MB-AA Matteo Belfiore Architect and Associates

28/08/2026

BEHIND THE BOOKSHELF: INSIDE NOMLAB, WHERE RESEARCH BECOMES SPACE
Article by Matteo Belfiore

What happens when research becomes a driving force behind architecture and spatial design?

Architect and researcher Matteo Belfiore recently visited NOMLAB, the creative research environment of Nomura, and met Yoshihisa Goto and Naoru Hara, together with the NOMLAB team.

What began with a chance encounter in Daikanyama developed into a fascinating conversation about sustainability, materials, experimentation and the future of spatial design.

Hidden behind an unexpected bookshelf at Nomura’s headquarters, NOMLAB is a place where questions become prototypes, experiments are tested and research finds its way into real spaces.

From Japanese timber and circular materials to new approaches to environmental comfort and natural phenomena, the visit offered an opportunity to reflect on a fundamental question:
How can research move beyond the laboratory and actively shape the architecture and spaces we experience every day?

Read the full article by Matteo Belfiore, published by ADF Web Magazine 青山デザインフォーラム:
https://www.adfwebmagazine.jp/en/architect/behind-the-bookshelf-inside-nomlab-where-research-becomes-space/

乃村工藝社 未来創造研究所

New possibilities for spaces emerging from research and…

28/08/2026

HOMOGENIZED DESIGN: WHERE HAS BEAUTY GONE?
Article by Valentina Cannava

Are we living in an age of increasingly homogenized design?

The same colours.
The same materials.
The same furniture.
The same shapes.
The same atmospheres.

Minimalism has given us clarity, essentiality and a new way of thinking about space.
But as it has become a global visual language, a question emerges:
Have we started confusing simplicity with sameness?

In this article, we explore the gradual loss of individuality, identity and beauty in contemporary architecture and design.
From our cities to our interiors, from glass façades and neutral palettes to the increasingly familiar language of contemporary spaces, the article explores a growing sense of visual homogenization.

This is not a call for more decoration, nor a rejection of minimalism.
It is an invitation to ask ourselves something more fundamental:
“In our pursuit of simplicity, efficiency and contemporary aesthetics, have we forgotten to leave room for imagination, character and beauty?”

Read the full article, published by ADF Web Magazine 青山デザインフォーラム.
https://www.adfwebmagazine.jp/en/design/homogenized-design-where-has-beauty-gone/

As minimalism becomes a global design language, are we …

18/08/2026

18/08/2026

Ettore Sottsass
Design begins where magic begins

12/08/2026

INTESA SANPAOLO HEADQUARTERS, 2021
Where Italian identity meets Japanese clarity.

The workplace becomes a quiet expression of identity.
Designed for the Tokyo headquarters of Intesa Sanpaolo, this project interprets the dialogue between Italian design culture and Japanese minimalism through light, transparency, and carefully calibrated materiality. Large glazed partitions preserve openness and natural light while integrating photochromic technology to balance privacy and collaboration as needs evolve.

Rather than relying on overt branding, the office expresses the bank's values through spatial experience. Italian landscapes displayed along the circulation path, an origami-inspired artwork in the meeting room, and a restrained palette create a workplace that communicates culture with subtlety and precision. Flexible furnishings support changing work patterns, while carefully integrated brand accents reinforce a sense of belonging.

The result is a contemporary workplace where architecture, identity, and well-being are seamlessly connected through clarity, adaptability, and timeless design.

CREDITS
PROJECT: Intesa San Paolo HQ, 2021
LOCATION: Tokyo
CLIENT: Intesa Sanpaolo
PROJECT by: MB-AA
SERVICES: Interior Design, Graphic Design, Product Design
PHOTO:






CONTRACTOR / PARTNERS:


Explore this project in detail on our website:
https://matteobelfiore.com/intesasanpaolo-headquarters/

MB-AA | Intesa Sanpaolo Headquarters | The new Intesa Sanpaolo office is a modern space designed to promote employees’ well-being, encourage dialogue, and improve productivity.

06/08/2026

CYBERNET JAPAN HQ, 2021

A workplace designed around people, flexibility, and well-being.

