Margherita Servetto (born 1957), better known as Mara, is an Italian architect and designer.

Biography

She studied at the

Polytechnic University of Turin The Polytechnic University of Turin ( it, Politecnico di Torino) is the oldest Italian public technical university. The university offers several courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning and Industrial Design, and is con ...

, where she received her degree in architecture under the supervision of Achille Castiglioni. When Castiglioni obtained a teaching position at the

Polytechnic University of Milan The Polytechnic University of Milan () is the largest technical university in Italy, with about 42,000 students. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and higher education courses in engineering, architecture and design. Founded in 186 ...

, she moved to Milan in order to collaborate with Castiglioni, which she did until 1990. In the early 1990s, she worked on research, architectural, and design projects alongside

Ico Migliore Lodovico Migliore, nicknamed Ico (born 1956), is an Italian architect, designer, professor and former professional ice hockey player. He is professor at the School of Design of the Polytechnic University of Milan and he is Chair Professor of the C ...

. In 1992, she designed some objects for Alessi. In the meantime, she developed researches and trials on the use of fiberglass both in architecture and design. Moreover, together with

and Giovanna Piccinno, she began to produce “AA.VV. Autorivari” objects, which started to be distributed in Italy. In 1997 she co-founded with her husband,

, Migliore + Servetto Architects, an architecture firm which creates, together with an international team of architects and designers, projects on various scales: from architecture to interior design; from urban design to temporary exhibitions; from museum to communication projects. These projects, diversified as they are, create innovative places that have a major impact on people. Architectures, interior and exhibition design projects characterized by an expressive use of light and new technologies. She has been awarded many international prizes, such as the XXI (2008), XXIII (2014), XXV (2018) ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), five Honorable Mentions ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), eleven

Red Dot Design Award The Red Dot Design Award is a German international design prize awarded by Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG. There are prize categories for product design, brands and communication design, and design concept. Since 1955, designers and producers can appl ...

(Ger), two

German Design Award The Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the official design award for Germany presented by the German Ministry for Economics and Technology. The award was given for the first time ...

(Ger), two FX Interior Design Award (UK), the Annual Exhibit Design Award (Usa), two International Design Award (Usa) and the ASAL Exhibition Design of the Year (Ita). Mara Servetto is visiting professor at

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

Joshibi University of Art and Design (abbreviated "") is a private women's art school in Suginami and Sagamihara in Japan. The mission and aims of Joshibi, developing creative minds, encourages students to contribute to local, national and international societies, female independe ...

Main works

Museums

ADI Design Museum Adi or ADI may refer to: Names and titles * Adi (mythology), an Asura in Hindu faith who appears in the Matsya Purāṇa * Adi (name), a given name in Hebrew and a nickname in other languages * Adi (title), a Fijian title used by females of chie ...

Compasso d’Oro, Milan (2021) *Layout of the "History of Mankind" section, Milan Natural History Museum, Milan (2019) *Logo and Corporate Identity,

Miramare Miramare Castle ( it, Castello di Miramare; es, Castillo de Miramar; german: Schloss Miramar; sl, Grad Miramar) is a 19th-century castle direct on the Gulf of Trieste between Barcola and Grignano in Trieste, northeastern Italy. It was built ...

Historical Museum and Castle Park, Trieste (2019) * MIC-International Museum of the Shoe “Pietro Bertolini”, Vigevano, 2016
Leonardiana
A New Museum", Vigevano, 2016 *Logo and

Corporate Identity A corporate identity or corporate image is the manner in which a corporation, firm or business enterprise presents itself to the public (such as customers and investors as well as employees). The corporate identity is typically visualized by ...

Museo Egizio The Museo Egizio ( Italian for Egyptian Museum) is an archaeological museum in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, specializing in Egyptian archaeology and anthropology. It houses one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities, with more than 30,0 ...

, Turin, 2014/2015 *“A building site as an event”,

, Turin, 2012/2015 *Pesaro City Art Museum, Palazzo Mosca, Pesaro, 2013 *

Intesa Sanpaolo Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. is an Italian international banking group. It is Italy's largest bank by total assets and the world's 27th largest. It was formed through the merger of Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI in 2007, but has a corporate identity ...

