Luciano Baldessari (1896 – 1982) Italian Designer

Advertisements
Luminator Floor Lamp by Luciano Baldessari for Codiceicona

Luciano Baldessari (1896 – 1982) was an Italian designer. He was born in Rovereto (then Hapsburg Empire).

Education

He studied at the Politecnico di Milano until 1922.

Biography

As a young man, he collaborated with Futurist artist Fortunato Depero: in the 1920s, he made theatrical sets and was a painter. His widely published 1929 Luminator torchère was one of the few Rationalist furniture or lighting designs produced in Italy: inspired by German experimental work, it was intended to be an abstraction of an illuminated mannequin, with the curved tubular steel representing arms: foreshadowing later light sculptures.’ As an architect, Baldessari created the offices of De Angeli Frua (together with FIGINI and POLLINI). It was one of the most unpredictable manifestations of Italian Rationalism. In Milan, he designed the 1929-32 De Angeli Frua Press building (alongside Luigi Figini and Gino Pollini): 1930 Craja bar, Piazza P. Ferrari, Milan: Cima chocolate manufacture, 1932-33 (with Gio Ponti). Vesta Pavilion, Milan, 1933 (V) Milan Triennale: 1951 (IX) 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 Triennale International Trade Fair, Breda Pavilion.

Affordable Lighting Banner Ad

Bar Craja rationalist space

Bar Craja in Milan was the first ‘rationalist’ space in Milan and was designed by Luciano Baldessari and Gino Pollini. It was an oasis in Italy in the 1930s and was tuned in to the rest of Europe across the Alps. It was part of the same avant-garde scene of the Brera Academy, and the in-crowd sat down according to a fixed seating arrangement. (Cafes and Bars, 2007)

Recognition

His 1929 Luminator torchère was created for the Barnocchi display at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona.

Cafes and Bars: The Architecture of Public Display. (2007). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL

Advertisements

Italian Design News

Milan Fashion Week Briefing: Maximilian Davis’s Ferragamo points to a more diverse future for Italian fashion

Other BIPOC designers showing in Milan included Serhat Işik and Benjamin A. Huseby at Trussardi, Ibrahim Kamara at Off-White and Rhuigi Villaseñor at Bally. But is it enough to turn the tide on diversity within the Italian fashion industry?

The best Italian sports car makers that don’t exist any more

Not every Italian sports car manufacturer lasted the distance like Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini. Here’s our list of the best.

Design books – Amazon

* This website may contain affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission when you click on links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon and Sovrn affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Advertisements

More on Italian Designers

  • Fontana Arte: A Journey Through Glass and Light

    Fontana Arte: A Journey Through Glass and Light

    Fontana Arte, established in the 1930s by Gio Ponti, is a cornerstone of Italian design. Despite post-war challenges and shifts in ownership, the brand consistently maintains quality and creativity, further enhancing their prestige through collaborations with renowned designers and continuously innovating their product offerings. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Leonardo Fioravanti: Master of Automotive Design

    Leonardo Fioravanti: Master of Automotive Design

    Fioravanti, a celebrated automotive designer, has significantly influenced the industry with his visionary designs at Pininfarina, especially through collaborations with Ferrari. His pioneering work includes the Peugeot 205 and groundbreaking aerodynamic research with the CNR experimental vehicle.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • ILIO 10 SPECIAL EDITION: Timeless Functionality

    ILIO 10 SPECIAL EDITION: Timeless Functionality

    Artemide launches the ILIO 10 Special Edition lamp to celebrate the original ILIO’s 10th anniversary, featuring a sustainable shaded metal finish, dynamic light management via an app, and a commemorative laser-engraved signature, signifying the brand’s commitment to design excellence and sustainability.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franco Raggi: A Luminary in Italian Design and Architecture

    Franco Raggi: A Luminary in Italian Design and Architecture

    Franco Raggi, born in 1945, has contributed greatly to the design and architecture fields for over five decades. His designs are celebrated globally, with work showcased in various esteemed institutions. Besides his design work, Raggi has also garnered recognition as a curator and educator.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Paolo Buffa: A Maestro of Mid-Century Italian Furniture Design

    Paolo Buffa: A Maestro of Mid-Century Italian Furniture Design

    Paolo Buffa, influential mid-century Italian designer, is known for his fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics. Trained at Milan’s Polytechnic Institute and mentored by Gio Ponti, his acclaimed works now define the era and remain popular among collectors. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Marco Acerbis: The Architect of Versatility in Modern Design

    Marco Acerbis: The Architect of Versatility in Modern Design

    Marco Acerbis, a stalwart in architecture and design, carved a unique career path beginning with prestigious Foster+Partners, before starting an independent, Italian practice. A proponent for interdisciplinary design, Acerbis promotes sustainability and uses advanced technology, shaping the landscape of modern design.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Barbara Radice: The Chronicler of Memphis Design

