Marco Zanuso (14 May 1916 – 11 July 2001) was a leading Italian Modernist
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
and
designer
A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans.
In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exp ...
.
Early life
Marco Zanuso was born in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
(
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
) 14 May 1916. He was one of a group of Italian designers from Milan shaping the international idea of "good design" in the postwar years. He began his studies in architecture at the
Politecnico di Milano
The Polytechnic University of Milan () is the largest technical university in Italy, with about 42,000 students.
The university offers undergraduate, graduate and higher education courses in engineering, architecture and design.
Founded in 186 ...
university in 1934 and graduated in 1939. During the Second World War he served in the navy, following which he opened his own design office in 1945. From the beginning of his career, at
Domus
In Ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (plural ''domūs'', genitive ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...
where he served as the editor from 1947–49 and at
Casabella
''Casabella'' is a monthly Italian architectural and product design magazine with a focus on modern, radical design and architecture. It includes interviews with the world's most prominent architects.
History and profile
Casabella was founded in ...
where he was editor from 1952–56, where together which his close collaboration with Ernesto Nathan Rogers and others, he helped to establish the theories and ideals of the energetic
Modern Design movement. As a professor of architecture, design and town planning at the Politecnico di Milano from the late 1940s until the 1980s, and as one of the founding members of th
ADIin the 1950s, he also had a distinct influence over the next design generation coming out of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
Career
Marco Zanuso's prolific career spanned over six decades and during this time his interest in rational design to solve problems, allowed him to push boundaries in town planning, architecture and product design. His approach to European "good design" has some distinctions and he said his "inquisitiveness" drove his "constant search for a new discovery".
At every scale, his approach to "finding order in complexity" resulted in his openness to technological innovation, materials and aesthetic functionality that enhanced the human experience.
He collaborated with many of his peers during his lifetime, including historians Argan, Domenico, Pica and Veronesi, critics
Zevi and
Dorfles and architects
Rogers Rogers may refer to:
Places
Canada
*Rogers Pass (British Columbia)
*Rogers Island (Nunavut)
United States
* Rogers, Arkansas, a city
* Rogers, alternate name of Muroc, California, a former settlement
* Rogers, Indiana, an unincorporated community
...
and
Ponti.
Architecturally his association with
Ernesto N. Rogers resulted in his time as editor of Domus and Casabella and his early essays on architecture in which his distinct approach to Modernism is manifested. In 1957 Zanuso partnered with German designer
Richard Sapper
Richard Sapper (30 May 1932 – 31 December 2015) was a German industrial designer based in Milan, Italy. He is considered one of the most important designers of his generation, his products typically featuring a combination of technical innovat ...
. One of their first projects was a small, stackable child's chair designed for
Kartell
Kartell is an Italian company that makes and sells plastic contemporary furniture. It is headquartered in Noviglio, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy, and it is a subsidiary of Felofin.
History
The company began manufacturing automobile accessor ...
in non-reinforced plastic. This piece was light, functional and playful, manufactured in several bright colors and it was among the furniture designs responsible for convincing people that plastic was a viable and appropriate material for the modern home.
Zanuso and Sapper were hired in 1959 as consultants to
Brionvega
Brionvega is an Italian electronics company that is known for manufacturing futuristic televisions and audio equipment. The company was founded in 1939 by Giuseppe Brion and Leone Pajettain in Milan. Initially named B.P.M. Radio, the company w ...
, an Italian company trying to produce stylish electronics that would, at least outwardly, beat those being made in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. They designed a series of radios and televisions that became enduring icons of an aesthetic known as "
techno-functionalism". Their rounded, compact and portable "Doney 14" (1962) was the first completely
transistor
upright=1.4, gate (G), body (B), source (S) and drain (D) terminals. The gate is separated from the body by an insulating layer (pink).
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch e ...
television. Working with the language of
sculptural minimalism
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
they designed the successful folding "Grillo" telephone for
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
(1966). This was one of the first phones to put the dial and the earpiece on the same unit.
Zanuso was invited as a guest speaker at the Dunhill industrial design lecture series in Australia during 1971. In 1972, Zanuso and Sapper designed a series of dwellings for th
"Italy: The New Domestic Landscape"show at the
MoMA
Moma may refer to:
People
* Moma Clarke (1869–1958), British journalist
* Moma Marković (1912–1992), Serbian politician
* Momčilo Rajin (born 1954), Serbian art and music critic, theorist and historian, artist and publisher
Places
; Ang ...