Bank Savings Museum, Turin, 2012 * Chopin Muzeum, Warsaw, 2010

Solo exhibitions

As a result of more than 20 years of research in interior and spatial design, she has held several solo exhibitions, mainly with Migliore + Servetto Architects, including: *“Lightmorphing. From Sign to Scenery” (2019) in South Korea at the Onground Gallery in Seoul and at the Art SoHyang Gallery in Busan; *“Red Light Architecture - Sketches and Notes on Projects” (2018) at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul (South Korea); *“Spacemorphing” in Tokyo, Japan (2007), in Turin, Italy (2008), in Seoul, South Korea (2010).

Exhibitions

*Italian Pavilion “4 Elements / Taking Care”, Milan Triennial 2019 “Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival”,

Triennale di Milano The Triennale di Milano is a design and art museum in the Parco Sempione in Milan, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is housed in the Palazzo dell'Arte, which was designed by Giovanni Muzio and built between 1931 and 1933; construction was fi ...

, Milan (2019) *Abitare il Paese / Open Nests for CNAPPC (National Italian Council of Planners, Designers and Conservators), part of Interni "Human Spaces" exhibition at

University of Milan The University of Milan ( it, Università degli Studi di Milano; la, Universitas Studiorum Mediolanensis), known colloquially as UniMi or Statale, is a public research university in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe ...

for Fuori Salone - (

Milan Furniture Fair The Milan Furniture Fair ( it, Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano) is a furniture fair held annually in Milan. It is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. The exhibition showcases the latest in furniture and design from countrie ...

), 2019 *The Perfect Time for

Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...

, part of Interni "Human Spaces" exhibition at

for Fuori Salone - (

), 2019 *Iulm 50. Legacy and Future, for

IULM The IULM University - Milan ( it, Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione IULM ) is a university located in Milan, Italy. It was founded in 1968 and is organized in four faculties. . History and profile The University Institute for ...

, Milan, 2019 *La Magnifica Fabbrica. 240 Years of Teatro alla Scala from Piermarini to Botta,

Museo Teatrale alla Scala The Museo Teatrale alla Scala is a theatrical museum and library attached to the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. Although it has a particular focus on the history of opera and of that opera house, its scope extends to Italian theatrical histor ...

, Milan, 2019 (together with I. Lupi) *Achille Castiglioni Visionary, Chiasso m.a.x museo, 2018 *Michelangelo's Medici Madonna, for the

Bank of Korea The Bank of Korea (BOK; ) is the central bank of the Republic of Korea and issuer of Korean Republic won. It was established on 12 June 1950 in Seoul, South Korea. The bank's primary purpose is price stability. For that, the bank targets in ...

, Busan, 2018 *Coats! Max Mara Seoul 2017, for

Max Mara Max Mara (Italian aks 'ma:ra is an Italian fashion business. It markets up-market ready-to-wear clothing. It was established in 1951 in Reggio Emilia by Achille Maramotti (7 January 1927 – 12 January 2005). In March 2008, the company had 2, ...

Dongdaemun Design Plaza The Dongdaemun Design Plaza, abbreviated as DDP, is a major urban development landmark in Seoul, South Korea, designed by Zaha Hadid and Samoo, with a distinctively neofuturistic design characterized by the "powerful, curving forms of elongated ...

(DDP), Seoul, 2017 *Steve Jobs o Visionário, Rio de Janeiro Pier Mauá and

São Paulo Museum of Image and Sound The São Paulo Museum of Image and Sound (in Portuguese, ''Museu da Imagem e do Som de São Paulo'', or ''MIS'') is a public museum of audio-visual works, established in 1970 and located in São Paulo, Brazil. The museum was founded as a result o ...

, 2017 *Madonna della Misericordia by Piero della Francesca, Palazzo Marino, Milan, 2016 *The Art of Living, RCS, Palazzo della Permanente, Milan, 2016 *B&B Italia / The Perfect Density, for

B&B Italia B&B Italia SpA is an Italian modern furniture company whose products are sold worldwide. The company was founded in 1966 by the Busnelli family, who manages the company. On March 1, 2011, the Busnelli family became majority shareholders of the co ...