    Barbara Radice: The Chronicler of Memphis Design

    Italian design critic Barbara Radice is renowned for shaping the narrative of the Memphis Group, a 1980s postmodern design collective. Her works, including the influential “Memphis: Research, Experiences, Results, Failures and Successes of New Design,” have provided critical insight into the group’s multidisciplinary output.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Aldo Rossi (1931 – 1997), Italian designer and architect

    Aldo Rossi (1931 – 1997), Italian designer and architect

    Aldo Rossi (1931 – 1997) was an Italian architect. He was born and professionally active in Milan. He is considered by many to be the greatest Italian architect of the second half of the 20th century. His life as an architect began with Gardella and Zanuso. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franco Mirenzi ( b. 1942 ) Italian Industrial Designer

    Franco Mirenzi ( b. 1942 ) Italian Industrial Designer

    Franco Mirenzi is an Italian industrial designer who was born in 1942.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Rodolfo Dordoni Designer Italian Architect and All-Rounder

    Rodolfo Dordoni Designer Italian Architect and All-Rounder

    he was artistic director of Cappellini International Interiors and in charge of corporate image and communications; from 1982, he was consultant designer for several firms on pavilions, shops, and exhibition stands.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Massimo Morozzi (b. 1941) The Visionary Pioneer of Italian Design

    Massimo Morozzi (b. 1941) The Visionary Pioneer of Italian Design

    He created Archizoom Associati in 1968 with Andrea Branzi, Gilberto Corretti, and Paolo Deganello, which developed industrial and architectural designs and urban planning and was a notable Italian architecture practice until 1972. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Laura Griziotti (b.1942) Italian Architect & Designer

    Laura Griziotti (b.1942) Italian Architect & Designer

    She began her professional career in 1967; became a member of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale); 1967—74, she collaborated with architect and designer Cini Boeri. In 1974, she set up her studio in Milan; participated in the planning of the 1971 industrial design exhibition of ADI at the Design Centre, Brussels.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Giorgina Castiglioni Italian Architect and Designer

    Giorgina Castiglioni Italian Architect and Designer

    Giorgina Castiglioni is an Italian architect and designer who studied architecture at Milan Polytechnic (1969). She is Giannino Castiglioni’s granddaughter, a famous sculptor, and the daughter of Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, an architect and professor. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Angelo Cortesi: A Visionary Italian Industrial Designer

    Angelo Cortesi: A Visionary Italian Industrial Designer

    Angelo Cortesi is an esteemed Italian industrial designer known for his innovative and functional designs. With a career spanning several decades, Cortesi has left a lasting impact on the design world. From his collaborations with renowned clients to his leadership roles in prestigious organizations, Cortesi’s work continues to inspire designers globally. His numerous awards, including…


    Learn More →

  • Pucci De Rossi (1947 – 2013), Italian furniture designer and artist

    Pucci De Rossi (1947 – 2013), Italian furniture designer and artist

    Pucci de Rossi was an Italian designer born in Verona and trained with American sculptor H.B. Walker. Pucci de Rossi (1947-2013) is an unusual designer and artist. Jewellery, furniture, sculpture, painting: his works, visually striking and functional, refer to Arte Povera and the neo-baroque work of the Memphis studio. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Ambrogio Pozzi (b.1931) Italian Industrial Designer

    Ambrogio Pozzi (b.1931) Italian Industrial Designer

    Ambrogio Pozzi, an Italian designer from Franco Pozzi Ceramics, revolutionized traditional product designs. Known for his Compact coffee service and Duo dinnerware, he collaborated with renowned brands and won multiple awards, including the Compasso d’Oro. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franco Deboni (b.1950) Italian architect and glassware designer

    Franco Deboni (b.1950) Italian architect and glassware designer

    He worked for various firms in Italy and Yugoslavia. He received a patent for a bookcase-component system. Clients included Ferro & Lazzarini (glassware) and Italianline. He was best known for his lighting in glass and a mushroom-shaped table lamp in marble; became a member of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale); was author of Venini…


    Learn More →

  • Gillo Dorfles (1910 – 2018) Italian art critic, painter, and philosopher

    Gillo Dorfles (1910 – 2018) Italian art critic, painter, and philosopher

    Gillo Dorfles (1910 – 2018) was an Italian art critic, painter, and philosopher. He was born in Trieste and active in Milan.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Lino Tagliapietra (b.1934) Italian Glassworker and Teacher

    Lino Tagliapietra (b.1934) Italian Glassworker and Teacher

    From 1956, Tagliapietra taught glassmaking with Archimede Seguso and Nane Ferro; 1966—68, designed glass for Venini, Murano; until 1968, for Murrina; from 1968, taught glassmaking at Haystack School and Pilchuck School, Stanwood, Washington. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Gino Valle (1923 – 2003) Italian architect, designer and town planner

