Biographical profile
1.1. - Short profile
Born in 1968. From Trieste. Studied architecture in Venice and Dortmund. Graduated, designing the Herne Archaeological Museum, at IUAV in Venice, where since 1995 he has collaborated in teaching and research in the fields of architecture, design and international cooperation. He carries out personal research on the nature of matter as an expression of local cultures and traditions. He promotes research and projects for the enhancement of cultural and rural assets and education for children. He deals with strategic design for crafts and agriculture in Indonesia, Vietnam, Congo, Morocco, Madagascar and recently with the John Paul II Foundation and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Lebanon. He has won awards, including ADI and UNESCO, for projects carried out in the field of teaching. In 2005 he was part of the founding group of the Course in Design at UNIRSM, head of the laboratory in drawing and then in product design. Since 2009 he has been a professor there with a multi-year contract and then, since 2015, vice director. Associated with Isotta Predieri and Andrea Cero, he founded Miquadra, which creates architecture, exhibitions, products and interiors for companies such as Electrolux, POSTE SM, ASSOBDM or DVP and with Lafert he won the ADI Compasso D'Oro Honorable Mention in 2014 for the HP electric motor
1.2. - Extended profile
It deals with project issues in the fields of natural and architecture, both in the public and private sectors. It uses consultants and collaborators and considers projects as the result of a collective work. The Research, intended as a driver of relational, social and technological innovation, carried out at the university and for public bodies, traces a main path parallel to the professional one, allowing to investigate multidisciplinary, experimental or applied fields and contexts. Assignments abroad, in particular in Germany, Indonesia and Vietnam, interventions and conferences, travels and studies have allowed to deepen not only the mastery of the German and English languages, but also the knowledge of local cultures, traditions and materials, amplifying sensitivity and enriching thought, towards a linguistic reduction, attentive and respectful of diversity. It explores the themes of the project for the valorization and enjoyment of the cultural and social heritage,urban agriculture, of the environment, for thechildhood and the different ability. He carries out a personal research aimed at assimilating the sense of the matter.
Born in Trieste in 1968. He studied architecture in Venice and Dortmund, with Gino Valle, Aldo Rossi, Francesco Dal Co, Giorgio Ciucci, Georges Teyssot, Arrigo Rudi, Hans Busso von Busse and graduated in 1995 with top marks at the IUAV in Venice with a design thesis on the New Archaeological Museum of Herne in Germany. In 1995 he collaborated with the Hansen + Petersen studio in Dortmund. Since 1995 he has been a lecturer in the area of representation at the IUAV University of Venice and a teaching assistant in the architectural design courses, first at the Faculty of Architecture with Renato Bocchi, Stefano Rocchetto and Gaddo Morpurgo and, later, at the Faculty of Design and Arts in the teachings of drawing and visual communications and communication and visual perception.
In 2005 he was part of the founding group of the Course in Design and since the same year he has been a lecturer at the Degree Course in Industrial Design at the University of the Republic of San Marino – IUAV University of Venice. Since 2009 he has been assistant professor with multi-year contract. He is involved in research in the fields of design for social innovation, cultural heritage, urban furniture and children's products. He was the coordinator of the project Made in PVS, born from a collaboration between IUAV, artisans of the South of the World and the Bds – Botteghe della solidarietà consortium. Among the researches in which he participated, the following stand out with the Iuav University of Venice: “Replastic: the valorization of regenerated material”, in collaboration with the Consorzio Area di Ferrara. With the University of San Marino the Project MADE in DRC, aimed at outlining a series of tools to support teaching in the contexts of the South of the world, with an initial experiment in 2011 in Congo. Among the ongoing research, we can highlight Design and Urban Agriculture, which investigates the contributions that design makes to the recovery of abandoned urban areas, Nutrients: sustainable agri-food chains, which examines the themes and contributions of design in the various phases of product development throughout its life cycle and finally Open kitchen, a thematic area that collects multidisciplinary contributions around the role, rituals, new configurations aimed at sustainability and greater sustainability in domestic kitchens and educational food laboratories. He curates architecture and design exhibitions in Bilbao, Bologna, Cosenza, Helsinki, Messina, Milan, Venice, Rome, San Marino, San Sebastian, Verona, Rimini, Turin, Trieste, Trento and Treviso. Associated with Isotta Predieri since 1999, he also works in the sectors of architecture for sport and healthcare, with attention to the themes of product life cycle and energy use. Together they participate and win some national and international competitions.
