Castiglioni

The 50s and 60s were a golden era for Italian industrial design. During this time, the rationalist design approach found its way into the modern Italian lifestyle, which ranged from the design of the home, furniture, lamps and everyday objects.

Living in Milan, I have had the privilege to be exposed to some of the great masters of Italian design, in particular, Achille Castiglioni.  Not to mention, his daughter, Giovanna, was one of my lab instructors and also runs the Castiglioni museum foundation. In these pictures, I went to visit his biographical museum to see the research and prototyping that was involved when Castiglioni set out to solve everyday problems for the common dweller. For example, the iconic Arco lamp cast an overhead light that didn’t require wiring.  And, you could move it with a broomstick with the one hole drilled into its marble base.

What also made Castiliogni so likeable as a designer was the whimsy in his work. For example, there is the ‘Sleek’ spoon that helps you scoop out that last bit of Nutella in the nook of a jar. Or the story where he didn’t want to disturb his wife while reading at night in bed, so he made a bedside lamp that bounced light off a tiny mirror and called it the Gibigiana (‘flashes of reflective light’ in Italian).  Of course, the marvel of great design is beauty and form, so my favorite piece of Castiglioni’s is the Taccia lamp.

Attending design school, you realize that simplicity is difficult to achieve. and that economy of form and material is what makes these design classics enduring. Check out FLOS  for some of the timeless pieces that Castiglioni designed.