    Gino Valle  (1923 – 2003) Italian architect, designer and town planner

    Gino Valle (1923 – 2003) was. Italian architect, designer, and town planner. He was born in Udine. He studied at the Instituto Universitario di Architettura, Venice, to 1948. From 1951, he was at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • The Moka Express (Design Classic) – simple ☕ coffee-making machine

    The Moka Express (Design Classic) – simple ☕ coffee-making machine

    Designed and Made in Italy The Moka Express is a straightforward stovetop coffee maker. It unscrews in the centre, and water is poured into the bottom compartment. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Marcello Piacentini (1881 – 1961) Italy’s Fascist Architect

    Marcello Piacentini (1881 – 1961) Italy’s Fascist Architect

    Marcello Piacentini (1881–1961) was an Italian urban theorist and one of the leading proponents of Italian Fascist architecture.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Marilena Boccato Italian Product Pesigner

    Marilena Boccato Italian Product Pesigner

    Marilena Boccato is a designer from Italy who worked in Treviso and Padua. In 1967, Boccato began her professional career. She collaborated with Gian Nicola Gigante and Antonio Zambusi.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Gruppo 9999 Italian Architecture and Design Group

    Gruppo 9999 Italian Architecture and Design Group

    Gruppo 9999 was a group of radical architects founded in Florence in 1968 by Giorgio Birelli, Carlo Caldini, Fabrizio Fiumi and Paolo Galli. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Livio Castiglioni (1911-1979): Italian Industrial Designer and Lighting Innovator

    Livio Castiglioni (1911-1979): Italian Industrial Designer and Lighting Innovator

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


    Learn More →

  • Luminous Elegance: The Iconic DL8 Lucciola Table Light by Fabio Lenci (c.1972)

    Luminous Elegance: The Iconic DL8 Lucciola Table Light by Fabio Lenci (c.1972)

    Discover the timeless beauty of the DL8 Lucciola table light designed by Fabio Lenci in approximately 1972. This iconic lighting fixture boasts an aluminum base and reflector, chrome-plated tubular metal stem, and captivating methacrylate disks. Standing at a maximum height of 72 cm, this masterpiece combines sleek aesthetics with functional brilliance, creating an illuminating ambiance…


    Learn More →

  • Luca Erba (b. 1984) Italian Designer & Architect

    Luca Erba (b. 1984) Italian Designer & Architect

    He creates projects spanning architecture to decor, interior design, and bespoke collections using thorough territorial, material, and formal research as the cornerstones of his creative process.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Alessandro Mendini (b.1931) Italy’s famous design thinker

    Alessandro Mendini (b.1931) Italy’s famous design thinker

    Alessandro Mendini (b.1931) played an important part in the development of Italian, Postmodern, and Radical design. He was co-founder of Studio Alchymia (with Alessandro and Adriana Guernero) in 1976. He was awarded several international prizes, including the Compasso d’Oro in 1979, 1981, and 2014. In 2011, he was awarded with the title Doctor Honoris Causa…


    Learn More →

  • Italian Association for Industrial Design (ADI)

    Italian Association for Industrial Design (ADI)

    The Association of Industrial Design (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale) (ADI) Since 1956, has brought together designers, companies, researchers, teachers, critics, journalists around the themes of Italian industrial design. It is the lead organisation of the development of industrial design as a cultural and economic phenomenon in Italy.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franca Stagi (1937 – 2008), Italian industrial designer and architect

    Franca Stagi (1937 – 2008), Italian industrial designer and architect

    Her most famous piece was the 1967 Dondolo rocking chair made by Elco of Venice and became an Italian design classic. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • The Olivetti Lettera 22 Typewriter – Lightweight and Compact

    The Olivetti Lettera 22 Typewriter – Lightweight and Compact

    Olivetti’s 1950 Olivetti 22 typewriter became the standard for portable typewriters. Marcello Nizzoli’s Typewriter won the Compasso d’Oro at the 10th Triennale in Rome in 1951. Ettore Sottsass would further develop this design in the 1964 Teckne 3.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Marco Zotta (b.1945) Italian industrial designer

    Marco Zotta (b.1945) Italian industrial designer

    He designed furniture and furnishings, lighting for clients including Fargas, Le Cose, Studio Grando, Stilnovo and Evoluzione. He became a member of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale).Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Marco Zanuso Sr. (1916 – 2001) Italian architect and designer

    Marco Zanuso Sr. (1916 – 2001) Italian architect and designer

    Marco Zanuso Sr. was an Italian architect and designer. He was born in Milan. He studied architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, to 1939. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Halogen bulbs revolutionised home lighting

