Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

“Design is one of the highest expressions of twentieth-century creativity, and Achille Castiglioni is one of its greatest masters, ” stated Paola Antonelli of The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, which held its first ever individual retrospective in 1997.

“His objects stand as clear examples of rigorous method, technical skill, exuberant talent, and wit, combined to achieve a beauty that is fulfilling on both a rational and an emotional level. His work exemplifies the ideal of good design. ”

Born in Milan in 1928, Achille dedicated himself to testing industrial production with brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo as early as 1940. After graduating in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1944, he began research into shapes, techniques, and new materials, as he worked to develop an integral design process.

In addition to architectural projects, Achille and Pier created signature interior pieces noted for their functional nature and witty styling. These include the Mezzadro, a stool topped with a tractor seat, and the Arco lamp, a ball-shaped shade attached to a steel arch, which could replace an overhead light. After Pier’s death in 1968, Achille continued as a solo designer and urban planner and taught at his alma mater.

During his fifty-two-year career, Achille designed and collaborated on almost 150 objects, including lamps, stools, bookshelves, electrical switches, cameras, telephones, vacuum cleaners, and car seats.

Achille won the Golden Compass, Italy’s top prize for industrial design, nine times. He died in 2002.