1.3 Awards for projects developed with teaching and research activities with students
2014-2015
› ARCHIprime compact-camera | Thesis project by Mattia Tonucci, supervisors M. Brignoni, R. Varini and M. Barbierato
Award Certificate Targa Giovani XXIV ADI Compasso d'Oro Award – Targa Giovani 2016 – ADI Design Index 2015. The project is also awarded with inclusion in the ADI Design Index. The project was exhibited in Milan from 14th to 21st June 2016 at Palazzo Isimbardi
› Vedetta sensor for detecting mild head trauma | Thesis project by Matteo Semprini, supervisors M. Brignoni, R. Varini and M. Barbierato
Award Certificate Targa Giovani XXIV ADI Compasso d'Oro Award – Targa Giovani 2016 – ADI Design Index 2015. The project is also awarded with inclusion in the ADI Design Index. The project was exhibited in Milan from 14th to 21st June 2016 at Palazzo Isimbardi
2012-2014
› Rollgrip. Anti-hail net winder | Thesis project by Massimo Gardella, supervisors M. Brignoni, R. Varini and F. Tencalla
ADI Design Index 2012. The project was awarded with inclusion in the ADI Design Index and competed for the Targa Giovani award at the XXIII Compasso d'Oro ADI – Targa Giovani 2014. The project was exhibited in Milan from 2 April to May 2014 in the spaces of the former Ansaldo factories.
2009
> Energica. Energy production through body movement | Thesis project by Silvia Gasparotto, supervisors M. Brignoni and R. Varini
Honorable Mention at Lucky Strike Design Award – 2009
Honorable Mention at Compasso d'Oro Giovani – 2011
1.4 Commercial products from projects developed with teaching and research activities with students
2006
› Beans – Armchair with footrest by Laura Dal Molin
Producer Alberta Salotti. Project developed within the IUAV University Project Laboratory in 2006 held by Gaddo Morpurgo with R. Varini and M. Brignoni.
1.5 Major professional awards in the field of Design
– 2017 | IEC 100 motor for Lafert, Design Miquadra
ADI Design Index – 2017
– 2014 | HPI engine for Lafert
Honorable Mention at the XXIII Compasso D'Oro Award of the ADI
Historical Collection of the ADI Compasso d'Oro Award
2014 AHR Expo Innovation Award
Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Leadership Award for HVAC applications
– 2012 | HPI engine for Lafert
ADI Design Index – Compasso D'Oro Award
Main publications
2017
R. Varini, F. Adornato, F. Ciavattini (edited volume), The kitchen of wonder. Urban agriculture, food education, design, University of Macerata, Macerata (expected end of 2017)
R. Varini, with D. Scodeller and O. Barmine, Pekka Harni. Categories and Types of Objects, (translation of the text of Pekka Harni, Object Categories. Typology of tools, published by Aalto University, School of Art and Design in Helsinki in 2010) University of the Republic of San Marino, Quodlibet, Macerata (expected for early 2018)
R. Varini, A. Bosco, (edited by), We love the environment around us. Environmental education and design, balance of the first phase of the Research “Qualification of the life cycle management system of urban waste and possibility of regeneration of the same in the territory of the Republic of San Marino”, currently being carried out by the Degree Course in Industrial Design of the Studies of the Republic of San Marino in agreement with the Autonomous State Company for Public Services and with the Schools of Cailungo – Borgo Maggiore, San Marino (expected for the beginning of 2018)
Contributions in volumes
in progress of publication
2017
R. Varini, Living and Farming on Water. Floating Farm, in A. Bosco, M. Brignoni, R. Varini, (edited by), Nutrimenti Sustainable agri-food supply chains. San Marino Design Workshop 2014. University of the Republic of San Marino
R. Varini, I wave, I swing and I recycle. Energy at play, In A. Bosco, M. Brignoni, (edited by), Design Connection. San Marino Design Workshop 2013. University of the Republic of San Marino
published