    Halogen bulbs revolutionised home lighting

    The halogen bulb is the first new invention to completely transform the lighting industry since Thomas Alva Edison succeeded in creating the incandescent lamp by successfully making a loop of carbonized cotton thread glow in a vacuum for 40 hours.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Enzo Frateili (1914 – 1993) Italian Designer

    Enzo Frateili (1914 – 1993) Italian Designer

    Enzo Frateili was an Italian designer born in Rome and active in Milan. Frateili began his professional career in 1955. In the early 50s, he worked at Stile Industrial; in 1962 he was the Italian correspondent to the journal form. His books included Archiektur und Komfort (1967) and Design e Civiltà della Machina (1969). The…


    Learn More →

  • Tomas Maldonado (1922- 2018) Italian Design Theorist

    Tomas Maldonado (1922- 2018) Italian Design Theorist

    Tomas Maldonado was an Italian design theorist and industrial designer who led a revolt against aesthetic taste and functional problem-solving in design thinking. Max Bill’s goal was to bring back the Bauhaus ideas and make Germany the centre of design after the war.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • The P40 Articulated Lounge Chair – Machine for Sitting

    The P40 Articulated Lounge Chair – Machine for Sitting

    Osvaldo Borsani Armchair (P40) 1955, articulated chaise longue. The rubber-armed chair was a sophisticated ‘machine for sitting’ that could it was claimed, assume 486 positions.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franco Fontana ( b.1933 ) Italian Photographer – Abstracted Urbanity

    Franco Fontana ( b.1933 ) Italian Photographer – Abstracted Urbanity

    Fontana has shot advertisements for brands such as Fiat, Volkswagen, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Snam, Sony, Volvo, Versace, Canon, Kodak, Robe di Kappa, Swissair, and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and The New York Times.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • La Danese Italian domestic goods manufacturer

    La Danese Italian domestic goods manufacturer

    La Danese was founded in Milan by Bruno Danese and Jacqueline Vodoz. The company specialised in editing, designing, and marketing well‐designed everyday products with a modern aesthetic. There were three significant focus areas: domestic and office products, artistic editions, and children’s games and creative play stimuli. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Kartell Milanese Furniture Manufacture | High Quality Plastic

    Kartell Milanese Furniture Manufacture | High Quality Plastic

    Kartell, a Milanese furniture manufacturer established in 1949, is known for high-quality plastic injection mouldings. Initially producing automobile accessories, Kartell diversified into home furnishings in 1963. With an annual revenue of $100 million, the company maintains a broad product range to attract impulse buyers.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Flos Italian Lighting Manufacturer

    Flos Italian Lighting Manufacturer

    Dino Gavina established the lighting firm Flos in 1962 to complement his furniture manufacturing at Gavina. In Merano, at first, it moved to the Brescia area. Maria Sinoncini and Cesare Cassina were directors, followed by Sergio Gandini. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Zanussi Italian manufacturer and design firm

    Zanussi Italian manufacturer and design firm

    Antonio Zanussi established the household appliance firm in Pordenone in 1916. It was initially a workshop for repairing stoves. His sons and Guido and Lino took over on his death in 1946, and under them, the firm began its rise. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Archizoom avant-garde Italian design studio

    Archizoom avant-garde Italian design studio

    Four architects—Andrea Branzi, Gilberto Corretti, Paolo Deganello, Massimo Morozzi—and two designers—Dario Bartolini and Lucia Bartolini—founded Archizoom this Italian avant-garde design studio in 1966 in Florence, Italy. They focused on exhibition installations and architecture and designing interiors and goods as part of the Italian Anti-Design or Radical Design movement.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Alberto Rosselli (1921-76), Italian architect and industrial designer

    Alberto Rosselli (1921-76), Italian architect and industrial designer

    Alberto Rosselli (1921-76) Italian architect and industrial designer. He was born in Palermo. He was professionally active in Milan. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Ashoka Table Lamp – Less is a Bore

    Ashoka Table Lamp – Less is a Bore

    For the introductory 1981 MEMPHIS set, the Ashoka table lamp is an early Ettore Sottsass lighting masterwork as iconoclastic a light/sculpture as you can find anywhere!!Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Roberto Pamio (b.1937) Italian Architect and Designer

    Roberto Pamio (b.1937) Italian Architect and Designer

    He became active in 1961 as an architect and furniture and industrial designer; (with Renato Tosso) collaborated on furniture and lighting; had clients including Zanussi-Rex, Peguri, Stilwood, Arclinea, Cidue, FAI, Leucos, and Arflex.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Luciano Baldessari (1896 – 1982) Italian Designer

    Luciano Baldessari (1896 – 1982) Italian Designer

    Luciano Baldessari was an Italian designer and architect who collaborated with Futurist artist Fortunato Depero and published the 1929 Luminator torchère. He designed the 1929-32 De Angeli Frua Press building, Craja bar, Cima chocolate manufacture, Vesta Pavilion, Milan Triennale, and Breda Pavilion.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • A Glimpse of David Palterer an Israeli Designer

