Piano Piano is a process, a walk in which through architecture
we find, as Alison and Peter Smithson used to say,
the basic needs elevated to a poetic level:
the simple life well done.
Piano Piano is Maria Donnini and Maria Grifo, architects from the ETSA of València. From our time in Italy and Portugal we have learned to appreciate the taste for detail, the delicacy and the beauty of the simple things, that find elegance in the millimeter and in the appropriate combination of texture and color. We also learned to work on what has already been built and we discovered the respect that this kind of architecture professes, whether cultured or coming from non-architects. But at the same time, we learned to value architecture as a profession, in a practical sense, but also in a theoretical sense, which we think it’s very important nowadays.
All of them are issues that we apply in our projects and daily work.
We understand the process of making architecture as a universe made up of a multitude of arbitrary and fascinating things that have no value if they persist alone, but they can give an adequate response if combined in a common narrative discourse.
Works, projects and competitions
2023.Casa patio casa patio. Housing refurbishment
2023.Casa 3 en 1. Housing refurbishment. Velluters. València
2023.El camino de la almazara. Recovery of an oil mill-laundry and its natural surroundings. First prize competition. La Artejuela, Arañuel. Together with Carpe and MHA Arquitectura
2023.Botànic. Housing refurbishment. El Botànic. València
2023.In progress. Construction of single-family house. Alfafar
2023.In progress. Construction of single-family house. El Cabanyal, València
2023.In progress. Housing refurbishment. L’Eixample. València
2023.In progress. Construction of single-family house. Foios
2023.In progress. Construction of single-family house.Fortaleny
2022.Les pinyes del Cabanyal. Rehabilitation of a two-family building. El Cabanyal. València
2022.Traces i Petjades. Competition Espai Dones i Igualtat. Together with Carpe, MHA Arquitectura and Manu Monteagudo. El Carme. València.
2022.Casa en espina de pez. Housing refurbishment. L’Eixample. València
2021.La volteta del Carmen. Housing refurbishment. El Carme. València
2021.La casa del cantó. Construction of single-family house. Foios
2021.Casa de recortes y fragmentos. Housing refurbishment. València
2021.El octógono de Pelayo. Housing refurbishment. La Roqueta. València
2021.Altillo en Sueca. Housing refurbishment. Russafa. València
2021.De la Plaça al Palau. Housing refurbishment. Betxí
2021.La casa festejadora. Housing refurbishment. Betxí
2021.Casa de doce pilares. Construction of single-family house. Foios
2021.refurbishment and extension of the Foios Town Hall. Competition. Together with Carpe
2021.Preliminary architectural design for the construction of a day care center. Castelló. Together with Carpe
2020.Ciudad Contexto. Digital project. Together with Carpe and Silvia Puerto. ciudadcontexto.com
2019.Aneta Sound. Sound studio. Orriols. València
2019.La excusa de tomar el té. Housing refurbishment. Russafa. València
2019.Escriptori Urbà. Competition. Remodeling of Plaça Major de Borriana, Castelló. Together with Carpe
2018.Espacio de bienestar. Self-Care Center. Russafa. València
2018.Vila Barberà. Housing refurbishment. Arrancapins. València
2018.BIB Villaverde. Competition. Proposal for a new library. Madrid. Together with Carpe and Crux Arquitectos
2018.El agua fluye de este a oeste. Competition Proposal for the remodeling of the Plaça dels Xorros. La Font d’en Carròs
2018.New health care complex “Ernest Lluch” (Old La Fe Hospital). Competition.
València. Together with Sogo Arquitectos, José Olagüe, Gerardo Solera y Luis Gimeno
Awards, lectures and exhibitions
2023.El octógono de Pelayo COACV 2023 Awards in the category ‘Interventions in existing buildings’.
2023.First Prize CRU Competition of the Diputació de Castelló Recovery of an oil mill-laundry and its natural surroundings. La Artejuela, Arañuel together with Carpe and MHA Arquitectura
2023.Casa de recortes y fragmentos. Selected work in the exhibition Arquitectura reciente en València 2020-21-22 del CTAV
2022.La casa del cantó. Selected work Premio Arquitectura Teja 2019-2021 de Hispalyt
2022.Piano Piano Selected work in the exhibition Ecosistemas.zip. Madrid
2020.La excusa de tomar el té. Selected work in the exhibition VII Edición 2018-2019 bienal Arquia Próxima ‘Punto de inflexión. Posiciones radicales para un mundo en cambio’
2020.Lecture at Taller 3 ETSAV ‘Un universo infinito de elementos fascinantes’
2020.La excusa de tomar el té. Selected work in the exhibition Arquitectura reciente en València 2017-18-19 del CTAV.
2020.Microtalk at CTAV Arquitectura reciente en València 2017-18-19 exhibition
Publications
Piano Piano at Coopera Magazine, Las Provincias
La casa del cantó at Conarquitectura Nº82. Vivienda AC, Culturplaza, Designboom, Divisare, Archisearch, Plataforma Arquitectura, Elle Decor Italia
Archdaily, Metalocus, Living Corriere, El País Semanal, Arquitectura Viva, Veredes, Archello, Dwell, Magaceen, OnDiseño nº407. Cerámica en la arquitectura
El octógono de Pelayo at Archello, Archdaily, Divisare
De la Plaça al Palau at Divisare
Les Pinyes del Canbanyal at Divisare
La volteta del Carmen at Micasa, Divisare
Casa de doce pilares at Divisare, Veredes, Archello
Altillo en Sueca at Divisare
Casa de recortes y fragmentos at Flat Magazine, Divisare
Vila Barberà at Divisare
La casa festejadora at Divisare
La excusa de tomar el té at Singulares Magazine, Arqa, Veredes
Piano Piano at Culturplaza: ‘Playlist de arquitectura: las canciones a las que suenan estos edificios de València’, ‘La recepta Piano Piano. Contar històries per a mimar l’arquitectura’, ‘Cuando tu edificio es un ‘Perseverance’: en qué otro lugar lo harías aterrizar’, ‘València muy dark: los riesgos de la ciudad mediterránea ante los comercios fantasma’, ‘Vint projectes per a dissenyar un futur que canvia constantment’, ‘Qué otra plaza debería solapar a la Plaça de l’Ajuntament’
Piano Piano at HNA Conecta
Piano Piano at Arquitectura Viva nº244. Ecosistemas.zip: Spain’s Nex Generation Under 35
Piano Piano at València D’
Piano Piano at Neo2 nº174. Bestiarios Domésticos
Photography by Milena Villalba