In Val Seriana, where the landscape moves at its own pace, Officina Magisafi designs spaces that do the same. They are not about trends or statements but about listening—to the rhythm of a place, to the lives that unfold within it. Founded in 2012, the studio blends tradition with quiet innovation, shaping spaces that feel effortless yet deeply considered. Here, every material, every detail, every absence is intentional. In this conversation, they reflect on what it means to build with care, to strip away the unnecessary, and to create spaces that stand the test of time.

Saachi Sadhwani: This house has a certain quietness—the materials, the way the light moves, the positioning of furniture—it all feels like it’s working together in a quiet, almost meditative way. Was that something you consciously shaped from the beginning?

Officina Magisafi: Yes, indeed. We believe this reflects the essence of the place we inhabit, its Genius loci. The house is situated in a rural area, with its own rhythms. Every morning, the shepherd would lead the livestock to the meadow beside the construction site, his arrival heralded by the sound of cowbells—we’d see him appear on the horizon behind the orange safety netting, then disappear behind the great oak that dominates the site and its seasons.

SS: Your studio is based in Val Seriana, close to Bergamo and Milan, a region rich in tradition. How does the culture, history, or even the landscape around you influence your work?

OM: Our work is profoundly influenced. We draw daily from the rich experience and knowledge of the craftsmen around us, from their know-how, from their history made of tradition and at the same time of continuous research and innovation.

SS: You describe your work as “human-centric.” What does that really mean in your design process? How do you make sure a space doesn’t just function well but actually feels good to live in?

OM: Everything starts with the clients, listening to their needs and dreams, which become our goal. We begin to build the team with them and with those who will execute the work. Officina is the container of all this, a container made of people and knowledge in respect of a goal.

SS: You didn’t just design the house, but also some pieces inside it. Did you design them specifically for this space? How do they complete the overall atmosphere of the home?

OM: Yes, they were designed specifically. For us, it’s normal, I would say spontaneous, to design the entire house, starting from the architectural scale down to the smallest detail. It’s not a formal exercise, because we believe there are enough tables and chairs, and very beautiful ones; but if we need, for example, a table that disappears into the island or a system of windows that integrate a wall, we design it.

SS: Was there a specific challenge in designing this house—maybe a design choice that was difficult to finalize or a problem that led to an unexpected but better solution?

OM: When we were called in, the load-bearing structures had already been designed and partially built, and they hadn’t been conceived to create spaces according to the owners’ needs. The challenge was precisely this: transforming these limitations through the cutting of spaces into precious resources. Without these constraints, we would never have arrived at the corner window in the living room that disappears into the wall.

SS: Looking back at your journey since founding Officina Magisafi in 2012, is there a single project or experience that changed how you think about design?

OM: Looking back, we feel that this change in thinking is always ongoing; every project is a change. It’s precisely in our philosophy to nurture this research with work, respect, and attention.

SS: What does “home” mean to you, and how does that definition shape the way you design for others?

OM: For us, home is a living space, made of functions. It’s precisely the functions that lead to true aesthetics. Aesthetics protected from unnecessary noise. Looking at them, they all seem like spaces with different aesthetics, but because the needs of the people who live in those spaces are different.

SS: How do you decide what’s essential in a design and what’s just noise?

OM: The most important effort is to continually question every choice, in order to eliminate unnecessary noise. This is the practice. We believe that every choice should be made to age well, as much as possible protected from fashions and styles, reducing the superfluous to a minimum.

SS: This space feels timeless, not tied to any specific design trend. How do you create something that stays relevant no matter how styles change?

OM: This is the consequence of the goal we set for ourselves. We don’t know how to say how it’s done; we know that to do it, you have to “roll up your sleeves,” listen, do research, select, and continually question and compare. And a lot of work.

SS: Is there something you haven’t designed yet but would love to?

OM: Yes, to remove more and more noise to arrive at designing a minimal living module that has quality in choices, materials, and especially in craftsmanship. A module that can then be applied in a transversal way.