, Milan, 2016 *In Equilibrio - HERB RITTS, Palazzo della Ragione, Milan, 2016 *Bellissima. L'Italia dell'alta moda 1945–1968,

Royal Villa of Monza The Royal Villa (Italian: ''Villa Reale'') is a historical building in Monza, northern Italy. It lies on the banks of the Lambro river, surrounded by the large Monza Park, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. The Royal Villa, which is a ...

, 2015 *Moreschi Walking Pleasure, for Moreschi,

, Milan, 2015 *Tecno Lively Table, for Tecno, Piazza XXV Aprile, Milan, 2015 *Alcantara Chromophone, Alcantara Technology of dreams,

Palazzo Reale This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...

, Milan, 2015 (together with I. Lupi) *RCS, The Art of Living,

, Milan, 2015 *Shooting Stars,

LACMA The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum). LACMA was founded in 196 ...

, Los Angeles, 2015 *Immortals – The Art and Knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians,

, Turin, 2013/2015 *Trame – Copper Crossing in Contemporary Art, Design, Technology and Architecture,

, Milan 2014 *RCS, The Art of Living & Volvo Cloud Installation,

, Milan, 2014 *Meet Design: Around the World,

, Milan, 2013 *Pablo Picasso. Artworks from the Musee National Picasso in Paris at Palazzo Reale,

, Milan, 2013 (together with I.Lupi) *Constancy & Change in Korean Traditional Craft,

, Milan, 2013 *Altagamma Italian Contemporary Excellence,

, Milan, 2012/2013 *Coats! Max Mara 60 Years of Italian Fashion. Travelling exhibition: Berlin

Kulturforum The Kulturforum ( en, Cultural Forum) is a collection of cultural buildings in Berlin. It was built up in the 1950s and 1960s at the edge of West Berlin, after most of the once unified city's cultural assets had been lost behind the Berlin Wal ...

(2006), Tokyo

Mori Art Museum The is a contemporary art museum founded by the real estate developer Minoru Mori (1934–2012) in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in the Roppongi Hills complex both of which he built in Tokyo, Japan. The exterior architect of the museum's ga ...

(2007), Beijing

National Art Museum of China The National Art Museum of China (NAMOC, ) is located at 1 Wusi Ave, Dongcheng District, Beijing, People's Republic of China. It is one of the largest art museums in China, and is funded by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of Chin ...

(NAMOC) (2008), Moscow

State Historical Museum The State Historical Museum ( Russian: Государственный исторический музей, ''Gosudarstvenny istoricheskiy muzyey'') of Russia is a museum of Russian history The history of Russia begins with the histories of ...

(2012) *Bticino Slim And White Axolute Code, Milan, 2010 *Seeing The Light, for the

New York Times Style Magazine ''T: The New York Times Style Magazine'' is a perfect-bound magazine publication of ''The New York Times'' newspaper dedicated to fashion, living, beauty, holiday, travel, and design coverage. It was launched in August 2004. It was published 1 ...

, Bulgari Hotel, Milan, 2008 *Sensidivini,

, Milan, 2004 *Drawing Dreams: Dante Ferretti, Production Designer,

, Los Angeles, 2002 *Krizia Moving Shapes,

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo The is a contemporary art museum in Koto, Tokyo, Japan. The museum is located in Kiba Park. It was opened in 1995. Collections *''Marilyn Monroe'' by Andy Warhol (1967) *'' Girl with Hair Ribbon'' by Roy Lichtenstein (1965) *''Honey-pop'' by ...

(MOT), 2001 (together with I.Lupi) *Tod's Driving Dreams, Former Riva Workshops, Milan, 2001 *Wallpaper* Urban Addition, Spazio Hogan, Milan, 2001 *Wallpaper* + Giorgio Armani 60 Architecture Models, Former Nestlé Building, Milan, 2000

Fair design

*Puglia Crossing Identities, MADE expo, Rho Fiera, Milan 2017 *space&interiors by MADE expo, The Mall, Porta Nuova, Milan, 2017 *Pedrali Urban Life, Pedrali, Salone del Mobile, Rho Fiera, Milan, 2016 *space&interiors by MADE expo, The Mall, Porta Nuova, Milan, 2016 *Accademia Citterio, Pavilion, EXPO, Milan 2015 *Moreschi Caleidoscopes, Pitti Uomo, Florence, 2015 *Pedrali Light Frames, Fiera Milan, Rho, 2015 *Luceplan Lighting Promenade, Fiera Milan, Rho, 2015 *Pedrali Stand Orgatec, Orgatec, Cologne, 2014 *Pedrali Flying Boxes, Fiera Milan, Rho, 2014 *Conai Stand, Ecomondo, Rimini, 2014

