Born in Cremona in 1960 Laviani attends the Istituto Professionale Internazionale per l’Artigianato Liutario e del Legno di Cremona, receiving his degree in 1978. He later attends the Faculty of Architecture, at the Politecnico di Milano where he graduates in 1986, while attending at the same time the Scuola  Politecnica di Design in Milan from 1982 to 1984.
In 1983 he starts working for Michele De Lucchi; he becomes a partner in 1986 and works there until 1991, when he decides to open his own studio in Milan. Laviani’s work mainly focuses on product design, interior design, art direction and graphics. Since 1991, he is the Art Director for Kartell; same role he has played for other companies such as Flos, De Padova, Foscarini, Moroso, Society (Limonta), Emmemobili.
He designs retail spaces, set-ups, offices and houses for private clients, as well as, furniture amoung his clients are brands like Cassina, Dolce e Gabbana, Dada – Molteni & C., Barovier & Toso, Piper- Heidsieck, Missoni, Citroen, Hansgrohe, Martini e Rossi, Swarovski, Veuve Cliquot, Moët Hennessy, Marazzi Group, La Rinascente, Piombo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Paula Cademartori, Renault, Zuhair Murad, Haworth, Emilio Pucci, Zara, Habitat, Society (Limonta), Pasticceria Cova, Samsung.
 In 2008 an exhibition was dedicated to the lamps he designed for Kartell, and was set up at Metropol Dolce & Gabbana space in Milan. Bourgie and Take lamps designed for Kartell are part of the permanent Collection of IMA, Indianapolis Museum of Art (USA), and many of his products have been featured in museums and shows all over the world.
 In 2015, Laviani develops a new concept for Kartell Museum in Noviglio, updating his previous interior design project which he had conceived in 1999, when he received the award Premio Guggenheim Impresa & Cultura 2000, as the best museum of a private company.
 His designs are included in the collection of several brands: Kartell, Foscarini, Bisazza, Dada – Molteni, Emmemobili, Moroso, UnoPiù, Lema, Poltrona Frau, Fontana Arte, F.lli Boffi, Richard Ginori, Laufen, Citco, Ragno-Marazzi Group, Memphis, Driade, Panasonic, Pelikan.