The Master of the Italian Mid-Century Design: Achille Castiglioni
Achille Castiglioni was born in 1918. During his fifty-two-year career, he has designed and collaborated on almost 150 objects, including lamps, stools, bookshelves, electrical switches, cameras, telephones, vacuum cleaners, and car seats. Several of his Works, such as the Arco and the Brera lamps, are featured in the design collections of many museums as icons of the mid-century
Everyday objects' observation was often the starting point for his designs: "Design demands observation" was one of his mottoes. For example, to design the Arco lamp Achille and Pier Giacomo took inspiration by street lamps. The light source, in fact, is projected at least eight feet away from the marble base as it was coming from a normal ceiling chandelier. For the Toio lamp, instead, the inspiration was a car reflector.
Castiglioni design philosophy can best be perceived if we also consider the cultural environment from which he was influenced and that he helped to form in turn. Along with his unquestionable talent, Castiglioni -like other contemporary designers/architects as Marco Zanuso or Ettore Sottsass- gain the advantage of the italian tradition in fine arts and craftsmanship to create products to restore the country's quality of life after the World War II; the mix of all these elements made Castiglioni's works and italian design internationally appreciated contributing to the 1950s economic boom.
While being a successful designer, Castiglioni was also a teacher at the Industrial Design course of the Architectural School of the Polytechnic of Milan where he could educate tens of students to his design philosophy.
Castiglioni demonstrated to his throngs of students the vernacular ingeniousness of seemingly unremarkable objects. One such example Was a milking stool, consisting of a round piece of Wood as a seat with a round incision into which fit the single wooden leg. Both parts were held together by a strip of leather, so hat the stool could be carried over the shoulder. Standing on a table, Castiglioni mimed its use by milking an invisible cow, thus highlighting the chose to show objects that clearly had a life of their own, derived from material culture and independent of any designer's name. By emphasizing that the success of these objects resulted from their fulfilling functional task with wit and common sense and within the available resources, he initiated his students' discovery of the design process for themselves. Castiglioni has often said, "What you need is a constant and consistent way of designing, not a style." His own way was been focused in understanding objects, basing his designs on a narrative approach in which observed or imagined need results in a satisfying design solution.
Everyday objects' observation was often the starting point for his designs: "Design demands observation" was one of his mottoes. For example, to design the Arco lamp Achille and Pier Giacomo took inspiration by street lamps. The light source, in fact, is projected at least eight feet away from the marble base as it was coming from a normal ceiling chandelier. For the Toio lamp, instead, the inspiration was a car reflector.
Castiglioni design philosophy can best be perceived if we also consider the cultural environment from which he was influenced and that he helped to form in turn. Along with his unquestionable talent, Castiglioni -like other contemporary designers/architects as Marco Zanuso or Ettore Sottsass- gain the advantage of the italian tradition in fine arts and craftsmanship to create products to restore the country's quality of life after the World War II; the mix of all these elements made Castiglioni's works and italian design internationally appreciated contributing to the 1950s economic boom.
While being a successful designer, Castiglioni was also a teacher at the Industrial Design course of the Architectural School of the Polytechnic of Milan where he could educate tens of students to his design philosophy.
Castiglioni demonstrated to his throngs of students the vernacular ingeniousness of seemingly unremarkable objects. One such example Was a milking stool, consisting of a round piece of Wood as a seat with a round incision into which fit the single wooden leg. Both parts were held together by a strip of leather, so hat the stool could be carried over the shoulder. Standing on a table, Castiglioni mimed its use by milking an invisible cow, thus highlighting the chose to show objects that clearly had a life of their own, derived from material culture and independent of any designer's name. By emphasizing that the success of these objects resulted from their fulfilling functional task with wit and common sense and within the available resources, he initiated his students' discovery of the design process for themselves. Castiglioni has often said, "What you need is a constant and consistent way of designing, not a style." His own way was been focused in understanding objects, basing his designs on a narrative approach in which observed or imagined need results in a satisfying design solution.
About the Author:
Achille Castiglioni has been one of the most creative designer and influential designer of the mid century age. To discover everything about mid century designers, iconic furniture and architecture, check Mid Century Home now!
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