Livio Castiglioni: Italian Industrial Designer and Lighting Innovator

Education

He studied architecture at the 🎓 Politecnico di Milano to 1936.

Biography

In 1938, Castiglioni and his brother Pier Giacomo Castiglioni set up a studio with Luigi Caccia Dominioni, which closed in 1940.

In 1940, they designed silver and aluminium flatware.
The 1940 first Italian plastic (bakelite) Model 547 radio by Phonola.
1940— 60, Castiglioni was a consultant to Phonola and,
1960—64, consultant and agent to Brionvega;
From 1946, collaborated on audio-visual technology with Radio Televisione Italiana, Montecatini Edison, Fiat, Eni, Italsider, Osram, the Eurodomus fair, La Rinascente department store, and Olivetti;
(with Umberto Eco) designed the audio-visual presentations at the Italian pavilion, 1967 Montreal ‘Universal and International Exhibition (Expo °67);
With Davide Boriani he designed the audio-visuals in the experimental section, 1970 (XXXV) Biennale di Venezia;
Until c1952, pursued lighting design, sometimes collaborating with brothers Pier Giacomo and Achille;
In 1956, he was active in the founding of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale), of which he was president 1959-60.

His lighting work often incorporated industrial materials and new bulb types, including his 1970 Boalum snake-like lighting (with Gianfranco Frattini) produced by Artemide.