    A Glimpse of David Palterer an Israeli Designer

    David Palterer is an Israeli designer born in Haifa. He is professionally active in Florence.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Benedikt Bolza – Italian Nobleman, Architect, Interior Designer

    Benedikt Bolza – Italian Nobleman, Architect, Interior Designer

    Trained as an architect in London, he and a team of 120 transform centuries-old stone ruins into exquisite dwellings at Castello di Reschio, a 3,000-acre private community in Umbria, Italy, on land originally purchased by his parents.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Arteluce Italian Lighting Firm (1939)

    Arteluce Italian Lighting Firm (1939)

    Arteluce Italian Lighting Firm it was one of the modest businesses that contributed to Italian design’s international success in the 1950s. READ MORERead More →


    Learn More →

  • Antonia Astori (b.1940) co-founded Driade

    Antonia Astori (b.1940) co-founded Driade

    Antonia Astori co-founded Driade with her brother Enrico and Adelaide Acerbi in 1968. She was able to create a unique network of furniture designers, galleries, and shops.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Agostino Lauro (1861 – 1924) Italian Designer

    Agostino Lauro (1861 – 1924) Italian Designer

    Agostino Lauro was an Italian designer and entrepreneur with a reputation for private commissions and public buildings.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Ennio Lucini (b.1934) Italian, packaging, product, graphic designer

    Ennio Lucini (b.1934) Italian, packaging, product, graphic designer

    He executed small objects for the home in ceramics and glass produced by Gabbianelli and metalware by Barazzoni. He designed the hemispherical Ponte di Brera drinking glasses (from 1965 by Ponte di Brera, 1968—75 by Gabbianelli) and 1968 Tummy range of stainless-steel cookware by Barazoni. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) Italian sculptor, furniture designer

    Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) Italian sculptor, furniture designer

    Harry Bertoia was a sculptor, printmaker, jeweller, and furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo, Udine, and worked in the United States professionally. During World War Two he worked with Ray and Charles Eames on moulded-plywood technology. He worked primarily as a sculptor from the mid-1950s onwards. His sculpture was prominently featured in many…


    Learn More →

  • Gio Ponti (1891-1979) Italian designer, writer and teacher

    Gio Ponti (1891-1979) Italian designer, writer and teacher

    Gio Ponti was an influential writer, teacher, and practising architect who was one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century Italian design. In a long and illustrious career, he worked in a wide variety of design fields, from interiors to furniture and product design, understanding the value of craft traditions alongside creating a new aesthetic.Read…


    Learn More →

  • Ico Parisi (1916 – 1996) Italian furniture designer

    Ico Parisi (1916 – 1996) Italian furniture designer

    Ico Parisi was an Italian architect and designer of the modernist style who worked with Luisa Aiani and opened La Ruota in 1947. LEARN MORERead More →


    Learn More →

  • Enzo Mari (1932 -2020) Italian modernist, industrial designer

    Enzo Mari (1932 -2020) Italian modernist, industrial designer

    Inventor of commonplace items whose radical politics were incorporated into their creations Enzo Mari (1932 – 2020) was an Italian modernist and furniture designer who lived from 1932 to 2020. TELL ME MORERead More →


    Learn More →

  • Vico Magistretti (1920 – 2006) Italian architect/designer

    Vico Magistretti (1920 – 2006) Italian architect/designer

    In 1920 Vico Magistretti was born in Milan, Italy. First recognition of his work came in 1948, at the 8th Triennale. He started designing for Cassina in 1960, and from that date on his signature is to be found on many products.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Antonio Citterio ( b.1950 ) Italian furniture designer

    Antonio Citterio ( b.1950 ) Italian furniture designer

    Antonio Citterio is a leading Italian architect and interior designer, furniture and industrial designer. Citterio explored the possibilities of new materials and technologies rather than aligning himself with New Design’s more fashionable aesthetics.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Rodolfo Bonetto – Italian furniture & industrial designer

    Rodolfo Bonetto – Italian furniture & industrial designer

    Rodolfo Bonetto (1929 – 1991) was Italian furniture and industrial designer. He began his design career at the Pininfarina automobile body design firm. In 1958, he founded his studio. Between 1963-69, was a member of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale) advisory committee and participated in numerous other professional organisations. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Eugenio Quarti (1867 – 1931) Italian furniture designer

    Eugenio Quarti (1867 – 1931) Italian furniture designer

    Eugenio Quarto (1867 – 1931) was an Italian furniture designer who was born near Bergamo. He was professionally based in Milan.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Studio Alchimia Italian design collaborative