The workplace performs best when it adapts to people - not the other way around.
Designed for Cybernet Systems’ headquarters in Tokyo, this project reimagines the office as a flexible, human-centered environment where collaboration, concentration, and well-being coexist. Inspired by the spatial flexibility of traditional Japanese architecture, the layout combines open-plan areas, transparent partitions, and intelligent zoning to encourage dialogue while supporting different modes of work.

Three principles define the project: biophilic design, Activity Based Working, and a thoughtful integration of Italian design culture with Japanese minimalism. The "Cyber-garden" welcomes visitors with a calm, nature-inspired atmosphere, while modular workspaces, ergonomic furniture, and abundant natural light create an environment that promotes comfort, creativity, and productivity.

More than a workplace, the headquarters becomes a spatial ecosystem where architecture, technology, and materiality work together to enhance everyday experience.

CREDITS
PROJECT: Cybernet Japan Hq, 2021
LOCATION: Tokyo
PROJECT by: MB-AA
SERVICES: Interior Design, Graphic Design, Product Design�
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Discover the full project and the design approach behind it on our website:
https://matteobelfiore.com/cybernet-headquarters-tokyo/

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MB-AA | Cybernet Japan Headquarters | The new Cybernet office is a modern space designed to promote employees’ wellbeing, encourage dialogue, and improve productivity.

04/08/2026

IN GIAPPONE L’ARCIPELAGO DEL DESIGN ITALIANO
Article by Stefano Carrer

Italian design is often associated with iconic products and timeless aesthetics. But what lies behind its global recognition?

A recent feature by Il Sole 24 Ore explores the cultural value of Italian design through a project developed in Tokyo, offering a broader reflection on identity, craftsmanship, innovation, and the dialogue between Italy and Japan.

An opportunity to discover how design can become a powerful tool for cultural exchange, extending beyond objects to tell stories, build connections, and shape new perspectives.

Read the full article on Il Sole 24 Ore.

L'Italian Design Day prosegue in Giappone per quasi tutto luglio: fino al 27, all'Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Tokyo è allestita la mostra «L'arcipelago...

04/08/2026

EVENT DESIGN
Service
We conceive events as experiences in which content, space and coordination work together.
Whether corporate, cultural or promotional, an event should feel coherent in every dimension: concept, staging, timing, atmosphere and guest experience. Our role is to translate an objective or message into a spatially clear and carefully orchestrated format.
At MBAA, event design means giving content a precise and memorable form.
Discover our vision, services, and approach to design.
https://mb-aa.com
Link in bio 🔝

04/08/2026

1920/2020 VICO MAGISTRETTI AT ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE TOKYO
Article by Matteo Belfiore

Timeless design is never defined by trends.

One hundred years after the birth of Vico Magistretti, his work continues to demonstrate how simplicity, functionality, and elegance can coexist in enduring design. From furniture and lighting to architecture, his projects reveal a unique ability to transform everyday objects into lasting icons through clarity of form and thoughtful innovation.
This article reflects on Magistretti's legacy and the values that continue to influence contemporary design, celebrating a vision where creativity is expressed through precision rather than excess.

Read the full article on ADF Web Magazine
https://www.adfwebmagazine.jp/en/design/1920-2020-vico-magistretti/

1920/2020 Vico Magistretti he coronavirus pandemic is s…

31/07/2026

BRANDED RESIDENCES. A LUXURY DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR JAPAN
Insights

Branded residences are redefining contemporary living.

More than a luxury trend, branded residences represent a new way of conceiving residential architecture - where design, hospitality, and brand identity come together to create a coherent living experience. In these projects, value is not expressed only through prestigious names, but through carefully designed spaces, tailored services, and a clear architectural vision.

As this model continues to grow internationally, it raises new questions about how identity, quality, and lifestyle can be translated into the residential environment. What makes a branded residence truly meaningful is not the logo itself, but the consistency between architecture, interiors, services, and everyday experience.

Discover our insights on the evolving world of branded residences:
https://matteobelfiore.com/branded-residences/