R. Varini, Design and ancient villages. The measure of emptiness. In A. Bassi, F. Bulegato (edited by), The reasons behind the design. Milan: University of the Republic of San Marino – Franco Angeli, 2014, ISBN: 9788891705082
R. Varini, Living in Green: Dialogues between Man and Nature, in M. Brignoni, F. Bulegato (edited by), Design for well-being. Comfortable, safe, usable, San Marino University of Design 8, Editrice Pliniana, Perugia 2012, pp. 38-39, ISBN 9788897830054
R. Varini, Thinking about childhood: Transition in small steps, in M. Brignoni (edited by), Made in DRC. Education, artisanal production, design in the Democratic Republic of Congo, San Marino University of Design 7, Guardigli, Unesco – Republic of San Marino, 2012, pp. 26-27, ISBN 9788890475948
R. Varini, with M. Brignoni, Objectives, phases and results of the project, in M. Brignoni (edited by), Made in DRC. Education, artisanal production, design in the Democratic Republic of Congo, San Marino University of Design 7, Guardigli, Unesco – Republic of San Marino, 2012, pp. 32-33, ISBN 9788890475948
R. Varini, Thinking about childhood: Transition in small steps, in Documentation Centre of the Nursery School of the Republic of San Marino (edited by), The Rough Draft 2012 – 2013, San Marino 2013, page 5
R. Varini, (volume edited by), Montegiardino. Design for the ancient village, San Marino University of Design 6, Guardigli, Republic of San Marino 2011, ISBN 9788890475924
R. Varini, Ancient traces, new signs. Design for the village, in R. Varini (edited by), Montegiardino. Design for the ancient village, Guardigli publisher, Republic of San Marino, 2011, pp. 16-17 (ISBN 9788890475924)
R. Varini, Between design and research. For a cultural re-foundationin San Marino Design University, San Marino 2010 (with M. Brignoni)
R. Varini, On character and slowness. Traces for an integrated researchin South Out There. Projects for the South of the world: water, hygiene and health. 11th International Architecture Exhibition of Venice. National participations, San Marino Design University 04, San Marino 2008, pp. 41-45
R. Varini, The SUDesign program: starting from the materialin San Marino Design University 02, San Marino 2007, pp. 15-17
R. Varini, Thesis in compliance with local development modelsin San Marino Design University 02, San Marino 2007, pp. 48-49
R. Varini, The new reading room of the University libraryin San Marino Design University 01, San Marino 2007, p. 58
R. Varini, Perspective and Altarpieces in Venice. Studies, plans, diagrams and drawingsin From the museum to the city. Educational itineraries, “Quaderno”, 9, 1998 (Superintendence of BBAASS of Venice)
R. Varini, On the margin of a diaryin The Bastion and the Library. Projects for an Urban Margin in Bayonne, Iuav, Venice 1998;
R. Varini, H+P Exhibition Pavilion in Bottrop–Ruhr, in “Archint Architecture Intersections”, 4, 1997
R. Varini, G. Morpurgo, M. Brignoni, edited by, Replastic, Catalogue of the exhibition of products of the Design Laboratory for Local Development Models, University Institute of Architecture of Venice, EcoMond Fair, Rimini, 2007
R. Varini, G. Morpurgo, M. Brignoni, edited by, Sitdown, Catalogue of the exhibition of products of the Industrial Design Laboratory, University Institute of Architecture of Venice, Salone del Mobile, Milan 2006
R. Varini, G. Morpurgo, M. Brignoni, edited by, IUA Vietnam, Catalogue of the exhibition of the Product Communication Laboratory, University Institute of Architecture of Venice, Salone del Mobile, Milan, 2004 and Venice 2004
He also curated some exhibition and workshop catalogues: Nothing new, Rome-Venice 2000; Junk, Rome-Treviso 2001;
R. Varini, Design With the South of the World, in La Maison, San Marino, Dec. 2011 / Jan. 2012, p. 48
R. Varini, with M. Brignoni, Design for the South of the World, in La Voce, San Marino, October 30, 2011, p. 14
Research interests
Design for cultural heritage, furniture for historic centers, products for children and design with the South of the world.
