Umberto Nordio graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1919. Among his early works will highlight the houses in Avenue Miramare (1929) and the Maritime Station of Trieste (1926-1928 ). In his work maintains Nordio a strong interest in the twentieth-century style and tends to make most functionalist solutions. After the Home of the Fighters and the Mausoleum of Guglielmo Oberdan (1929-1935) he draws different solutions to the Casa del balilla (1934).

In the second half of the thirties he projected architecture for fascist regime and participate in important design competitions in Rome for the Palazzo Littorio (1934), the Palace of Italian civilization (1937) and the Palace of water and light (1938). But it is in Trieste that he made his greatest work of the regime representation in the new seat of the university (1938-1950).

After the war he takes leadership role for young professionals from Trieste and become a reference point for cultural and administrative institutions. The professional activity is very intense in the first decade of the forties. He plans for the new fair in Trieste (1949). As the leader of the group consisting of Romano Boico, Aldo Cervi and Vittorio Frandoli was responsible for the design of the stands for the main cruise ships in the fifties. He designed many other architectures in collaboration with other professionals, such as Ina-house Chiadino (1955-1965), Palace of Government in Trieste (1962-1963) and the Regional Council's headquarters (1966).