For over seventy years, Secco Sistemi has contributed to the evolution of architectural metalwork, redefining the language of windows, doors and façades. Founded in 1947 in Treviso by Aldo Secco, the company transformed what was once a craft into an industrial art form — inventing systems that became benchmarks for the entire building industry and continuously perfecting them in dialogue with contemporary architecture.

From Seccolor to Architectural Icons

In the early 1980s, Secco achieved international success with Seccolor, a coloured metal window system that won the Compasso d’Oro in 1981 and marked a turning point in Italian industrial design. Its pastel tones and refined appearance lent dignity and elegance to post-war public buildings throughout Italy.

Although the original Industrie Secco S.p.A. ceased operations in 1995, its legacy was reborn the same year when Luciano Gusmeroli and Alberto Agostini — the company’s former technical director — revived the brand with a new vision. No longer focused on standard construction, the renewed Secco Sistemi dedicated itself to architecture, to design, and to noble metals such as brass, corten, stainless and galvanised steel.

A Global Presence in Contemporary Architecture

Today, Secco Sistemi employs around 110 people and operates equally in the Italian and international markets, producing 2.5 million linear metres of profiles every year — enough for 200,000 doors and windows. Its 280 profiles, crafted in four metals and eight finishes, are used by leading architects worldwide.

The company’s systems feature in prestigious projects such as the Gallerie dell’Accademia with Tobia Scarpa, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi by Rem Koolhaas, James Simon Galerie in Berlin by David Chipperfield, and The Whiteley in London by Norman Foster, among many others.

Awards and Recognition

Beauty and innovation lie at the core of Secco Sistemi’s philosophy. This commitment has been recognised with multiple awards, including the Compasso d’Oro in 2017 for the OS2 system, designed for architecture and restoration, and again in 2022 for øG®, the magnetically levitating sliding door, a synthesis of aesthetic purity and advanced technology. Additional distinctions include the Architektur+ Bauwesen Award for XT, the Archiproducts Design Award, and participation in the Vatican Chapel project at the Venice Biennale.

Research, Experimentation and Secco-Lab

At the heart of the company lies Secco-Lab, an internal division dedicated to training, prototype testing and certification in partnership with Germany’s ift Rosenheim. This laboratory embodies Secco’s dual identity — both technical and creative — and provides the foundation for research, experimentation and product innovation.

Ethics and Sustainability

Secco Sistemi bases its growth on sustainable and responsible development. Its Integrated Management System for Quality, Environment and Safety, compliant with ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 50001, ensures that every product reflects respect for people, materials and the environment. The company’s values place equal emphasis on worker wellbeing, innovation and design quality.

The Pursuit of Beauty

For Secco, beauty is not an aesthetic afterthought but a cultural pursuit — an act of care expressed through materials, processes and ideas. As the company’s storytellers like to say: “Even a working process can generate beauty, when it is guided by purpose, by attention, and not by consumption.”