Building Workshop for nine years, handling complex projects in multiple countries, such as Italy, Portugal, and the United States.

In 2005, he founded the architecture studio Vittorio Grassi Architects in Milan, which is now recognized worldwide. In 2013, he founded Enrico De Carlo in Paris. Vittorio Grassi is also a charter member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Architects Registration Board UK, the Order of Architects - Île de France, and the Order of Architects Varese.

Bosco Della Musica, Milan by VGA Architects 

Grassi and his team are committed to creating architectural works, especially in Milan, relate to its surroundings. Grassi's team is a multidisciplinary group of architects, urbanists, and interior designers creating projects worldwide. Vittorio Grassi Architects and team have created works from small to large scale that are not separated by geography or building type only, but join forces to create innovations ranging from urban planning, hotels, offices, retail, and public spaces. To date, Grassi's team is growing bycreating prestigious projects addressing both private and public clients.

In his strategy, he focused on technological aspects that were also part of the architecture. The work's planning led the team to win various competitions over the years. These opportunities allowed them to tackle a variety of different project typologies, such as adaptive reuse, mixed-use, and high-end single-use.

Cecchignola, Rome by VGA Architects

Sports Hall, Lamezia Terme by VGA Architects

Olonkholand, Yakutsk, Russia by VGA Architects

In the course of his career, he had a simple idealism, realistic, and pay attention to the building's connection to its environment. In one of Grassi's projects in Cecchignola, Rome, the buildings designed harmonized open and closed spaces. The design uses a lightweight approach and aims to minimize negative impacts to the surrounding environment.

Grassi has also produced striking designs to describe a specific character to an area, including the Sports Hall in Lamezia Terme and the Olonkholand Complex in Yakutsk, Russia. Despite the striking designs, Grassi's designs never feel excessive or overly imposing. Through his works, Grassi is recognized as an architect who adopts a realistic approach to creating harmony and contextuality.