    Studio Alchimia Italian design collaborative

    Studio Alchimia Italian design collaborative located in Milan. Alessandro Guerriero (b. 1943), an architect, created Studio Alchimia in 1976 as a gallery to show experimental work that was not limited by industrial production. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Memphis Group – it has little to do with Tennessee

    Memphis Group – it has little to do with Tennessee

    Memphis was a movement in interior design introduced at the annual Milan Furniture Fair in 1981. It consisted of a group led by Memphis guru Ettore Sottass of avant-garde Italian designers. With outrageous interpretations of traditional furnishings and accessories, Memphis shocked the traditionally quiet industry.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Pietro Chiesa (1892 – 1948) 🇮🇹 Italian furniture and glassware

    Pietro Chiesa (1892 – 1948) 🇮🇹 Italian furniture and glassware

    He was an apprentice in the studio of Giovan Battista Gianotti, painter, furniture designer, and decorator; in 1921, opened Bot- tega di Pietro Chiesa, Milan; in 1927, (with Gio Ponti, Michele Marelli, Tomaso Buzzi, Emilio Lancia, and Paolo Venini) founded Il Labirinto, which produced high-quality glassware. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Michele De Lucchi (b.1951) Italian architect and designer

    Michele De Lucchi (b.1951) Italian architect and designer

    At the Universita di Firenze, he experimented with new forms of art and film. In 1973, he created the Cavart group alongside Piero Brombin, Pier Paola Bortolami, Boris Pastrovicchio, and Valerio Tridenti, which was active in Architettura Radicale, filmmaking, written works, and happenings. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Davide Mercatali (b.1948) Italian Designer

    Davide Mercatali (b.1948) Italian Designer

    He worked independently as a graphic and product designer and illustrator for advertising agencies, publishers, and his clients; he worked for the Societa Donchi Formart, Milan. In 1978, with Paolo Pedrizzetti, he set up an industrial design studio where he initially designed materials and tiles. He worked on promotional accessories, point-of-sale displays in retail stores,…


    Learn More →

  • Fabio Lenci (b.1935) Italian Designer

    Fabio Lenci (b.1935) Italian Designer

    Fabio Lenci (1935 – ) is an Italian Designer. He received his design education in Rome. He began his professional career in 1966. He set up a shop for contemporary furniture in Rome. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Giovanni Gianotti (1873-1928) Italian Decorator, Designer

    Giovanni Battista Gianotti (1873-1928) was an Italian painter, decorator, and designer. He specialised in the liberty and art deco styles. His fashion sense has been contrasted with that of Alban Chambon. In 1928, he perished at sea while sailing from Italy to Argentina.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Giovanni Pintori (1912 – 1999) Italian Graphic Design

    Giovanni Pintori (1912 – 1999) Italian Graphic Design

    Giovanni Pintori (1912–1999) was an Italian graphic designer best known for his advertising work with Olivetti. His posters for the Lettera 22 and Olivetti logo are renowned for their use of geometric shapes and minimalist design. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) Father of Anti-Design

    Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) Father of Anti-Design

    Although trained and active as an architect, Sottsass secured a permanent place in pop culture with his designs of everyday items. From 1957, he was a consultant designer at Olivetti, where he designed computers, adding machines, typewriters, and systems furniture. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Gianni Pasini (b.1937) Italian Designer – Electronic Machinery

    Gianni Pasini (b.1937) Italian Designer – Electronic Machinery

    Gianni Pasini was born in 1937 in Venice and professionally active in Milan. Some of his clients were Olivetti, Fabbrica Italiana, Magneti Marelli, and Crin hospital. He worked with Sandro Pasqui in a design studio from 1974 onwards.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Matteo Thun (b.1952) Italian ceramicist and designer

    Matteo Thun (b.1952) Italian ceramicist and designer

    We reject design as an issue of taste! We follow a different strategy: Simplicity. We always search for the iconic form and create things that people can understand intuitively. We, Read More →


    Learn More →

  • George Sowden – British/Italian Designer

    George Sowden – British/Italian Designer

    George James Sowden is a British designer. He was born in Leeds and active Italy. Between 1960-64 and 1966-68, he studied architecture, Gloucester College of Arts. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Proust Armchair (1978) – Luxury Comes in All Forms

    Proust Armchair (1978) –  Luxury Comes in All Forms

    The Studio Alchimia in Milan was founded in 1976 and exhibited its first collection in 1979. Alessandro Mendini’s Proust armchair is one of the most unusual pieces from the Bau.Haus collection. It was made in a small number and individually painted to express the collective’s unease with mass production.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Bruno Gregori (b.1954) Italian Furniture Designer

    Bruno Gregori (b.1954) Italian Furniture Designer

    He was one of the founders of Alchimia in 1976. He was particularly active in its graphics program Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Carlo Zen (1851 – 1918) Italian Cabinetmaker

