Inside The Open is a research and creative agency committed to fostering a socially and environmentally responsible practice through innovative architectural thinking and design.

• We strongly believe in the power of design and architectural thinking, practiced as “joining the dots” through specific projects — adding value and creating comfort regardless of scale, budget, or conditions.
• We are identity providers, giving new meaning to space and locality by honoring deep-rooted cultural values and respecting existing contexts, while utilizing architectural disciplinary values such as theory, history, and critical positioning.
• We believe in the power of a highly collaborative design approach that harmonizes architecture and nature.

The agency’s diverse scope spans interior and architectural design, urban planning, research, writing, education, and public dialogue. Each project is a focused exploration of architecture’s capacity to contribute positively to our cultural and physical environment. With many of our projects located on vacant urban or rural plots, in sensitive landscapes, or in historic settings, our vision is to deliver results that transcend the expectations of both the client and the end-user.

Founder & Design Director

Nicola Desiderio is an ARB-qualified and RIBA-chartered architect educated at the University of Florence (Italy). With over 25 years of international experience, Nicola has led a wide variety of projects across Europe, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to founding Inside The Open, Nicola spent 15 years collaborating with world-renowned firms. This multicultural background has provided him with a sophisticated understanding of both new builds and complex restoration programs. Nicola possesses a comprehensive grasp of architectural processes and challenges from every perspective. Building on this expertise, he champions an environmentally responsible approach where energy efficiency and green design are seamlessly integrated with the evolving needs of the user and the wellbeing of the communities in which the agency intervenes.