hermanmiller.comImage source: Gianfranco Zaccai
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Designer
Gianfranco Zaccai
Gianfranco Zaccai was born in Trieste, Italy, and grew up in the United States. Herman Miller's designer page says he graduated from Syracuse University and holds an architecture degree from Boston Architectural College, and that he splits…
Biography
Background
Gianfranco Zaccai was born in Trieste, Italy, and grew up in the United States. Herman Miller's designer page says he graduated from Syracuse University and holds an architecture degree from Boston Architectural College, and that he splits his time between Italy and the U.S., with strong ties to both. He founded the design firm Continuum Innovation in 1983; the company's offices are listed as Boston, Milan, Los Angeles and Seoul.
Signature Style
Zaccai describes Continuum's method as research-led. He compares each project to preparing a great meal and says the aim is a balance of the functional, emotional, ecological and economical. He argues that understanding comes from seeing real settings and talking with the people who use objects and environments, which is where the "aha" moments come from.
Notable Works
- Exclave for Herman Miller, a suite of collaborative products designed with Continuum
- Compass System for Herman Miller, healthcare casework for patient rooms
- Swiffer cleaning system for Procter & Gamble
- The Reebok Pump
- Nala Chair, which carries a Cradle to Cradle Silver certificate and a NeoCon 2008 Silver certificate
Legacy
Herman Miller lists awards including a Best of NeoCon Gold award in healthcare seating (2008), the IDSA Design of the Decade award, the iF Seal of Excellence, the Compasso d'Oro and a Presidential Award for Design Excellence. In 2018, the year he sold Continuum Innovation to EPAM, Zaccai established the foundation Intelligence ++, which seeks to improve quality of life for neurodiverse individuals, their families and caregivers.
