Studio Ossidiana is a practice based in Rotterdam that works at the crossroads of architecture, visual art and design led by Alessandra Covini and Giovanni Bellotti. Balancing research and fabrication, the practice explores innovative approaches and materials in architecture, visual art, and design. Studio Ossidiana is always in search of material expression to create unexpected atmospheres.
The practice’s work has been broadly published in both printed and digital media (New York Times Style Magazine, Architectural Review, Domus, Forum, Nai10Publishers, Artribune, Interni, IconDesign, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, Metropolis M, DeArchitect, Harvard Design Magazine, Landscape Architecture Frontiers), and exhibited in collective and solo exhibitions (Dutch Design Week 2016, Milan Design Week 2017 and 2019, Het Nieuwe Institute 2017 and 2019, Van Eyck Academie 2017, Marres House for Contemporary Culture 2017). In 2018, S-O has been awarded the Prix de Rome, the oldest and most prestigious award for architects under the age of 35 in the Netherlands.
Alessandra Covini studied in Milan and Lisbon and received her master’s degree in Architecture at the University of Technology in Delft (NL). She founded Studio Ossidiana in 2015. In 2018, she was selected as ‘Young Innovator’ by the Dutch State Architect. Her work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and design fairs as at the Dutch Design Week (In No Particular Order 2016), Salone del Mobile, (5vie, 2017), Jan Van Eyck Academy (Open Studio, 2017), Marres (The Materiality of the Invisible, 2017), Het Nieuwe Instituut (Prix de Rome 2018, Prayer Rug/Platform 2017), and published on printed and digital medias (Nai10 Publishers, Forum, Volkskrant, Het Parool, Frame, Interni, Damn, De Architect, The Architectural Review, TL Magazine, Domus). She has been awarded grants from the Creative Industries NL, such as the Talent Development grant, for young talents in the field of architecture and design, and she is part of the Jan Van Eyck Academy. She currently teaches and leads workshops at the Rotterdam Academie van Bouwkunst, TuDelft, Royal Academy of Arts (Den Haag), Rietveld Academie (Amsterdam).
Giovanni Bellotti is an architect and researcher based in Maastricht and Rotterdam. Giovanni completed his master’s degree in architecture at the IUAV University of Venice and TU Delft, and holds a post graduate degree from the SMArchS program in Architecture and Urbanism from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he won the “Best Thesis Award”, along several department grants. He is a Fulbright Fellow and Miguel Vinciguerra fund recipient, his work has been exhibited at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam (IABR, 2013), the MAXXI Museum in Rome (RE-Cycle, 2010), and the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju (Imagining New Eurasia, 2015), and published on printed and digital media (Harvard Design Magazine, Abitare, Archdaily, AD Magazine, Domus, Landscape Architecture Frontiers, the Architectural Review Folio, Bartlett’s Lobby, Afasia Archzine). Prior to joining Studio Ossidiana, Giovanni practiced as an architect in Europe and the US, and worked as a researcher at TU Delft’s The Why Factory (T?F) and MIT’s Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU). Along his role in Studio Ossidiana, Giovanni is currently a researcher at the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht.