Franco Albini

Background

Franco Albini (1905-1977) was an Italian architect, designer and urban planner, described by Wikipedia as a Neo-Rationalist. Born in Robbiate near Milan, he graduated in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1929 and began his career working for Gio Ponti. He opened his own practice in 1930 according to the English Wikipedia; the Italian article dates his own studio to 1931, shared with Giancarlo Palanti and Renato Camus.

Signature Style

Wikipedia says his furniture merged Italian traditional craftsmanship with the new forms of modernism, using raw, inexpensive materials in an elegant, minimalist design. The Italian article ties him to the Milan idea of designing everything from the spoon to the city.

Notable Works

• Fiorenza armchair for Arflex (1952) and the Luisa chair for Poggi, awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1955
• Tre Pezzi armchair for Cassina, designed with Franca Helg in 1959
• Genoa museums: Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and the Tesoro di San Lorenzo
• Milan Metro Line 1 stations (1964), with Franca Helg and Bob Noorda

Legacy

He received three Compasso d'Oro awards (1955, 1958, 1964) and was made an Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in 1971. The Fondazione Franco Albini was set up in 2007 in his Milan studio to preserve and share his legacy.