Marco Zanuso

Marco Zanuso ( born May 14, 1916 in Milan, † 11 June 2001) was an Italian industrial designer and architect of the modern era.

Life and work

Zanuso is considered one of the fathers of Italian industrial design. In collaboration with the group of architects BBPR he was heavily involved in the debate on the modern building and design of the post-war period. Zanuso was one of the first that dealt with the issue of industrial production of consumer goods using new materials and technologies.

After he had completed his studies in 1939, he was editor of Domus ( 1947-1949 ) and at Casa Bella ( 1952-1954 ) and a founding member (1956 ) and President of ADI ( 1966-1969; Associazione per il Disegno Industriale, the Italian " society industrial Design ").

In 1948, Pirelli, the company Artflex that produces modern furniture with innovative materials such as foam rubber, and instructed Zanuso with the development of specific designs. The chair models " Antropus " and "Lady " (both 1949) are among his first works. The latter won in 1951 the first prize at the Milan Triennale. The chairs are still in production today.

Among other well-known Italian designers and architects Zanuso was several times ( 1954, 1955, 1956, 1998 ) Member of the jury of the " Compasso d' Oro ", the co-designed by Zanuso price of Industrial Design ADI.

With the German designer Richard Sapper, he worked for the electronics manufacturer Brionvea and Siemens.

From 1961-1991 taught at the Milan Politecnico Zanuso. Many of his works are exhibited in museums such as the New York Museum of Modern Art or the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein.