Designing Innovative 3D Textured Walls with ALPHACAM: A Masterpiece in Custom Fabrication

At Romano Studio, located in Santa Monica, designer and maker Mario Romano is redefining the art of architectural surfaces. Known as “Mr. Walls,” Romano and his team specialize in creating stunning, 3D textured surfaces using solid surface materials like Corian. By pushing the boundaries of design, they’re transforming spaces into breathtaking works of art that are instantly recognizable.

But what’s the secret behind their success? One of their key tools is ALPHACAM—a powerful CAM software that allows Romano Studio to bring their intricate designs to life with precision and efficiency.

Hear it from the Romano Studio team.

In the world of custom design, especially when creating complex architectural surfaces, precision is everything. For Romano Studio, working with CNC woodworking software like ALPHACAM is a game-changer. It ensures that their unique designs are translated seamlessly from digital concepts to physical installations, whether they’re crafting one-of-a-kind walls for a residential home or designing textured panels for a commercial space.

Mario Romano explains, “ALPHACAM allows for a very high level of expression. It reads our 3D linework, variable Z-depths, and all the different axes with ease. This is crucial for us because it ensures that every detail is captured accurately.”

When collaborating with fabricators around the world, Romano Studio faces the challenge of ensuring that their intricate designs are produced consistently. That’s where ALPHACAM’s universal compatibility comes in. No matter where a project is being fabricated—whether it’s in Los Angeles, Australia, or beyond—ALPHACAM ensures that local fabricators can read and process the studio’s files with ease.

“We’re always relieved when we find out a fabricator uses ALPHACAM,” says Romano. “It’s user-friendly and can interpret our complex geometry, which saves us time and minimizes errors. It’s a universal language that bridges any communication gaps we might have.”

Romano Studio’s approach goes beyond traditional mass production. Instead, they focus on mass customization—tailoring each project to fit the unique needs of their clients while maintaining the efficiency of large-scale production. By leveraging ALPHACAM’s robust capabilities, they can create intricate patterns, adjust depths, and customize textures on the fly.

One of the studio’s standout features is their ability to manipulate variable Z-depths throughout the design. This allows them to carve and shape surfaces that capture light in stunning ways, creating a “wow factor” that clients can’t get enough of. According to Romano, “By tinkering with the depths, we can really carve the light and express what we want to convey.”

For Mario Romano, being a “maker” is about more than just designing—it’s about creating something that you can touch, feel, and experience. With ALPHACAM, the studio can take designs from digital concepts to tangible, tactile surfaces that transform spaces. Romano describes it as the duality between working on a computer and physically interacting with the material: “There’s something fulfilling about being able to visualize an idea, draw it on the computer, and then use ALPHACAM to bring it to life.”

There’s something fulfilling about being able to visualize an idea, draw it on the computer, and then use ALPHACAM to bring it to life. – Mario Romano

One of the key advantages of using ALPHACAM is its global reach. Romano Studio often collaborates with fabricators worldwide to bring their designs to life. By sharing their digital files with trusted partners who also use ALPHACAM, they can ensure consistency in quality while reducing shipping costs and turnaround times. This seamless collaboration allows Romano Studio to focus on what they do best: designing innovative and inspiring spaces.

“CNC machining is like a set of paintbrushes for us,” says Romano. “It’s a tool that helps us sculpt and carve, turning walls into permanent pieces of art. ALPHACAM makes this process intuitive and efficient, allowing us to express our designs with confidence.”

Nature is a timeless source of inspiration for Mario Romano, influencing the organic forms and flowing patterns seen in his work. By integrating ALPHACAM into their creative process, Romano Studio is able to mimic the natural logic found in organic structures, achieving designs that are not only visually stunning but also functionally optimized.

As design trends continue to evolve, the demand for unique, custom surfaces is on the rise. ALPHACAM provides the flexibility and precision needed to meet these demands, empowering studios like Romano’s to push the boundaries of what’s possible in architectural design.
Whether you’re a fabricator, designer, or architect looking to bring your creative visions to life, ALPHACAM offers the tools you need to turn ideas into reality. At Planit Canada, we’re proud to support innovators like Mario Romano, who use our software to inspire, create, and elevate spaces across the globe.

Interested in learning more about ALPHACAM and how it can enhance your design projects? Contact us today to discover the possibilities.