Marcela Grassi Photography

02/06/2026

At the ABaC Hotel-Restaurant, the garden intervention by José María Blas restores and reinterprets the landscape originally designed by Beth Figueras in the 1990s.

I photographed the project at the end of June 2025, moving through a sequence of spaces that slowly reveal different relationships between architecture, water, and vegetation. The arrival to the restaurant is framed by planted beds and a ramp alongside a water wall, where a continuous thread of water falls into a pond below. From the first moments, the sound of water shapes the atmosphere of the space.

The main garden, in front of the porch, feels noticeably wilder than the geometric composition that existed before. Different garden expressions coexist within the same landscape, creating a layered experience as you move through the site.

One of the aspects that stayed with me most was the presence of edible plants, herbs, and spices integrated throughout the intervention. During the shoot, I photographed chef Carlos Hernandez Esteban collecting ingredients directly from the garden to use in the kitchen, a simple gesture that made the connection between landscape and gastronomy feel very immediate and real.

The intervention also reaches the roof, where a more organic green roof helps lower ambient temperatures while increasing biodiversity. As in many of José María Blas’ projects, the planting design reflects a careful study of biophilic principles, seeking balance and resilience between species.

A very natural project, and a beautiful one to experience through photography.

If you’d like to see more of my work and the full series from this project, you can find everything on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcelagrassiphotography/

06/05/2026

I’m very happy to share that I will be giving an upcoming lecture at LCI Barcelona as part of the DI55ECCIONS series, a space dedicated to conversations around design, visual arts, and creative practice.

In this talk, I’ll speak about my approach to architectural and interior photography, and how I understand images as a way of translating the intentions behind a project. Beyond framing, I’m interested in how time, observation, and lived experience shape the way we read and represent space.

It will also be a moment to look back at the path that brought me here, from studying architecture in Ferrara to gradually building a photographic practice influenced by different contexts and ways of seeing.

The lecture will take place on May 18th at 18:00 at the LCI Barcelona campus.

I would love to see you there, don’t forget to sign up if you’d like to join.✨

https://barcelona.lcieducation.com/es/noticias-y-eventos/eventos/di55eccions-ventana-tiempo-marcela-grassi

No te pierdas la charla de la ganadora del Premio Lux de Fotografía de Arquitectura e Interiorismo en 2021 (Plata) y 2024 (Bronce).

05/05/2026

During this year’s Salone del Mobile, I had the opportunity to photograph three very different installations, each one approaching space from a distinct perspective.

For Frezza Office Furniture ’s showroom, designed by EMArchitect , the project embraced its own unfinished state. Construction materials, cardboard, scaffold fabrics, temporary lighting, became the language of the space. Through them, the studio recreated classical references from the Veneto region, with subtle echoes of Canova’s sculptures and Renaissance elements. Moving through it felt like navigating between something in progress and something deeply rooted in history.

At Nilufar Gallery, Andrea Mancuso presented a moving luminaire, almost like a mechanical creature. Its independent elements introduced a sense of rhythm, while Kriskadecor ’s aluminum curtains shaped an immersive environment, filtering light and framing the space with precision.

Inside Palazzo Castiglioni, Studiopepe. created a quieter dialogue. Within the historical setting, Spanish design brands were arranged across rooms and the interior garden, with Kriskadecor ’s curtains gently fragmenting the space. The atmosphere was soft, layered, and carefully balanced with the architecture.

Three projects, each with its own tempo, between the temporary and the monumental, movement and stillness, intervention and context.

For a closer look at these spaces, you can find more on my Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/marcelagrassiphotography

23/04/2026

I’m very happy to share that I will be giving an upcoming lecture at LCI Barcelona as part of the DI55ECCIONS series, a space dedicated to conversations around design, visual arts, and creative practice.

In this talk, I’ll speak about my approach to architectural and interior photography, and how I understand images as a way of translating the intentions behind a project. Beyond framing, I’m interested in how time, observation, and lived experience shape the way we read and represent space.

It will also be a moment to look back at the path that brought me here — from studying architecture in Ferrara to gradually building a photographic practice influenced by different contexts and ways of seeing.

The lecture will take place on April 30th at 18:00 at the LCI Barcelona campus.

I would love to see you there — don’t forget to sign up if you’d like to join.✨

No te pierdas la charla de la ganadora del Premio Lux de Fotografía de Arquitectura e Interiorismo en 2021 (Plata) y 2024 (Bronce).

21/04/2026

La scorsa settimana ho avuto il piacere di dare una conferenza all'Università di Ferrara, nello stesso Dipartimento di Architettura dove ho studiato anni fa. Tenuta all'interno del corso "Tecniche di Rappresentazione Architettonica", la conferenza faceva parte del ciclo ""Tra Architettura e Fotografia"", che si é svolto, insieme ai Prof. Arch. Luca Rossato e Vladimir Slapeta.

Tornare in questo contesto è stato particolarmente significativo: un modo per ricollegare le basi accademiche al mio attuale lavoro di fotografa di architettura, e riflettere su come entrambe le discipline continuino a influenzarsi reciprocamente nel tempo.

