One of the most influential architects and designers in the 1960s, Ludovico Magistretti (06/10/1920 - 19/09/2006), known by the nickname Vico, was born in Milan in 1920 into a family of architects. He enrolled in the school of architecture in 1939, and in 1943 moved briefly to Switzerland, where he met and frequented the architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers from Trieste, founder of BBPR. Magistretti considered Rogers to be one of his masters. Returning to Italy in 1945, he obtained his degree in Architecture and immediately began working in his father's studio, who died that same year.
In 50 years of activity, he executed many important architectural projects, especially in Milan. Among the best known are the Torre al Parco, the offices in Corso Europa, several projects for INA-Casa, and other villas and residences. His design for the Arosio House was presented in 1959 at the CIAM (Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne) in Holland, along with other projects by his Italian colleagues like the Olivetti canteen by Ignazio Gardella; the Velasca Tower by BBPR; residences in Matera by Giancarlo De Carlo. Starting at the end of the 1970s, he taught at the Royal College of Art in London, a city to which he was very attached.
Magistretti was a prominent exponent of Italian Design, the cultural movement and phenomenon that spread Italian style throughout the world during the post-war period creating the myth of Italian design. His approach was based on close collaboration between designers and manufacturers throughout the process that started from the definition of the concept and ending with the execution of the final product. A great advocate of mass production, he was fascinated by the possibility of reproducing an object several times to ensure furniture for everyone, as the Bauhaus motto states. For Magistretti, a good design object can and must last 50 or 100 years. Some of his creations have become true icons and are still in production. They include the Eclisse lamp for Artemide, Compasso d'Oro in 1967; the Atollo lamp for Oluce; the Maralunga sofa and the Nuvola Rossa bookcase for Cassina; the Nathalie bed and Tadao for Flou; He worked for many other brands including De Padova, Fritz Hansen, Fontana Arte and Kartell. He died in Milan on September 19, 2006.
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