This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
The XII Triennale di Milano (1960) emerged at a moment of profound cultural and industrial transformation. Positioned between post-war reconstruction and accelerating technological change, the exhibition redefined the role of design in shaping modern life. Its central theme, “Home and School,” framed domestic and educational environments as critical sites of social innovation.
Exhibition Setting and Spatial Sequence
Held at the Palazzo dell’Arte, designed by Giovanni Muzio, the Triennale extended its legacy as a platform for dialogue between architecture, industry, and the decorative arts. Visitors entered through a curated pathway in Parco Sempione, conceived by Gae Aulenti and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, where sculpture and landscape merged into an experiential prelude to the exhibition.
A staircase led to the Entrance Hall, designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr., and onward to the Hall of Honour by Giovanni Peressutti and Ernst Nathan Rogers. These spaces functioned as both circulation zones and conceptual anchors, demonstrating how exhibition design could operate as an architectural narrative.
Home and School: A Design Framework
The Triennale approached “home” and “school” as interconnected systems. Designers proposed flexible interiors, modular furniture, and adaptable spatial solutions that responded to evolving patterns of family life and education. Natural light, colour, and material innovation were treated as active components of design rather than decorative additions.
American Contribution: The Casa Americana
The United States contributed two major exhibits: a retrospective of work by Frank Lloyd Wright and the “Casa Americana,” a fully furnished aluminium house developed by the Aluminum Company of America. The structure functioned both as architecture and exhibition container, demonstrating new possibilities in prefabrication and lightweight construction.
Inside, Walter Dorwin Teague Associates curated a selection of furnishings and industrial products representing the work of thirty American designers across twenty-seven companies. Together, these elements positioned the house as a total design environment, integrating architecture, product design, and everyday life.
Sources
Bureau International des Expositions. (n.d.). 1960 Triennale di Milano. https://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/1960-triennale-di-milano
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