VICO MAGISTRETTI

Vico Magistretti (1920-2006) is one of the most renowned Italian architect and designer of the after-war period.

Born from a dynasty of architects, he became a student in the famous Politecnico in Milan in the thirties but he was forced to take refuge in Switzerland in 1943.

There he made a decisive encounter with Ernesto Nathan Rogers, founder of the rationalist group, BBPR.

Having just graduated in 1945, he began working with Paolo Chessa, with whom he designed a lot of housing projects for the reconstruction of Milan.

But he was also a prolific furniture designer, taking part in numerous exhibitions and associations.

 

Architecture and design were often closely related. Building a house for a client, he completed it with a dedicated furniture. But, as it was the case for the Carimate chairs (1963) conceived for a golf club, a sound design could lead to industrial production.

Magistretti was very keen to use the possibilities of new technologies and materials.

In this regard, his collaboration with Cassina is exemplary and illustrates the virtuous dialogue between designer and manufacturer during these years. It included the Maralunga (1973), one of the greatest successes of the company.

 

Magistretti also worked with Oluce, creating memorable lights such as the Atollo table lamp (1977).

For Artemide, he developed his famous stackable chairs, Vicario and Gaudi (1971), among the first ABS models in the world.

Vico Magistretti received two times the Compasso d’Oro, the highest design award in Italy.