    Carlo Zen (1851 – 1918) Italian Cabinetmaker

    From cl1880, Zen directed the most crucial furniture workshop in Milan. He was active in the stile floreale, continued after the 1902 Turin ‘Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte Decorativa Moderna’ to be known for his Art Nouveau and Symbolist motifs. He was not a designer himself but instead a factory owner and manager. From 1898, his firm…


    Learn More →

  • Daniela Puppa (b.1947) eclectic Italian architect and designer

    Daniela Puppa (b.1947) eclectic Italian architect and designer

    From 1977 to 1983, he worked as the chief editor of the design magazine Modo and as a consultant for the fashion magazine Donna. She designed interiors for Driade, Gianfranco Ferré, Montres and GFF Duty Free, Fontana Arte, Granciclismo sports machines, and Morassutti/Metropolis, as well as serving as an image and product consultant for the…


    Learn More →

  • Roberto Lucci (b.1942) Italian Furniture Designer

    Roberto Lucci (b.1942) Italian Furniture Designer

    He worked with Marco Zanuso for several years. In 1970, he and Paolo Orlandini collaborated independently for several clients, designing lamps and chairs produced by Artemide and Martinelli Luce.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Franco Albini (1905-1977) Italian Architect and Designer

    Franco Albini (1905-1977) Italian Architect and Designer

    Franco Albini’s design work encompassed a wide variety of disciplines, including furniture, interior, and product design, architecture, planning, and museum design. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Aldo Cibic (b.1955) self-taught Italian architect and designer

    Aldo Cibic (b.1955) self-taught Italian architect and designer

    Aldo Cibic is a self-taught architect, designer, researcher, environmentalist and humanist. He was born in Vicenza and professionally active in Milan.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Vittorio Introini (b.1935) Italian designer and architect

    Vittorio Introini (b.1935) Italian designer and architect

    Vitorio Introini (b.1935) is an Italian architect. town planner, industrial designer and teacher. Education He studied architecture at the PolitecnicoRead More →


    Learn More →

  • Nani Prina Italian Architect and Graphic Designer

    Nani Prina Italian Architect and Graphic Designer

    Nani Prina is an Italian architect and industrial and graphic designer. He was born and professionally active in Milan. HeRead More →


    Learn More →

  • Osvaldo Borsani (1911 – 1985) Italian furniture designer and architect

    Osvaldo Borsani (1911 – 1985) Italian furniture designer and architect

    Osvaldo Borsani was born in Varedo Switzerland at the crossroads of craft and modern manufacturing. The son of a cabinetmaker, he trained as an architect in Milan in the 1930s, when the city was a centre of technological advancement and flourishing artistry, with the economic momentum to push both at speed.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • “The Structures Tremble” Table 1979 by Ettore Sottsass

    “The Structures Tremble” Table 1979 by Ettore Sottsass

    Studio Alchymia was founded in 1976 in Milan as a think tank for designers who rebelled against modernism’s functionalist approach. Their products were intended as prototypes or unique exhibits. A perfect example of Alchymia’s philosophy is The Structures Tremble designed by Ettore Sottsass. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Mario Bellini (b.1935) Italy’s most versatile designer

    Mario Bellini (b.1935) Italy’s most versatile designer

    Mario Bellini is one of Italy’s most versatile designers. Trained as an architect, he is known for his furniture and industrial design work. The new forms he developed for contemporary technology and furniture objects inspired designers internationally.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Cristina Coral – Award-Winning Italian Photographer

    Cristina Coral – Award-Winning Italian Photographer

    She has lived her childhood in an artistic environment. She loves to explore the complex relationship between subject and environment. She has collaborated with a variety of magazines and brands.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Rinaldo Petrini ( b. 1931) Italian teacher and designer

    Rinaldo Petrini ( b. 1931) Italian teacher and designer

    1954, LDV Polytechnic, Alessandria, United Arab Emirates, diploma in architecture. 1968 – Master of Science, University of Tennessee. Doctor es Lettres, Paris, LaSorbonne, 1974. Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Paris, 1973–1974. Postgraduate architectural restoration, Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Paris, 1973–1974.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Pierluigi Cerri (b.1939) Italian Architect/Graphic/Exhibition Designer

    Pierluigi Cerri (b.1939) Italian Architect/Graphic/Exhibition Designer

    He was active as an exhibition designer, designed 1978 ‘Peter Behrens und die AEG’ exhibition, Berlin; 1978 ‘Carrozzeria Italiana’ exhibition, Turin and Rome; 1981 ‘Identité Italienne,’ Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; 1983 ‘Alexander Calder’ exhibition, Turin; 1984 ‘Italian Design,’ Stuttgart and Tokyo; 1984 ‘Venti Progetti per il futuro del Lingotto,’ Turin; 1986 ‘Futurismo e Futurismi,’ Venice.…