Condivido qui la registrazione completa della conferenza per coloro che potrebbero trovare interessante l'intersezione tra architettura e creazione di immagini:

https://youtu.be/zvIg4KHxd88

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Last week I had the opportunity to give a conference at the University of Ferrara, in the same Department of Architecture where I studied years ago.

Returning to this context was especially meaningful: a way to reconnect academic foundations with my current work photographing architecture, and to reflect on how both disciplines continue to inform each other over time.

The talk was part of the series Between Architecture and Photography, within the course Techniques of Architectural Representation.

I’m sharing the full conference here for those who may find the intersection between architecture and image-making interesting.

20/04/2026

In 2025, I photographed the Bover stand during Euroluce in Milan, working within a space entirely dedicated to light and its interaction with form, material, and atmosphere.

Euroluce, held as part of Salone del Mobile every two years, brings together lighting design in a more focused way. In this context, Bover presented a series of new pieces within a stand defined by a calm and restrained architectural language.

The design felt clean and intentional, with a subtle dialogue between Mediterranean and Japanese influences. Wooden roll-up elements introduced a sense of rhythm and permeability, filtering views and light while softly structuring the space. The overall composition remained open and calm, allowing each lighting piece to be experienced without distraction.

Beyond the interior, the stand also incorporated an outdoor setting, where lighting for exterior use could be seen in a more natural environment, extending the narrative beyond the enclosed space.

I first became familiar with Bover through their collaborations with Benedetta Tagliabue, and it was especially meaningful to photograph their new collection in this context. Spending time documenting each piece and its relationship to the space became an exercise in observing how light defines both object and atmosphere.

I'll be sharing highlights from this year's Salone del Mobile on my Instagram Stories. Follow along to stay updated 😊https://www.instagram.com/marcelagrassiphotography

13/04/2026

Photographing Blue Square Inn in Milan, in the Tortona district, meant stepping into a space shaped by movement, especially during the intensity of Salone del Mobile.

I worked on this project last year, during Design Week, on assignment for Andreu World. The restaurant becomes part of the city’s rhythm in those days, full of energy, people, and overlapping conversations between design, food, and music.

The space is open and luminous, with a contemporary character that feels both precise and relaxed. Inside, the atmosphere shifts throughout the day, supported by a young team and moments like DJ sets that bring a certain fluidity to the experience. The kitchen, visible and modern, reinforces that sense of openness.

Andreu World ’s pieces, including designs by Patricia Urquiola , are integrated across both interior and exterior areas. While photographing, I was drawn to how naturally these elements settle into the space, never dominating, but quietly structuring how people sit, gather, and move.

Returning to these images now, especially as Milan prepares again for Design Week, brings back that particular intensity of photographing in a city fully immersed in design.

Find more about this project on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcelagrassiphotography

09/04/2026

On April 13th, I will be giving a conference at the University of Ferrara, in the Department of Architecture where I studied years ago, as part of the conference series Between Architecture and Photography.

This conference is an opportunity to connect those two moments: the academic foundation and my current practice photographing architecture.

I will be speaking at 9:30 in Aula E1, within the course Techniques of Architectural Representation, led by Luca Rossato and Fabiana Raco.

25/03/2026

Por primera vez he vuelto a la ETSAB en el otro lado del Aula. Ha sido un placer conocer al resto del Jurado y las interesantes propuestas que han presentado los estudiantes de LAC - Laboratori d'Arquitectura Computacional
ETSAB - UPC, Barcelona. Creo que es muy enriquecedor el intercambio de creatividad e inspiración que hemos tenido entre todos.

Gracias a los profesores: Relja Ferusic Manusev, Carles Sala, Salvador Gilabert Sanz, Omar Fabrisio Avellaneda Lopez

Y a las arquitectas que han hecho de jurado conmigo: Cecilia Obiol Cordón, Cecilia Rodriguez Vielba

23/03/2026

I returned several times to the building, gradually discovering how its architecture unfolds through movement. One of the most striking aspects is how the volumes are excavated and connected through a sequence of interior stairs and exterior ramps. These routes cut through the building envelope and reveal the section of the project, giving the architecture a very distinctive volumetric presence.

From the outside, the building feels almost like a jewel box: a metallic, reflective skin interrupted by precise glass openings. Through these cuts you can glimpse the activity inside, students working, moving between spaces, preparing their projects. The architecture allows the life of the school to appear subtly through the building itself.

Inside, the spaces are organized around a large vertical void that brings light deep into the building. Sculptural metal staircases cross this space, and from the lower level a large white staircase rises through the full height of the building, connecting the different programs.

Even the underground workshops receive an unexpected amount of daylight thanks to the height and distribution of the volumes. During my visits, many students were preparing and presenting their fashion collections, filling the building with a quiet but intense creative energy.

During the sessions I had the invaluable help of Sofía Omella, who was doing an internship with me at the time and appears in some of the photographs. On the rooftop terrace we were also accompanied one day by a small lost seagull, while others had built their nests nearby.

I also photographed the building at night, when the interior light reveals fragments of activity through the glass openings.

Architecture, movement, light, and the presence of people learning and creating all came together in a very special way in this project.

You can now see the complete photographic series of this project on my website.

https://marcelagrassi.com/porfolio/lci-school-circular-studio/