The latest volume in the Progressive series is dedicated to Barreca & La Varra, a practice founded in Milan by Gianandrea Barreca and Giovanni La Varra, which ranks amongst the most influential names in contemporary Italian architecture.

The selection of works traces a design journey that continually engages with different themes and scales, from residential spaces to public spaces, from office complexes to urban regeneration projects. A vision of architecture as a tool for transforming the city lies at the heart of the practice’s research, with an approach geared towards interpreting the needs of contemporary society without neglecting dialogue with history, the relationship with the landscape and the built environment.

Gianandrea Barreca and Giovanni La Varra founded the practice in Milan in 2008, though they had been working together since 1999 (when Boeri Studio was established). The team’s approach is deeply rooted in Italian design culture but looks to Europe as a source of inspiration and exchange. The founding partners’ teaching experience at various Italian and international universities has enriched and influenced their professional choices. The practice specialises in architectural and urban design, from the initial conceptual stages through to the artistic supervision of projects on site.