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Monday, September 5, 2011

Franco Albini

Franco Albini
Franco Albini (1905-1977) received a degree in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1929 and went to work for the Ponti and Lancia design studios and worked for the magazine Casabella. He opened his own practice in 1931.

During the 1940s he developed a relationship with Cassina, a firm which also produced work by designers such as Erik Gunnar Asplund, Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Charlotte Perriand, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld and Frank Lloyd Wright. He designed for other firms as well, including Poggi.

He began working with Franca Helg in 1952, and with her he worked on postwar  reconstruction projects, particularly in the area of workers' housing. In the 1960s and 1970s, they were involved in many urban development projects, including subway, museum, office and residential design.

He received numerous prizes, including the La Rinascente-Compasso d’Oro for the design of the Luisa chair (1955), the Bronze Medal from the Parson School in New York (1956) for his contribution to industrial design, the Olivetti Award for Architecture (1957), the Gran Premio Nazionale La Rinascente-Compasso d’Oro (1958), the La Rinascente-Compasso d’Oro Award for the Milan Line 1 Subway project (1964), and the Royal Designer for Industry title awarded by the London Royal Society of Arts (1971).

From fondazionefrancoalbini.com and sanlorenzosilver.it

Canapo chair, 1945
chictip.com
Room divider, 1947
fanantiques.com
Luisa armchair, 1949/1955
samkaufman.com
#147 settee, 1950
1stdibs.com
TL2 table, 1950
spazioldo.com
Gala chair, 1951
architonic.com
Margherita chairs, 1951
1stdibs.com
Cicognino tables, 1952
okoloweb.cz
Fiorenza chair, 1952
architonic.com
LB7 bookcase, 1957
deconet.com
Albini pedestal desk, 1958
knoll.com
Tre Pezzi chair with Franca Helg, 1959
bonluxat.com
AM/AS sconce with Franca Helg and Antonio Piva, 1969
1stdibs.com
AS1C lamp with Franca Helg, 1970
hanoverfab.com

6 comments:

  1. i saw similar room dividers in a booth last week...amazing...i have been dying to know who made it...thanks for the info Dana :)

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  2. Oh my, you are such a tease with these ever drool-worthy photos you show on your blog!

    Always makes me long for a really mid century modern look to my furniture, but... I'll have to settle for what I have, and drooling over these amazing designers. :)

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  3. The Gala chair is similar to architect Frank Gehry's Cross Check chair made of bent wood. Wonder if this influenced his design? Could you do a post on him?

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  4. Weird, daddio, crazy weird. But kinda cool too.

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  5. I love him. I was lucky enough to find one of his rattan ottomans a couple of years ago. Don't think the guy knew what it was and it only cost me about £25. Very happy with my bargain piece of design.

    You can see it here:
    http://www.flutterbymama.co.uk/kitchen/old-shed-new-room/

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  6. @flutterbymama: Your home is absolutely gorgeous, and the Albini ottoman isn't the only thing you have that I love...all your light fixtures, the house bird, the rocker. I could go on and on. Thanks for sharing the link. I'll definitely keep up with the goings-on at your place!

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