An Adelaide architect firm has signed up to become the Australian base for an Italian architectural practice. One of Adelaide’s most respected architectural practices with almost 30 years in the business, Tectvs is headed by brothers Francesco and Gary Bonato as well as Tony Giannone, all children of Italian migrants.
The Tectvs directors expect the partnership with the Italian firm, +39 architects to strengthen their credibility and reputation. The Flinders St firm, whose work includes the Wayville train station, AFL training and administration facilities for Port Adelaide Power, and the Air apartments, will become the Italian design studio’s Australian desk.
The Paduva-headquartered firm has more than 100 professionals scattered across the world with ‘desks’ in France, Germany, India, Africa, Russia, USA, South America and England. +39 architects has done interior design work for fashion houses such as Cartier as well as large scale infrastructure projects such as airports, shipping terminals and bridges.
Tectvs director Antonio Giannone said becoming +39 architects’ Australian studio was a natural fit for the company and would allow them to broaden their scope of work. Commenting on the limitations of being a local firm, he said the continuing struggle to command respect in a globalised world was an issue confronting the future of the design industry.
Giannone noted that there can often be a ‘risk adverse’ attitude within SA on using ‘small Adelaide practices’ to design major projects.
Tectvs has made the ‘long shortlist’ in design competitions for Melbourne’s Flinders St Station and the old RAH site. The firm’s leadership believes that partnering with +39 will allow them to have more success in winning competition-led projects.
