Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Pier Giacomo Castiglioni was an Italian architect and designer of great importance, recognized as one of the most influential protagonists of Italian and international design. His creations are part of the permanent collections of some of the main museums of Industrial Design and Contemporary Art, including the MoMA in New York and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan.
Immediately after completing his studies, he began his academic career at the Polytechnic of Milan as an assistant to well-known architects, including Renato Camus, Gio Ponti, Piero Portaluppi and Ernesto Nathan Rogers. At the same time, he began working with his brother Livio in the field of architecture. In 1938, together with Livio and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, he designed radio models for Phonola and cutlery for the Miracoli company, now produced by Alessi. His collaboration with Dino Gavina led to the creation of iconic works, which marked a revolution in interior lighting design.
In 1942 Pier Giacomo designed the coat of arms of the Polytechnic of Milan. The following year he designed the Casa F, in Abbadia Lariana (province of Lecco).
In 1944, Achille, the youngest of the Castiglioni brothers, also graduated and joined the family firm. Between 1952 and 1953, the Castiglioni brothers collaborated with the architect Luigi Fratino on the restoration of the Palazzo della Permanente in Milan and the annexed Tower. During the 1950s and 1960s, Pier Giacomo received numerous awards at the Milan Triennale: a Bronze Medal in 1947, two Grand Prix in 1951 and 1954, and other important medals including silver and gold, respectively in 1957, 1960 and 1963.
In 1956 he was one of the founders of the ADI (Association for Industrial Design), where he served as a juror and won the prestigious Compasso d’Oro award several times.
Lucio Fontana introduced Pier Giacomo Castiglioni to the entrepreneur Dino Gavina at the 10th Milan Triennale, which in 1954 aimed to analyze the theme of the aesthetics of the industrial product.
This extraordinary collaboration officially began with the design of the Babela armchair in 1958, followed by the Sanluca armchair in 1959, the Lierna chair in 1960, the exhibition space in San Lazzaro di Savena in 1960, the foundation of Flos in 1960, as well as the Gavina store in via Durini in Milan and then in Turin, the Gavina factory in Foligno in 1962.
In 1958 he dedicated himself to the renovation of the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, in a “total architecture” project that would anticipate other similar works of his later work.
In 1960, he oversaw the architectural design of the Splügen Bräu restaurant-brewery, where he also created a series of objects such as cutlery, lamps and glasses that defined the identity of the place until its closure in 1981. Studio Castiglioni has also created exhibition stands for large companies such as ENI, Montecatini and RAI since the 1940s.
In 2014, in Milan, a street was named after the Castiglioni brothers in the Porta Nuova area, as a testament to their important contribution to Italian Design.
Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Pier Giacomo Castiglioni was an Italian architect and designer of great importance, recognized as one of the most influential protagonists of Italian and international design. His creations are part of the permanent collections of some of the main museums of Industrial Design and Contemporary Art, including the MoMA in New York and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan.
Immediately after completing his studies, he began his academic career at the Polytechnic of Milan as an assistant to well-known architects, including Renato Camus, Gio Ponti, Piero Portaluppi and Ernesto Nathan Rogers. At the same time, he began working with his brother Livio in the field of architecture. In 1938, together with Livio and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, he designed radio models for Phonola and cutlery for the Miracoli company, now produced by Alessi. His collaboration with Dino Gavina led to the creation of iconic works, which marked a revolution in interior lighting design.
In 1942 Pier Giacomo designed the coat of arms of the Polytechnic of Milan. The following year he designed the Casa F, in Abbadia Lariana (province of Lecco).
In 1944, Achille, the youngest of the Castiglioni brothers, also graduated and joined the family firm. Between 1952 and 1953, the Castiglioni brothers collaborated with the architect Luigi Fratino on the restoration of the Palazzo della Permanente in Milan and the annexed Tower. During the 1950s and 1960s, Pier Giacomo received numerous awards at the Milan Triennale: a Bronze Medal in 1947, two Grand Prix in 1951 and 1954, and other important medals including silver and gold, respectively in 1957, 1960 and 1963.
In 1956 he was one of the founders of the ADI (Association for Industrial Design), where he served as a juror and won the prestigious Compasso d’Oro award several times.
Lucio Fontana introduced Pier Giacomo Castiglioni to the entrepreneur Dino Gavina at the 10th Milan Triennale, which in 1954 aimed to analyze the theme of the aesthetics of the industrial product.
This extraordinary collaboration officially began with the design of the Babela armchair in 1958, followed by the Sanluca armchair in 1959, the Lierna chair in 1960, the exhibition space in San Lazzaro di Savena in 1960, the foundation of Flos in 1960, as well as the Gavina store in via Durini in Milan and then in Turin, the Gavina factory in Foligno in 1962.
In 1958 he dedicated himself to the renovation of the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, in a “total architecture” project that would anticipate other similar works of his later work.
In 1960, he oversaw the architectural design of the Splügen Bräu restaurant-brewery, where he also created a series of objects such as cutlery, lamps and glasses that defined the identity of the place until its closure in 1981. Studio Castiglioni has also created exhibition stands for large companies such as ENI, Montecatini and RAI since the 1940s.
In 2014, in Milan, a street was named after the Castiglioni brothers in the Porta Nuova area, as a testament to their important contribution to Italian Design.