. Each stacking unit, like
ultramodern
Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...
teepees, unfolded to a living area complete with all the facilities and many of the accessories of a small apartment. Zanuso wrote that they were "designed for all situations that require immediately available, easily transportable living quarters." As with the rest of their work, the hallmarks of these designs were elegance and imagination.
In 1984, he was awarded the
Premio Presidente della Repubblica prize, and the
Compasso d’Oro Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. He received an Honorary Degree in Industrial Design in 1999 from the
Politecnico di Milano
The Polytechnic University of Milan () is the largest technical university in Italy, with about 42,000 students.
The university offers undergraduate, graduate and higher education courses in engineering, architecture and design.
Founded in 186 ...
, where he also lectured from the 1960s to 1980s.
Architecture
While Zanuso and Sapper pushed boundaries with their innovative industrial design, from his Milan studio Zanuso explored the boundaries of architecture through various novel projects in Italy and around the world, including Argentina, Brazil and South Africa.
Designing complex commercial warehouses and offices, public buildings and domestic spaces, with equal ease, he aimed to enhance modern society, responsibly.
His Olivetti factory (1961) in São Paolo and the new Piccolo Teatro (1996) in Milan for example, are respected examples of his commercial architecture. His domestic architecture is being regarded as having contributed towards architectural innovation in an era that revised the role and processes of the Modern Movement.
Among these projects are his Casa a Leto di Priolo, Arenzano (1960-1962), in Genova Italy, Case di vacanza,
Arzachena
Arzachena (; sdn, Alzachèna; sc, Altzaghèna) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Sassari, northern Sardinia, the second largest island off the coast of Italy. Arzachena lies half way between the original Costa Smeralda resort and Port ...
, (1962-1964) in Sardinia, Casa Press, Coromandel Farm (1969-1975) in
Lydenburg
Lydenburg, officially known as Mashishing, is a town in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality, on the Mpumalanga highveld, South Africa. It is situated on the Sterkspruit/Dorps River tributary of the Lepelle River at the summit of the Long Tom Pass. ...
, South Africa, Casa nell'isola di Cavallo (1981-1988) in
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
. His exploration of architecture in response to nature was an ongoing theme as seen in Cimiterio a la Muda,
Longarone
Longarone is a town and ''comune'' on the banks of the Piave in the province of Belluno, in northeast Italy. It is situated from Belluno.
4,642 people work all together in Longarone, which is 112.62% of the total population, with most actual in ...
, (1967-1973) which was a collaborative project with Gianni Avon, Francesco Tentori and with notable Italian landscape architect,
Pietro Porcinai
Pietro Porcinai (Fiesole, Italy 1910– Florence, Italy 1986) is renowned as one of the most outstanding Italian landscape architects of the twentieth century.
He designed a wide variety of projects on the most diverse scales: gardens and public p ...
.
Industrial Design
The major pieces of his career run a broad spectrum from early experiments in bent metal to luxurious, plush furniture to sleek industrial designs in plastic. The underlying motif throughout each phase of his work is that he was pioneering the use and
market accessibility of every different material he worked with. Some of his first work to be shown at all, and certainly to be shown outside of Italy, was at the Low-Cost Furniture competition sponsored by the
MoMA
Moma may refer to:
People
* Moma Clarke (1869–1958), British journalist
* Moma Marković (1912–1992), Serbian politician
* Momčilo Rajin (born 1954), Serbian art and music critic, theorist and historian, artist and publisher
Places
; Ang ...
in 1948. His design featured a metal frame chair that used a breakthrough method to join the fabric seat to the frame. In 1948
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a multinational tyre manufacturer based in Milan, Italy. The company, which has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 1922, is the 6th-largest tyre manufacturer and is focused on the consumer production of tyre ...
opened a new division,
Arflex
Arflex is an Italian company that makes and sells contemporary furniture.
History
In 1947, after the war, a group of researchers and entrepreneurs began to work on two new upholstering materials, foam rubber and elastic tape made by Pirelli, ...
, to design seating with foam rubber upholstery. They commissioned Zanuso to produce their first models. His "Antropus" chair came out in 1949, followed by the "Lady" chair, which won first prize at the 195
Milan Triennale Zanuso lauded the new material, "One could revolutionize not only the system of upholstery but also the structural manufacturing and formal potential...our prototypes acquired visually exciting and new contours...with industrial standards that were previously unimaginable."
Different items of his work in the collections of the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
Triennale Milano Triennale Tokyo,
Vitra Museum,
Arflex Museum and Kartell Museum.
Significant products
* 1951 "Lady" armchair for
arflex
Arflex is an Italian company that makes and sells contemporary furniture.
