If you've worked with us before, you knew us as Darkside Architecture Studio. That name served us well for five years. But as the studio evolved, the name stopped fitting. So we changed it.

This is the story of how Darkside became Studio Frino, and why.

Where It Started

Andre Frino started Darkside in 2020 after leaving Grimshaw Architects, where he and I (Ana Subotic) first met. He was young and the first clients he had saw him working on shop fitouts and hospitality projects where loud, punchy branding made sense. Darkside had energy. It was fun and unapologetic, and it matched the work.

I took a different path after Grimshaw. I decided to focus on residential design, and I started working with Bruce Stafford at Stafford Architecture, a well known residential design practice in Sydney. Five years later, Andre and I got married, and as Darkside Architecture started to get some traction through word of mouth, we decided to combine forces, and that's when we had to get honest about the brand.

Why "Studio Frino"

The new name is personal. Frino is Andre's surname, and it roots the studio in something real. Andre's family is Italian. My background is Yugoslavian. We both grew up around European design sensibilities: an appreciation for materials, proportion, light, and the way a space makes you feel before you even understand why.

"We wanted the rebrand to carry that DNA. Not as a gimmick, but as a genuine reflection of what shapes our thinking."

Studio Frino is influenced by Italian modernist graphic culture, bold geometry, and strong contrast, but the work itself is grounded in clarity and restraint. Confident without being loud. Considered without being cold.

"That tension between formality and informality is the heart of the studio."

What We're Focused On

Studio Frino is a residential design practice. That's where our passion is, and it's where we do our best work.

We design homes. Alterations, additions, new builds. We work with people who care about how they live and want their home to reflect that. The kind of projects where you sit with a family and really listen to how they move through their day, where the morning light matters, where the kids do homework, how they want to feel when they walk through the front door.

We still take on select commercial projects when they're the right fit, bespoke work where craft and intention matter. But residential is the centre of gravity.

The Team Behind the Rebrand

A rebrand is only as good as the people who shape it. We worked with Annalise Ianni from Double N Design Studio on the brand identity. She took everything we told her about the studio's character, the Italian influences, the interplay between discipline and charisma, and turned it into a visual system that feels exactly right. Bold, graphic, and full of personality without losing any seriousness.

Our website was designed and built by Ruby Williams from 80 Fifth, who translated the brand into a digital experience that does it justice.

What's Next

The new site is live. The work continues. If you've been following along since the Darkside days, thank you. And if you're just finding us now, welcome to the world of Studio Frino.

Header image by Martine Payne Photography