ANDREA MATI

ANDREA MATI

“Our experiences are based on care, healing and living immersed in nature.”

Andrea Mati has always worked in dialogue with nature.
Co-owner of MATI 1909 alongside his brothers Francesco and Paolo, and president of the social cooperative Giardineria Italiana, Andrea Mati is widely recognized as one of Italy’s leading experts in the design of therapeutic green spaces. For years, he has been dedicated to this field, working closely with medical specialists and psychologists.

His expertise is rooted in the study of architecture, the art of gardens and music.

His name is associated with major landscaping projects in Italy and abroad, often carried out in collaboration with renowned architects and landscape designers. Yet Andrea Mati’s calling has always been to find ways of addressing social challenges using plants. His vision and professional contribution have been channelled into initiatives that support the rehabilitation of individuals who, by working the land and observing plants grow – in other words, caring for other living beings – begin to take better care of themselves.

Gli Spazi Verdi Terapeutici, progettati da Andrea Mati per la cura di diverse, singole patologie, offrono una serie di esperienze guidate.

Ogni persona, lavorando e seguendo questo metodo di cura nel verde, collabora in modo attivo e facilita il percorso verso la propria guarigione.

With these goals in mind, in the early 2000s, Andrea Mati founded two cooperatives engaged in plant nursery and landscaping, the design, creation and maintenance of green spaces and the rehabilitation of individuals belonging to protected groups.

In collaboration with doctors and psychologists, Andrea Mati developed his unique Therapeutic Green Spaces, putting the “power of nature” at the centre not only to alleviate symptoms related to specific conditions, but prevent them from arising in the first place. Today, many therapeutic gardens implemented in both public and private healthcare settings follow his distinctive approach.

Gli Spazi Verdi Terapeutici, progettati da Andrea Mati per la cura di diverse, singole patologie, offrono una serie di esperienze guidate.

Ogni persona, lavorando e seguendo questo metodo di cura nel verde, collabora in modo attivo e facilita il percorso verso la propria guarigione.

Andrea Mati’s story and activities.

A green commitment to social causes

1986 - ongoing: Engages in the design, management and maintenance of all green spaces in the San Patrignano Community.

1989 - ongoing: Engages in the design and management of green spaces in the Comunità Incontro in Amelia, province of Terni.

2017 : Awarded the “Giorgio la Pira” prize in Pistoia for his social work.

Design and creation of therapeutic green spaces and gardens

1999: Establishes the Giardineria Italiana cooperative, where he currently serves as president, which is involved in plant transplanting and the routine and extraordinary maintenance of parks and gardens in Italy and several other European countries. The cooperative currently employs around 80 staff in addition to volunteer members.

2005 - ongoing: Assists with the design, management and maintenance of all green spaces in the "Castiglion del Bosco Resort" in Siena.

2013: Designs and creates a therapeutic garden in Pistoia specifically for Alzheimer’s patients in collaboration with Professor Giulio Masotti. The project is presented at the national medical conference for Alzheimer’s disease.

Every year, Andrea Mati takes part in the conference as a speaker.

2023: Conducts agronomic and design consultancy for the landscaping of Chorus Life in Bergamo.

2023: Engages in the design, creation and management of therapeutic gardens dedicated to the treatment of several disorders in various locations across Italy.

2025: Designs the first public Therapeutic Garden for Alzheimer's in Pistoia with the Turati Foundation.

2025: Launches the brand: ANDREA MATI SPAZI VERDI TERAPEUTICI e il METODO AM. per la RI-CONNESSIONE con la natura; texts outlining the fundamental principles and guidelines for designing THERAPEUTIC GREEN SPACES.

Teaching and conferences

2015: Holds a conference at Bocconi University in Milan on the topic of social business.

2015: Invited by the local Faculty of Agriculture, holds a conference in Perugia on the theme of “Healing through plants”.

2016 - ongoing: Collaborates with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and Yunus Social Business on projects to train young entrepreneurs.

2022 - ongoing: Lecturer at the University of Bologna - Alma Mater Studiorum’s master’s in Therapeutic Horticulture.

2022: Organizes the first National Conference on Therapeutic Green Spaces.

2023: Organizes the second National Conference on Therapeutic Green Spaces.

2024: Organizes the third National Conference on Therapeutic Green Spaces.

2025: Participates in the Conference on Therapeutic Green Spaces and its planning in Gorizia in collaboration with CariGo Foundation.

Art and books

2015: 2000: Undertakes an artistic collaboration with Fattoria di Celle (Celle Farmhouse) in Santomato, province of Pistoia.

2021: Invited to Ca’ Sagredo in Venice to exhibit his artwork “La legge del cerchio” (“The Law of the Circle”) on the relationship between humanity, nature and architecture, embedded in a series of events for the Venice Architecture Biennale.

2022 : His book “Salvarsi con il verde – La rivoluzione del metro quadro vegetale” (“Healing Through Plants – The Green Square Meter Revolution”) is published by Giunti.

Gli Spazi Verdi Terapeutici, progettati da Andrea Mati per la cura di diverse, singole patologie, offrono una serie di esperienze guidate.

Ogni persona, lavorando e seguendo questo metodo di cura nel verde, collabora in modo attivo e facilita il percorso verso la propria guarigione.