With a name like Rigo de Righi, it will come as no surprise to readers that Fabio is Italian. He was born in the northern city of Milan, and while he has not resided in Italy for nearly 35 years, Fabio maintains a connection to his culturally and historically rich birthplace. Fabio and his family have lived all over the world, following his geologist father and his assignments in oil exploration. Still, Italy was always home. No matter where they were living at the time, the Rigo de Righi family always returned to Italy to spend summers with their relatives. From his grandmother's farmhouse on the Swiss border to his Uncles' estates near Lake Como and Lake Garda and from his Aunt Elvira's 400 year old farmhouse in Florence to his family's home in Rome, Fabio split his time between visiting family members and exploring the food, art and architecture of Italy. From the age of 12, he was hopping on trains to towns like Brescia, Mantova, Padova, Venice, Trieste, Verona and Bassano Del Grappa touring both architecture and countryside. This exposure to such a wide range of architectural styles, materials and treatments -- from rustic, to opulent, to refined; from historic to modern and rationalist -- was essential to forming Fabio's aesthetic and sparking his passion for design, form and volume.

As Fabio grew older he was able to build upon his love for architecture with knowledge of construction. From the age of 15, Fabio's uncles put him to work on construction sites during his summer visits to Italy. He worked on the tarmac of Malpensa International Airport in Milan as well as the roads and runways throughout Northern Italy and thanks to these summer jobs, Fabio gained an understanding and appreciation of construction far beyond anything that can be imagined while sitting at the drafting table. During construction of his own projects, Fabio always takes the time to talk with every person at the job site. From the foreman to the painters to the landscapers, Fabio shares his own experiences and learns from the talented trades-people and craftsmen. He has a genuine passion for construction and the built environment and has been able to mesh his construction experience with his passion for the traditions of Italian building and design -- arguably some of the highest design in the world. Applying these passions, his knowledge of construction and his aesthetic sense to clients' homes is one of the most important aspects of Fabio's work.

Fabio's formal education was at the University of Tennessee where he earned his BA in Architecture. Shortly after Fabio moved to Texas where he spent five years working for a commercial architecture firm doing large scale land planning for apartment complexes nationwide. After moving to California and working for a small downtown Los Angeles firm for a year, Fabio interviewed and got a job working with Richard Landry and the Landry Design Group. Fabio worked with them on projects for entertainment and sports celebrities -- building homes with almost limitless budgets – and he knew he had found a niche that brought him back to his Italian roots. After about 2 years, Fabio left the firm and assisted Robert Sinclair to build his business, knowing that one day he would begin his own high end residential design firm. In 1999 Fabio acquired his California Architect state license and started Domani Architecture + Planning Inc. In addition to obtaining his license in California, Domani's home state, he also holds licenses in Hawaii and Arizona. The opportunity Fabio had to work with a variety of architectural styles with Sinclair Associates and Landry Design Group, as well as in his life travels, taught him that the important qualities of architecture (light, volume, etc.) apply to any style. The remainder is working within the desired style, with the site, and with the client to create a spectacular project.

One of Fabio's proudest achievements to date is the remodeling of his mother's home in Florence. The site has a strong 'sense of place' for him as he had been going there for 30 years to visit his aunt. "My personal attachment to this site and existing structure meant that no corner or opportunity would go unexplored. Every time I looked at the site plan or survey I felt as if I was there. My imagination would take me down the driveway and through the walled streets of the neighborhood and into the city, immersing me in the site's surroundings. The home's design harmonizes with more than just the site but also comes into context with the surrounding hillsides for which Tuscany is so famous."

Fabio's passionate approach to creating a home with the client is a pleasurable journey that yields a product of the highest quality. In addition to his design sense, clients appreciate his integrity, moral values and work ethic -- qualities Fabio inherited from his Italian elders who's generation emerged from war torn Italy to rebuild and develop the country to what it is today -- as these qualities provide them with support in the many decisions they must make throughout the project. After all, a successful collaboration is essential to the realization of the client's dream and Fabio's vision.

"With every commission, challenges are turned into opportunities, opportunities are harnessed, and our clients' homes become sacred places for each of them and their families."