Paolo Piva, born in Adria in 1950, was an Italian-Austrian architect and designer. He began his studies in 1968 at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Venice, while collaborating on the realization of various projects for the Wig 74 competition in Vienna and for the competition on the monument to the resistance of the city of Modena. In 1973 he graduated with a thesis on Vienna. In 1975, followed by his professors Carlo Scarpa and Tafuri, he participates in the research for the realization of a major exhibition on Vienna relating to the socialist period which will lead to a real exhibition in Rome called Red Vienna in 1980. With Tafuri he edits the book- exhibition catalog and set-up coordination. In the same year, on behalf of Kuwait, he designed the country's embassy in Qatar and other buildings in Italy. Subsequently he was called for various projects such as the fitting out of some chains of clothing stores, for the renovation of the Lingotto Fiat in Turin and for the renovation of the Remer palace in Venice. In 1987 he won the Compasso d'Oro award. Paolo Piva has worked as a designer in many national and international furniture companies such as B&B Italia and Wittmann Austria.