Fair design

*space&interiors, for Made Expo, Milan, 2016 and 2017. Exhibition design of the entire fair area and of each individual stand *Puglia Crossing Identities, for MADE Expo, Milan 2017 *Pedrali Urban Life, for Pedrali,

, Milan, 2016 *Accademia Citterio della Salumeria Italiana, for Citterio, Milan

Expo 2015 Expo 2015 was a World Expo hosted by Milan, Italy. It opened on May 1 at 10:00 CEST and closed on October 31. Milan hosted an exposition for the second time; the first was the 1906 Milan International. The Bureau International des Expositi ...

Pavilion, Milan, 2015 *Moreschi Caleidoscopes, Pitti Uomo Fair, Florence, 2015 *Pedrali Light Frames, for Pedrali,

, Milan, 2015 *Luceplan Lighting Promenade,

, Milan, 2015 *Tecno stand, for Tecno, Caselli Piazza XXV Aprile, 2016, 2015 and 2014 *Pedrali Stand Orgatec, for Pedrali, Orgatec Fair, Cologne, 2014 *Pedrali Flying Boxes, for Pedrali,

, Milan, 2014 *Conai Stand, Ecomondo, Rimini, 2014 *Tecno stand, for Tecno, Orgatec Fair, Cologne, 2014 *Pedrali Mirror, for Pedrali,

, Milan, 2013 *Beijing Design Fair, for Rcs Media Group S.p.A., Watertank D·Park 751, Beijing, 2012. Exhibition design of the entire fair area and of each individual stands *A Wheel For Pedrali, for Pedrali,

, Milan, 2012 *Arper stand, for Arper,

, Milan, 2009 *Daedalus - 6 Ideas Scattered in a Technological Garden, Seoul Living Design Fair, Seoul, 2009 *Foscarini stand, for Foscarini,

, Milan, 2009 *Fiat stand, Auto Show of Paris, Bologna, Geneva, 2008 *Thonet stand,

, Milan, 2004/2006 *Charme Group Presentation ( Poltrona Frau, Cappellini,

Thonet Thonet is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anne Bonnet, née Thonet (1908–1960), Belgian painter * Michael Thonet (1796–1871), German–Austrian cabinet maker ** Gebrüder Thonet Gebrüder Thonet or the Thonet Brothers w ...

Gufram Gufram is an Italian furniture manufacturer known for avant-garde, conceptual, witty, and Pop-art influenced designs; the unconventional use of industrial materials; collaborations with well known architects and designers; and the contributio ...

), Fuori Salone-

, Milan, 2005 *Conai stand, for Conai, at Ecomondo (Rimini Fair), IPACK-IMA (Rho Fair Milan), Iswa (Rome Fair) and Terra Futura (Florence). From 2003 to 2019

Interiors

*dmail (Percassi Group) new Headquarters, Pontassieve (Florence), 2019 *dmail (Percassi Group) new Format Store, throughout Italy, 2016/2019 *B&B Italia Charles 20° Anniversary,

store, Milan, 2017 *Mondadori Megastore, Il Centro Shopping Center, Arese, 2016 *Mondadori new Concept Store, for

Mondadori Arnoldo Mondadori Editore () is the biggest publishing company in Italy. History The company was founded in 1907 in Ostiglia by 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori who began his publishing career with the publication of the magazine ''Luce!''. In 1 ...

, 2015 *Luceplan new Showroom, for Luceplan, Corso Monforte, Milan, 2014 *SK Promotion Center, for

SK Group SK Group ( Korean: SK그룹, 에스케이그룹) is the second largest South Korean chaebol behind Samsung Group. SK Group is composed of 186 subsidiaries and affiliates that share the SK brand name and the group's management culture, named SKMS ...

, Beijing, 2013 *Samsung Design Centre, for

Samsung The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...

