set architects

House with Reflective Furniture

In Rome’s Nomentano district, near Villa Torlonia, we transformed an early 20th century apartment for a young family.
Two new openings redefine the living area as a continuous and reconfigurable space. Sliding doors and folding panels allow different degrees of privacy and domestic use over time.
Original doors, colored glass and ceiling moldings are preserved alongside custom oak parquet, glossy lacquered furnishings and stainless steel elements.

An intimate dialogue between permanence and transformation.

Photos

Set Architects is a Rome-based architecture practice led by Onorato Di Manno and Andrea Tanci.
The studio works across scales, from interiors and exhibition design to buildings and masterplans.
The work has received awards and is widely published internationally.
Practice is combined with academic research, with teaching at Sapienza Università di Roma, University of Iowa and IED Roma.

HEREAFTER
Exhibition Rome program design
Iowa State University College
Gallery 131

The course for the second semester 2025/2026 at centers on the design of a mobile cinema addressing socially engaged themes, conceived as a cultural and spatial device.

More specifically, students will be required to develop an architectural proposal for ephemeral, demountable, and transportable structures, intended for temporary installation within schools and public squares. The project will investigate issues of adaptability, reversibility, material economy, and the relationship between temporary architecture and the public realm.

2403_ADR_ Apartment_Rome_Ongoing

City housing competition
Residential and Commercial Complex in Podgorica
Selected project
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The common courtyard
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Project: Set Architects (Onorato di Manno, Andrea Tanci)
Collaborators: Maria Lidia Tamburro, Giorgia Carare, Marie Barfuss
Stucture and MEP:
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City housing competition
Residential and Commercial Complex in Podgorica
Selected project
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The project investigates a distinctive yet restrained architecture, deeply rooted in its local context,
balancing creativity and functionality within realistic economic constraints. A clear architectural language
engages with the territory while addressing contemporary living needs.
The quality of collective housing is central to the proposal, with carefully organized spaces that enhance the relationship between buildings, green areas, and the surrounding landscape. Shared spaces are conceived
to support social interaction, safety, and a sense of community.
Flexibility guides the design of housing units and interiors, allowing adaptation to different household
structures and social needs. This approach enables the residential complex to evolve over time, promoting
an accessible, inclusive, and sustainable model of living.
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Project: Set Architects
Collaborators: Maria Lidia Tamburro, Giorgia Carare, Marie Barfuss
Stucture and MEP:

2505_CHP_SOCIAL HOUSING_STUDY MODEL