The Carimate chair, a notable bestseller created for Cassina S.p.A., combined rural seating elements with a bright red wooden frame to bridge the gap between traditional Italian craftsmanship and modern urban design. This piece served as a defining success for Vico Magistretti, a Milanese architect and industrial designer whose career spanned the evolution of postwar European aesthetics.
Formative Years and Wartime Displacement
Born in Milan on October 6, 1920, to architect Pier Giulio, Magistretti began his professional training before the intensification of the Second World War. On September 8, 1943, he left Italy for Switzerland to avoid deportation. During his stay, he engaged with the Champ Universitaire Italien in Lausanne. Following the cessation of hostilities in 1945, he returned to his home city to complete his studies at the Politecnico di Milano.
Architectural Beginnings and Urban Planning
Upon graduating, Magistretti joined his father's architectural practice alongside Paolo Chessa. Influenced by the humanist principles of Ernesto Nathan Rogers, he participated in the development of the QT8 neighborhood in Milan. This experimental project provided a platform for his early work, most notably the Santa Maria Nascente round church. Throughout this period, he focused on urban design within the local Italian context.
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In the 1950s, Magistretti transitioned toward mass-produced furniture and lighting for firms including Artemide, Flou, Fritz Hansen, and Kartell. His design output included recognized items such as the Eclisse and Chimera lamps. His professional life also involved two decades of teaching at the Royal College of Art in London, as well as roles at the Domus Academy in Milan. He was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry and served as an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Incorporation of Architects.
Awards and Institutional Legacy
Magistretti’s design contributions earned him the Compasso d'Oro in 1967 and 1979. Other recognition included the gold medal at the 1951 Triennale, the Grand Prix at the 1954 Triennale, and the Gold Medal of the Chartered Society of Industrial Artists & Designers in 1986. His work is held in museum collections globally, including the Pompidou Centre, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. He died in Milan on September 19, 2006, leaving his legacy to be managed by the Vico Magistretti Foundation.
Fast facts
- Born: 6 October 1920, Milan, Italy
- Died: 19 September 2006, Milan, Italy
- Education: Politecnico di Milano
- Notable Works: Eclisse, Chimera, Carimate chair
- Major Awards: Compasso d'Oro (1967, 1979)
- Professional Roles: Architect, urban planner, designer, university teacher
- Key Collaborator: Ernesto Nathan Rogers
Questions readers ask
Which companies did Vico Magistretti work with?
He collaborated with firms including Kartell, Fritz Hansen, Artemide, Flou, Cassina S.p.A., and De Padova.
What subjects did he teach during his career?
He taught at the Royal College of Art in London for 20 years and at the Domus Academy in Milan.
Where is his work exhibited today?
His designs are held in collections at the Pompidou Centre, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the ADI Design Museum, among others.
Achievements
- Notable work: Eclisse
- Notable work: Chimera (lamp)
- Compasso d'Oro
- Trained at Polytechnic University of Milan
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