, Milan, 2012 *BTicino Concept Store “Experience Space”, for BTicino, Milan, 2011 *Mediabend Capital Headquarters, for Mediabend- Della Valle Group, New York, 2011 *Banca Popolare Friuladria, Crédit agricole - Self Service Area, for Crédit Agricole FriulAdria S.p.a., Pordenone and Rovigo, 2008 *Residence Desuite, Milan, 2006 *Fay Concept Store, Milan, 2002

Urban design

*Blue Line Park, Busan, in progress *Expo Flags Boulevard and Palo Milano, for Milan

, Milan, 2011/2015 (in cooperation with I.Lupi) *Torino + Light + Italian Colours, lighting Installation on the

Mole Antonelliana The Mole Antonelliana () is a major landmark building in Turin, Italy, named after its architect, Alessandro Antonelli. A '' mole'' in Italian is a building of monumental proportions. Construction began in 1863, soon after Italian unificati ...

, 2011/2012 (in cooperation with I.Lupi) *City Dressing for the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification, Turin, 2011 *City Dressing, Milan, 2010 *City Dressing, XXIII Winter Universiadi, Turin, 2007 *Look of the City, XX Olympic Winter Game, Turin, 2006 (in cooperation with I.Lupi) *Corporate image and urban installations, Festival Dei Saperi, Pavia 2006/2008

Major awards

*XXV ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2018 - Permanent Exhibition, “Leonardiana. A New Museum”, Vigevano *Honorable Mention ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2018 - Temporary Exhibition, “Moreschi Walking Pleasure” *

(Ger), 2018 - Temporary Exhibition, “B&B Italia/The Perfect Density” *

(Ger), 2018 - Communication Design, “Coats! Max Mara, Seoul 2017” *International Design Award (IDA) (USA), 2016 - Product Design, "i-Mesh Lightweight Diffuser Ceilings" *

(Ger), 2016 - Communication Design, “Bellissima. L’Italia del’alta moda 1945-1968” *

(Ger), 2016 - Communication Design, “Moreschi Walking Pleasure” *

(Ger), 2016 - Communication Design, “B&B Italia/The Perfect Density” *

(Ger), 2016 - Communication Design, “Pedrali Urban Life” *

(Ger), 2015 - Communication Design, "Pedrali Light Frames" *XXIII ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2014 - Event Design, “Slim and White Axolute Code” *Honorable Mention ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2014 - Permanent Exhibition, “Chopin Museum” *Honorable Mention ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2014 - Urban Design, “Torino + Light + Italian Colours” *FX International Interior Design Award (UK), 2012 - Temporary Exhibition, "A Wheel for Pedrali" *Honorable Mention ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2014 - Temporary Exhibition, “Seeing the Light” The New York Times Style Magazine *International Design Award (IDA) (USA), 2011 - Temporary Installation, "Torino + Light + Italian Colours" *FX International Interior Design Award (UK), 2011 - Temporary Exhibition, “Seeing the Light” The New York Times Style Magazine *

(Ger), 2011 - Permanent Exhibition, “Chopin Muzeum” *

(Ger), 2011 - Communication Design, “Bticino Concept Store” *

(Ger), 2010 - Urban Design, “Look of the City. XX Olympic Winter Games 2006” *

(Ger), 2009 - Communication Design, “Fiat Exhibition Stand 2008/2009”, Paris (France), Geneva (Switzerland) *

(Ger), 2009 - Communication Design, “Seeing the Light” The New York Times Style Magazine *

(Ger), 2009 - Communication Design, “Coats! Max Mara, 55 Years of Italian Fashion” Berlin (Germany), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China) *XXI ADI Compasso d’Oro(Ita), 2008 - Urban Design, “Look of the City. XX Olympic Winter Games 2006” *Honorable Mention ADI Compasso d’Oro (Ita), 2008 - Temporary Exhibition, “Wallpaper* Express. Da Pechino a Shanghai con Bombadier” *Annual Exhibit Design Award (USA), 2006, Wallpaper* Exhibitions 1999/2003 *Asal – Exhibition Design of the Year (Ita), 2003 - Temporary Exhibition, Wallpaper* “Urban Addition”

Notes

External links

Migliore+Servetto Architects

Dexigner FX International Interior Design Awards
{{DEFAULTSORT:Servetto, Mara 1957 births Living people Italian women architects Polytechnic University of Turin alumni Academic staff of the Polytechnic University of Milan 20th-century Italian architects 21st-century Italian architects