History
In 1947, after the war, a group of researchers and entrepreneurs began to work on two new upholstering materials, foam rubber and elastic tape made by Pirelli, ...
(
Medaglia d'Oro Triennale)
* 1952 "Martingala" armchair for arflex
* 1952 "Tripoltrona" sofa for arflex (
Medaglia d'Oro Triennale)
* 1954 "Sleep-o-matic" sofa for arflex (
Medaglia d'Oro Triennale)
* 1955 Olivetti buildings in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
and
San Paolo
San Paolo (Italian for "Saint Paul") is a ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia, in the Italian region Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region ...
* 1960 "Lambda" chair for (with
Richard Sapper
Richard Sapper (30 May 1932 – 31 December 2015) was a German industrial designer based in Milan, Italy. He is considered one of the most important designers of his generation, his products typically featuring a combination of technical innovat ...
)
* 1962 "Doney" television for
Brionvega
Brionvega is an Italian electronics company that is known for manufacturing futuristic televisions and audio equipment. The company was founded in 1939 by Giuseppe Brion and Leone Pajettain in Milan. Initially named B.P.M. Radio, the company w ...
(with Richard Sapper)
* 1963
Alfa Romeo 2600
The Alfa Romeo 2600 (Tipo 106) was Alfa Romeo´s six-cylinder flagship produced from 1962 to 1968. It was the successor to the Alfa Romeo 2000. It has become historically significant as the last Alfa Romeo to have been fitted with an inline six- ...
concept (with Richard Sapper)
* 1964 "Algol" television for Brionvega (with Richard Sapper)
* 1964 "Woodline" and "Fourline" armchairs for arflex
* 1964 "K 4999" children's chair for
Kartell
Kartell is an Italian company that makes and sells plastic contemporary furniture. It is headquartered in Noviglio, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy, and it is a subsidiary of Felofin.
History
The company began manufacturing automobile accessor ...
(with Richard Sapper)
* 1965 "TS 502" radio for Brionvega (with Richard Sapper)
* 1966 "
Grillo
Grillo, also known as Riddu and Rossese bianco, is a white Italian wine grape variety that withstands high temperatures and is widely used in Sicilian winemaking and, in particular, for making Marsala. Its origins are uncertain, but it may ha ...
" telephone for
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
(with Richard Sapper)
* 1969 "Black" television for Brionvega (with Richard Sapper)
* 1970 "Marcuso" table for
Zanotta
* 1970 "Hastil" pen for Aurora
(with Richard Sapper)
* 1974
IBM building in Milan
* 1998 New theatre
Piccolo Teatro in Milan
Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Milano, 1957) - BEIC 6355467.jpg, Cedit shop, Milan, 1957
Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Milano, 1957) - BEIC 6355455.jpg, Shop installment, 1957
Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico - BEIC 6365441.jpg, CEDIS ceramics industry, Palermo
Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Milano, 1960) - BEIC 6355783.jpg, Exhibition about aviation pioneers, Royal Palace of Milan
The Royal Palace of Milan (Italian: ''Palazzo Reale di Milano'') was the seat of government in the Italian city of Milan for many centuries. Today, it serves as a cultural centre and it is home to international art exhibitions.
It spans through ...
, 1960
Publications
* François Burkhardt, ''Marco Zanuso. Design'', Federico Motta Editore, 1994,
* Aldo Colonnetti ''Grafica e Design a Milan 1933–2000'', Editore Collana AIM – Abitare Segesta Cataloghi, Milan 2001.
* Crespi, L, et al., Marco Zanuso: architettura e design, Rome:Officina Libraria, 2020.
* De Giorgi, M, “Casa Press/Press House Marco Zanuso”, Inventario, vol. 1, 2011, pp. 156–159.
* De Giorgi, M, Marco Zanuso architetto, Milan: Skira, 1999.
* Peres, E & Zamboni, A, Marco Zanuso in South Africa. London: Artifice Press, 2022
* Grignolo R, Marco Zanuso: Scritti sulle tecniche di produzione e di progretto, Milan: Mendrisio Academy Press and Silvana Editoriale (Collection directed by Letizia Tedeschi), 2013.
External links
Arflex-design, Official websiteMarco Zanuso, BrionvegaMarco Zanuso, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zanuso, Marco
1916 births
2001 deaths
Polytechnic University of Milan alumni
20th-century Italian architects
Italian industrial designers
Polytechnic University of Milan faculty
Olivetti people
Architects from Milan
Product designers
Industrial designers
Furniture designers
Designers
Compasso d'Oro Award recipients