    Learn More →

  • Pier Luigi Nervi (1891 – 1971) – Italian Architect

    Pier Luigi Nervi (1891 – 1971) – Italian Architect

    After experience with a concrete contractor, he set up his firm in Bologna in 1923. His first structure was a 1927 cinema in Naples: His first important work was the 1930-32 Communal Stadium in Florence, widely published as an early example of Modern architecture. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Lapo Binazzi: Bridging the Gap Between Art and Design

    Lapo Binazzi: Bridging the Gap Between Art and Design

    Italian designer Lapo Binazzi, known for his eclectic contributions to fields like architecture, interior design, and performance art, challenged traditional design norms with large-scale installations and functional art pieces. His work, globally recognized and influential, blurred boundaries between artist and designer, expanding design’s scope into expressive communication.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Federico Carandini – Italian Industrial and furniture designer

    Federico Carandini – Italian Industrial and furniture designer

    Carandini is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the modern furniture industry. He is skilled in Strategy, Branding, Line Development, Design Management, Concept Development and Production Management. Strong arts and design professional with a BFA with university honours focused in Industrial Design from Carnegie Mellon University.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Carlo Guiliano (1831 – 1895) Italian Goldsmith and Jeweller

    Carlo Guiliano (1831 – 1895) Italian Goldsmith and Jeweller

    Carlo Guiliano was an Italian jeweller and goldsmith who was born in Naples and worked in London. In 1860, Guiliano settled in London and worked for Harry Emanuel. He collaborated with Castellani Italian Jewellers on at least one piece of jewellery. In the archaeological or Etruscan style, he was a talented jeweller. He developed his…


    Learn More →

  • Andrea Branzi (b.1938) Italian furniture designer

    Andrea Branzi (b.1938) Italian furniture designer

    His theoretical furniture is well-known. He formed Archizoom Associati, an avant-garde group in Florence, in 1966 (with Paolo Deganello and others) that brought the irony of 1960s Anti-Design to furniture design.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Alessi Ercolino Bottle Opener w/ Pear Wood Handle

    Alessi Ercolino Bottle Opener w/ Pear Wood Handle

    The Alessi AB07 Ercolino Bottle Opener, designed by Andrea Branzi, represents a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. Made of durable birch wood and stainless steel, it embodies Alessi’s mission of revitalizing traditional woodturning and elevating everyday objects into art.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • The Officina Alessi SCOIATTOLO Nutcracker – Form & Function

    The Officina Alessi SCOIATTOLO Nutcracker – Form & Function

    Andrea Branzi’s SCOIATTOLO Nutcracker is a practical and aesthetic tool, combining 18/10 stainless steel and wood for durability and elegance. With its squirrel-inspired design and easy maintenance, it exemplifies thoughtful, eco-conscious design.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Pier Luigi Nervi – Fun Fact

    Pier Luigi Nervi – Fun Fact

    Pier Luigi Nervi, an influential Italian engineer and architect, is known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete and his notable works such as Rome’s Stadio Flaminio. His pioneer use of ferrocement and his teachings have significantly influenced modern architecture. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Elio Martinelli (1922 – 2004) Italian Lighting Designer

    Elio Martinelli (1922 – 2004) Italian Lighting Designer

    He and others founded a lighting company in 1942. In 1956, he founded the lighting firm Martinelli Luce in Lucca, designing plastics and metal and producing a perspex hanging lamp published in La Rivista dell’ Arredamento.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Carlo Bugatti (1855-1940) Italian designer and furniture maker

    Carlo Bugatti (1855-1940) Italian designer and furniture maker

    Carlo Bugatti was a leading figure in Italy’s design and decorative arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bugatti is perhaps best known for his exotic, handmade furniture designs. Many of the 19th century’s progressive developments, notably the British Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau, influenced his work. Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Vittorio Gregotti (1927- 2020 ) Italian architect, designer, design historian

    Vittorio Gregotti (1927- 2020 ) Italian architect, designer, design historian

    Vittorio Gregotti (1927- 2020) was an important Italian architect, designer, design historian, theorist and critic, Gregotti was the editor of several leading Italian design journals. He graduated in architecture from Milan Polytechnic in 1952. He spent his lifetime working in the field as a practitioner, academic, and writer.Read More →


    Learn More →

  • Bruno Gecchelin (b.1939) Italian Architect-Designer

    Bruno Gecchelin (b.1939) Italian Architect-Designer

    Beginning his professional career in 1962, he worked for many major firms; designed lighting for O-Luce, furniture for Busnelli and Frau, refrigerators and gas stoves for Indesit, glassware for Venini, items for Skipper and Fratelli Guzzini, 1989 Atelier 75 range of four kitchen utensils, and 1987—88 Shuttle range of track lighting. Read More →


    Learn More →

More design articles

Advertisements

❤️ Receive our newsletter

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.